STRONG PROTEST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 406, 15 December 1932, Page 5

STRONG PROTEST

(Press. Assn.-

tOUR CRITiClSED ' AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD ATTACKS EDUCATION DIRECTOR'S TOUR RIDING AB-OUT COUNTRY

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

Auckland', Wednesday. In the- opinion of the Auckland Education Board, the Bireetor of Education and his first lieutenant should not be touring in the Bay of Plenty when the cry is for economy. At this morning's meeting of the board, Hr. F. A. Snell put the following question to the chairman, Mr. T. U. Wells: "Do you know of any good and sufficient reason why it is necessary in such trying times as the present for the Director of Education and his right-hand man (the two most highly-paid officials of the Department) to be touring the Bay of Plenty district for the purpose of inspecting native schools?" Mr. J. Paterson: For his health. The chairman : I can only say that the weather is very -fine. I am not a keeper for the director and his assistant, and the matter is beyond me. Mr. Snell said the board had for a long time past had requests for the exercise of economy in every possible way, and the board had given an undertaking to the Education Department that it would do its best. As a consequence the board was stinting its school buildings in the matters of painting and repairs; the school children were suffering, and to a large extent the teachers, owing to the finaneial stringency. In the face of that they had Mr. Strong and his right-hand man touring the country, ostensibly for the purpose of inspecting native schools. It was impossihle to coneeive why such touring was necessary. "A Scandal" Mr. Strong, said Mr. Snell, recently had. his ov/n inspectors through the schools, it was to be presumed, and surely the local authorities and inspectors could give all the advice that was necessary? He thought it was a scandal that money should he spent in such a way in such times as the p.resent, when schools and children were suffering from drastic retrenchment. At a time like the present surely the place for Mr. Strong and his assistant was in Wellington, in their 'office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and not liding about the country. The chairman: Do you move a motion? Mr. Snell: I think we should. I don't think such things are right, and as a taxpayer and member of the board I must protest. On the motion of Mr. Snell, seconded by Mr. A. R. Rew, the board decided to draw the attention of the Minister of Education to the fact that the director and his assistant were travelling round the country.