PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 23, 27 September 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26. Wellington, September 2G. The Legislative Council met at 2.3 u p.m. : The Imprest Supply Bill, allocating ,£883,000, was put through all iistages, and the Council then adjoin lied'. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30, and consideration of the Estimates was re sumed. On Class XV.—Education Depart inent—Mr C. Witty contended that thi lower paid teachers should receive greater consideration than they wen !at present receiving. ' Mr G. W. Russell said that he 'would like the Minister to say whether hi had had any expression of opinio! from the teachers as to the value o' the School Journal. It was' a nev feature in education to have a Journal He would like to know how'it w{u apprwedo-fhat th& r; salaries; s of y 'the higher officers permanently" raised "this year; "Was* this"" to'avoid unpleasant comparisons with.the salan paid tb the'director of physical training? The question of expenditure in connection with the head office required a critical Overhaul, which the Minister could not give it while he held the portfoHoA'of Finance and Defence, as Well as that of Education.

Mr J. Allen denied that there were any increases in salaries this year of the office staff. With regard to teachers, there was- legislation before tin House which would give increases ii salaries. The Cabinet had agreed tr increase the staffing, which would affect 136 schools and cost over £13,000 every year, but could only be brought about gradually. As to the School Journal, he was emphatically of opinion that it was a most valuable adjunct to school work. It had recently been highly praised by Earl Grey, who had told him, when in London, that it was the best journalof its kind he had yet seen. In the evening Mr T. M. Wilford urged the Government to introduce a uniform school book. He proposed next session to divide the House on the question, so that the electors would have the matter fresh in their minds at election time. He further asked the Minister when he proposed to gracle teachers of high schools, the present system being an injustice to the teachers. Mr Jas. Allen doubted the wisdom of providing a uniform school book at the present time.

In reply to speeches, the Minister, dealing with medical inspectors, said that there was only four, and it wat impossible for them to do all that the ■Department conld wish. Tile scheme was only in the making. There wer< very few feehle-minded children in the elementary schols, but there vrore a thousand or fifteen hundred backward children. He was obliged to Mr Wilford for his offer in foregoing the grant for the Hutt and offering it to the backblocks, but he could not accept it. He believed in treating all schools on their merits. He had the schools classified every month, and he diligently went through the lift. There were ten inspectors under the medical officers, and it was not proposed to increase that number at the moment.

Mr T. M. Wilford brought up the question of the appointment of .MiBrown as Director of Technical Education. H« demanded a public inquiry into it. Mr Brown, he declared, had been assistant-master at Timaru under the present Inspector-General, afterwards he came to Wellington and was given the position of Inspector of Technical Instruction, although he only did the work of a clerk. Only on rare .occasions did he do the work of an inspector, but now he had the position of Director of Technical Instruction at a salary of £475, with a maximum of

£SBO, second only to the InspectorGeneral himself. The appointment had heen made by Gazette notice. It had never been advertised. There rt«re other more qualified men in the Dominion than Mr Brown, who never had a chance of getting the position. The appointment was far worse than Mr Royd Garlick's appointment. Mr Allen, in reply, said that Mr Brown had been in the service twelve years. He had the rank of inspector. He had been given his present position oy the Civil Service Commissioners. Mr Allen was not responsible for it and knew nothing about it. Mr G. W. Russell sail that'this was a most alarming admission on the part of the Minister. Was the position then that the Commissioners could 'create any position in the service they liked without the knowledge of die Minister? ::/ <, :

The debate was continued on party ines.

The debate was continued until 12. J 5 a.m., when the vote passed and the House proceeded to discuss the Native Schools' Vote.

On the item physical training, Mr Wilford moved to reduce uio salary of the drector by £2OO, as an indication that Mr Royd Garlick should not have a higher salary than any teacher hi the Dominion.

Mr Alien, in reply, said that there Has no regulation against the wives of public servants outside the Railway Department carrying on business. He asked members to drop attacking Mr Garlick and let results prove whether he was capable of carrying out che duties of his office.

At 2 a.m. the House was left sitting. <• Wellington, September 2/. , After the Telegraph Office closed at 2 a.m. the House continued the'debate on Mr Wilford's motion. The livision was taken at. 2.30, when it was lost by 29 to 20. The class then passed. On the Post and Telegraph Class Sir Joseph Ward entered a protest against the estimates being brought lown in globo. It was wrong in principle, and he would like to know •vhat the portion was. Mr Rhodes said exception had been :aken to any Estimates being -brought lown, and he accordingly had the schedule prepared gfvjng the details, .vhich had been circula+ed. Mri Russell suggested that if the schedule weve embodied un the Estinates.that, would a atWy..tbe Opposition. • 'Mr Rhodes' agreed to! ML; and the amendment was made. The Class passed at 3 a.m. While the) Public Health! Department I .vas being discussed, the Minister and hit- Joseph Wardi tenderftl-thanks to Or te Rangihiroa, who had just roamed hir plarie in for aer!/ices rendered by 'Mm:'hi' tie North luring the smallpox scare. The State Coal Mn/s was passed it 3.35. On the State Tire Insurance Mr LOisher said that the balance-sheet diowed better results this year than last year, but he. admitted there was ; ess bvtsineS&'idorie betW.oeH < this Department and the State Guaranteed Advances Office since ,the /change of policy under .which borrowers .were set at liberty to insure with any Reputable; office: they pleased. The loss .vould probably be covered by £ooo. Sir Joseph Ward contended that the !oss must be' infinitely greater 1 ; a»!thc Minister was dealing only with the loss >f renewals, but the loss of new busiiess must be taken into account. The point was responsible for an animated Party debate, which lasted for an hour and a half, the class being passad and the Estimates concluded at 5.55. The House adjourned at 6 a.m.