The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1919. SCHOOL REQUISITES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1919. SCHOOL REQUISITES.

The letter of "Parent," in a recent issue, voices a widespread grievance on the part of heads of families consequent on the heavy impost caused by the constant demand for children to be supplied with new books and other school accessories. This is a very old standing trouble that should have long since been removed, for, where large families are concerned, the amount involved annually in this direction becomes oppressive, especially in view of the high cost of living. In a recent interview, the Minister for Education stated that during the last session of Parliament he had caused an initial vote to be taken on the Estimates as the first step, subject to Cabinet approval, towards the inauguration '"of n scheme under which educational supplies, such as writing paper, copy books, exercise books, pens, ink and all school requisites might be supplied at much reduced rates V, pupils throughout the Dominion, thus relieving parents of the ever-increasing burden imposed on them. His idea is to establish i a central State store frotu which

education boards and school committees could obtain at a minimum cost all classes of school material used by pupils. For some years a similar scheme has been in operation in connection with Native schools and has proved satisfactory, resulting in a considerable saving to the Department, estimated at about £23,000. It would seem, therefore, that while the Minister has been keen on effecting a departmental saving, yet during all the stress of war time the parents have had to submit to extravagant prices being charged for these school requisites. The peculiarity about the present Minister for Education is that he has remarkable visions as to the reforms that should be instituted, but the process mostly stops short of performance. This fits in with the general policy of the Ministry—to talk much and accomplish little. The crying need of the day is action, leaving the talking to the soap box orators. The basis of our educational system is that it shall be free, universal, and unsectarian, but parents find to their chagrin that they have to pay heavy charges for seliool requisites. The first and most important reform should be uniformity in school books and as far as possible these books should be printed by the Government, and supplied to schools throughout the Dominion at cost price, being carried on the railways free of charge. Such books and apparatus as it is necessary to import should also be supplied at landed cost, the State bearing the expense of distribution so that the schools in the larger centres are not more favorably treated than those in the smaller towns and back blocks. The Government has devoted much time and attention to preaching economy, and yet has allowed a policy of extravagant wastage to prevail in regard to education. Apathy is }.t the root of the whole business both on the part of the people and the Gevemment, for the latter is not likely to institute reforms unjless the mandate is sufficiently backed to affect the fate of Ministers. It is not only in the primary schools that a proper system of supply of school requisites is needed, but also in the secondary and technical schools where the tax on the parents is even greater than in the case of the primaries. According to the Minister there are in the public schools of the Dominion 188,000 pupils, representing an outlay on books, stationery and requisites of something like half a million a .year, so that at present retailers' prices the parents are being taxed to the tune of over £IOO,OOO a year unjustly and unnecessarily. Uniform school books, requisites, and apparatus obtained on the most economical system and distributed at cost price would be a great boon, and pressure .should be brought to bear on the Government to institute this reform without further delay. THE BOROUGH LOANS. To-day the ratepayers of New Plymouth me asked to vote upon proposals to borrow £IO,OOO for street improvements and £40,000 for the extension of the electric lighting system. The proposals have been frflly explained by the Council, the members of which unanimously approve of them. The street loan is quite as impcrtant as the other, for it is manifestly impossible to bring the streets and footpaths up-to-date out of rates. Even if that were possible, it would take too long and cost a great deal more than if they were taken in hand immediately and energetically carried through. In comparison with other towns in the province New Plymouth suffers considerably in the matter of its streets and footpaths, many of which are a disgrace to the town, and a real danger in (lie winter time to pedestrian and wheeled traffic. The patching policy of the past has been as ineffective as it lias been expensive, but this is now to bo rectified. The £IO,OOO loan will not do all the work requiring to be dohe, but it will do the most pressing, and later the outside work can be attended to. The ratepayers rejected the proposal on the former occasion when it was submitted to tliem, but that was because they could not have properly understood it, or perhaps because they allowed their resent-' nient of some of the borough methods of the past to interfere with their judgment. The proposal should on this occasion, however, be judged on its merits. The council and stall' are now honestly striving to remedy the mistakes of the past and to carry out permanent work, and they deserve to be supported in their laudable purpose. Little need be said ei the electric lighting loan, except to express gratitude to the Council and the engineer for formulating such ah excellent scheme of extension that must result i': great advantage to the borough, permitting it not only to supply all its own needs but placing it in a position to supply the outlying districts and neighboring towns as well. The Department has made gratifying headway in recent years, and has had no occasion to make any demand upon the borough's revenue. On the contrary, it, has supplied the town with cheap light and power and made substantial profits that have been devoted to extensions. The Department is in a particularly healthy state, but, like oilier growing businesses, requires additional capital. The £40,000 loan will provide it, and in sanctioning the loan ratepayers will take no more risk than they have in respect to previous electric .light loans, enabling the service to ex-

tend in a way that will double the revenue and quadruple the net profits, i'.t the prepxr.t rate of progress, the time i.- not far distant when this successful department will be a source of considerable profit to the borough and afford substantial relief to the rates.