THE EDUCATION ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1920, Page 6

THE EDUCATION ACT.

MINISTER AND A MEMBER. REPLY BY MR. S. G. SMITH, M.P. The attack made by the Minister of Eiluration (thejHon. C. .T. Parr) on rbe views-expressed by Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., on the passing of the .'Education Act, were referred to Mr. Smith by a Daily News reporter. In reply to the Minister, Mr. Smith said:

"I must confess to a feeling of regret that Mr. Parr should have so far forgotten the dignity due to his high office, in that he not only carefully avoided the main points at issue, but he resorted to abuse and! inaccuracy, in an apparent attempt to belittle me. Let it be understood that I appeared before the Education Committee of the Hou=e in my capacity as President of the Federated School Committees' Association, and by resolution of the executive of that organisation entered a most emphatic protest against the scant consideration given to the considered requests of the Association's annual conference, and further to the extremely limited time allowed for consideration' to important Bill. The secretary of the. Association was allowed approximately seven minutes in which to state the views of our organisation, which embraces practically every school committee in New Zealand.

"As regards Mr. Parr's reference ta long-windod witnesses, this cannot apply to myself, because, after reading my statement to the committee, the chairman (Mr. Malcolm) not only remarked that I was two minutes under the time allowed, but congratulated me on the brief and concise nature of the statement I had made. Mr. Parr is unfortunate in his choice of words in this respect. It is well to note that, though Mr. Parr now seeks to discredit the evidence tendered by the accredited representative of the school committees, it is- a fact that when Mr. Parr was speaking in the House subsequent to the reporting of the Bill he was most careful" to note with satisfaction the support to several clauses of the Bill given by the Association. "With reference to the Bill being rushed through the House, it is a fact that the Bill was introduced on Wednesday, October 27th, referred to the Education Committee,' who met on the following Friday, and four other occasions, two of these being whilst the House was sitting, and was passed in the early hours of the morning of November sth, Ae' spite the fact that not only witnesses but members of the committee protested against 'rush tactics' in connection with such an important Bill. I challenge Mr. t'arr to produce a copy of the full statement of the Bill which he states was forwarded to High School Boards some weeks before the Bill was brought down. On enquiring from the secretary of the local Board I ascertained that a statement (not by any means a full one) was received by, him on -October 2:>rd, that is, four daysM>efore the Bill was introduced.

"As regards my statement to the High School Board pointing out that the Bill greatly restricted their powers regarding salaries of teachers, and that eventually the appointment of teachers would practically be taken out of their hands, surely Air. Parr with his long •connection with educational institutions should have known that I was referring to teachers of secondary schools. I am not concerned about Mr. Parr's reference to blocking the best teachers from getting appointments, or increased salaries, or opposing classification, because so far as I am concerned they have no personal application. Notwithstanding what may Be said to the contrary, the grip of centralisation is tightening, and unless steps are taken to loosen it, much valuable local effort throughout the Dominion will be lost, in the very near future;.

"May I add that I am as anxious for ths educational welfare of the. children of this Dominion as the Minister of Education, and even he may find it advantageous to be a little less apt to take kindly suggestions, honestly made, as hostile i>ritifli«m."