EDUCATION WANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1921, Page 5

EDUCATION WANTS.

RESTRICTED BY FINANCIAL POSITION. THE MINISTER OPTIMISTIC. / By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Replying to an educational deputation, the Hon. C. J. Parr said he had been asked to, resist a reduction of educational expenditure as Minister of Education and fight for the department, for the reason that to apply the pruning knife drastically to the system of education in this country would be false economy, for it took from a child two or three years’ school life for want of money, or gave u child for a year indifferent instruction, and for the reason that they could never make up to a child what they had taken from it. Mr. Parr said he was hopeful that conditions would improve, and he was optimistic. Others were not so, hut matters would have to get pretty had before they would reduce educational expenditure. In the matter of erecting new schools some reduction might be necessary. The Government had done well in this respect last year, which would make a considerable improvement in the position, and he hoped nothing would occur to disturb the authorities given. Regarding new authorities, his hands were tied by the existing financial position. Revenue was falling, and it would he unwise to go on the local market even for a loan for education, but he hoped Mr. Massey would he able to arrange finance satisfactorily.