EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 March 1926, Page 11

EDUCATION.

ADDRESS BY SIR JAMES PARR.

By Toleeraph-Tress Association *^sww?sre to the subject pf a retiring address (® r .JJ? t foKo of Educate relinquishing the p long, tion, which he has f t °’ S °,“" E slv . of High Commissioner I e- e Unt *UiVwcUare of' the Empire » wrapped up in the education of its citizens of the fut '»'e-’' j Ea id New Proceeding, fen Jam n ea i 0 f Zealand was spending a g>e. e mnnpv on Education, £2,500,000 ill ia, 1. or one-c Wit of the national income. Some people said it was altogether too much, but 7 if his hearers were with,h" R sometimes when delegations and tat ions besieged him with ‘oi 'bo be ie ed that he .should, spend much more money. It might astonish his lie at- ' ” \ut it was nevertheless a fact tl.a 80 per cent of the expenditure urns paid out in snlaries to teachers, professors, ‘"iirSoV? tz* *. mu*~. “tl.it tiller, in »y ter'? °> °? ,c .” '"J had their emoluments increased and that to-day they are receiving fairly attenuate salaries, adequate but no more, 3 von. There was, a time when the salary'of an educated, nay often a cultured man was no more thani that, f a successful watersider. hut I am thank ful that that day is past. there was no one in the whole community moro influential than the teacher, and lie made no apology for the size of tlic vote for salaries for education —a vote or £3.51)0.000 is more than justified. Sir James states it could only lie reduced b v attaching the main fabric of education, by reducing it in essential point?, and destroying the efficiency of the schools. No sane and sensible man would raise tlio argument of extravagance indeed, oil leaving tlio post of Minister of Education, lie would a«ert, that the vote should not bo decreased, but must and would be increased whether the country liked it or »o t - d £ increase the speaker estimated, must i'e 'between £53.000 and £60,000 per vear. There was no escape. The provision of the money would bring anxiety to the Government, tlm Minister Hoards and committee;'. He did not know that a reduction m the vote was heino urged, but. if it were it was from a dilartor which was not entitled to a ,r|cai deal of respect for education. Ine .coviM ii! I'm- education must he kept fr.ic the iuflneiire. caprices and artifices of political party warfare.