SCHOOLS AND PUPILS.

NEW BUILDING AT MATAMATA OPENING BY MINISTER. [B7 TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRrSrOJTDENT.] MATAMATA. Saturday. The new Matamata District High School building was opened this afternoon by the Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr. " There was a large gathering, over which Mr. S. Salisbury, chairman of th« School Committee, presided. The Minister said they were there to mark the birth of secondary education in Matamata. The site chosenone of 15 acres—could not be excelled anywhere in the Dominion. The ground had cost £3720, of which £1000 had been subscribed privately. There had been no stint with regard to the building programme, and this would cost, approximately, when finished, another £4000. He severely criticised the payment of large commissions to private architects for work done in connection with secondary school buildings. In one city alone £7000 had lately been spent that way. In future the board's architect would do all that was necessary. Apart from the financial aspect, the board's architect was a specialist, and his plans did not need revision like those of private architects. The objects and benefits of secondary education were then referred to by Mr. Parr. Mr. E. C. Banks, chairman o! the Auckland Education Board, explained the steps that had been taken in the establishment of the school. Congratulatory speeches were also given by Messrs. C. E. Macmillan, M.P. ; A. Burns, a member of the Education Board: and W. A. Gordon, chairman of ' the Matamata Town Board. Mr. Salisbury presented Mrs. Parr with a souvenir pair of scissors to cut the tape, after which afternoon tea was dispensed by the ladies. EXTENSIONS AT WHITIORA. FOUR NEW CLASS !ROOMS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON".' Saturday. Four new classrooms arc being added to the Whitiora School, and should be completed by the end of Much, when ample accommodation will bo provided for the 700 pupils on the roll. There will then be a total of twelve classrooms. The additions are in brick, of which the school is built, and each room is designed on the most modern lines with accommodation for 50 children. It is doubtful if there is another school in the Dominion which has made such phenomenal progress as the Whitiora School. Opened in 1919 to relieve the congestion at the Hamilton West and Frankton schools, the original building provided accommodation for 160 children. Since then the numerical strength of its roll has been increased by over 100 year until the present total of 700 has been reached.