OFFICIAL VISIT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 236, 18 July 1936, Page 6

OFFICIAL VISIT

* THE HON. P. FRASER. WELGOMED TO ASHBURTON. SEVERAL DEPUTATIONS RECEIVED. ENTERTAINED BY LOCAL BODIES. On his first official visit to Ashburton the Minister of Health and Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) arrived from the south by road this morning and spent several hours here, receiving a number of deputations and being entertained by the Borough and County Councils. He spent nearly two hours at the Ashburton Public Hospital. When he arrived in Ashburton, the Minister was met by Mr H. E. Herring, M.P., the Mayor (Mr W. Woods), the Town Clerk (Mr W. Patterson) an# the chairman of the Ashburton Technical High School Board (Mr W. G. Hillier) and was briefly welcomed to the Borough. The Minister was accompanied by Mrs Fraser, Mr N. T. Lambourne (Director of Education), Dr. M. H. Watt (Director-General of Health), Mi A . Deavoll (private secretary) and Miss H. Calvert (typiste). At the Hospital, where the Mimstei next called, he was welcomed by the chairman (Mr W. G. Gallagher), who said it gave him particular pleasure to welcome the Minister. The last Minister to visit the hospital called there many years ago. Ashburton was veiy proud of its hospital and of the fact that the rate was the lowest in New Zealand, one-fifth of a penny in the £. Tin's had been due to the splendid band of pioneers who settled the district and built and paid for such utilities. The Board had been assisted by gifts from the late Miss J. Chalmers. She had bequeathed a magnificent sum to the Board and to the North Canterbury Board. The amount would be about £60,000, the income from which would be available to the Boards for all timei Dr. J. Russell Wells (chairman of the Hospital Committee) added a welcome to the Minister, and he refened to the sound financial position of the Board, due largely) to the policy laid down by the late Mr Charles Reid. Dr. Wells said he ' was glad to see Dr. Watt present. The Board appreciated its relationship with the Department and had no grievances, whatever, due to the helpful attitude of Dr. Watt and his officers. Replying, the Minister thanked the speakers for their warm welcome. He felt like Bret Harte’s heathen Chinee, when he heard the Board had no money troubles. It was not usual to hear so cheerful a story from Hospital Boards. It was evident on all hands that the pioneers had wrought well for Ashbuiton. He had never anticipated, for instance, to find such » lovely Domain. Dr. Watt had assured him that the Ashburton Hospital was one of the best in the Dominion. The Board was to be congratulated on its position and) the amount of public sympathy it had aroused in the district. The chairman thanked Mr Herring . for having arranged the Minister’s visit, and Mr Herring said it had been a pleasure to him. He assured the Board he would he happy to respond fully to the Board’s requests at any time. Mention was also made of. the Board’9 association with the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee, being the most northerly of the associated boards. The Ashburton Board had a sum of £16,000 invested in the sanatorium.

Also associated in the welcome to the Minister at the hospital were Messrs F. Frampton, W. H. Wilkinson, Raymond Oakley, W. Bryant, A. Prentice (secretary), Sister Dearsley (acting Matron), Dr. A. J. Mason (Medical Superintendent), Mrs A. J. Mason, Mrs F. Frampton, Mrs W. Cl. Gallagher and Mrs J. Russell Wells. Dr. Mason and Sister Dearsley then took charge of the party and conducted them round the hospital. Every department was visited and opportunity was also taken to view the new ambulance, which was delivered this morning. ALLENTON SCHOOL AFFAIRS. REPRESENTATIONS BY CHAIRMAN. After leaving the Hospital, the Minister went to the Allenton School, where he was met by the chairman of the committee (Mr E. C. Bathurst), who asked the Minister to recommend a- grant of £2l, the amount of the deficiency in the cost of constructing the school hath. The Minister eulogised the work the committee has already done, but said it would be creating a precedent if the Department made a grant such as that requested. Mr Bathurst referred to the great need there was for a residence for the headmaster of the school, and, asked the Minister to use his influence to have the Department make a grant for this purpose. The Minister said this was a request that should he given some ■ attention. He asked Mr Bathurst to make the request through the usual channels. DEPUTATIONS RECEIVED. 3 LYNDHURST SCHOOL REQUEST. The first of several deputations was that from the Lyndhurst School Committee, introduced by Mr Herring. The deputation said for the past 10

years it had been endeavouring to obtain an increase of accommodation, but had not been able to succeed. Two years ago, a tent was used to ease the position. The parents then raised money to alter the school to give three rooms instead of two. The Minister (to Mr S. Smith): It looks as if you will have to give these people more room. Mr Smith said; additions would never he satisfactory; the whole place would have to be altered. The Minister: Have you this on your list of works? Mr Smith: Wei have applied to the Department in regard to it. Mr Lamborne: There is a school five miles away, with ample room. That is Lauriston. _ The Minister promised to look into the question. Mr Herring said he had been lm"pressed by the worn that had been done by the residents to mitigate the troubles at the school. Suggested new plans for the school were discussed with the Minister and Mr Lamborne. Mr Smith endorsed Mr Herring s remarks regarding the ma/mer in which the residents had helped themselves. It was pointed out that the school jubilee would be celebrated next October, and it would be more satisfactory to have the work done before them. The Minister said the Education Board’s architect and Mr Smith could visit the school and go into the questions raised, especially that of ventilation. THE ISLEWORTH CHILDREN. ANOTHER CONVEYANCE PROBLEM. Messrs J. H. Robertson and R. T. Latimer represented the parents at Islewortli in a request regarding the conveyance of children. Mr'Robertson said a petition had already gone to Wellington touching on the request. The district had been declined, a school at Isleworth, and a free bus service was granted. Then a subsidy wias asked, an increase being asked at a later stage. The residents thought the screw had been jrnt on them in this regard. The Minister agreed it was not a fair thing to- have imposed the conditions stated. If there was no school, the district had a case for a free bus, lie thought. He promised the deputation he would go into the history of the case.

THE ROKEBY SCHOOL. PROVISION OF CONVEYANCE. The Rokeby School Committee made a request, through Messrs R. Middlemiss and Hollis's, in regard to the provision of a conveyance for the children. The present bus was bought by the residents and was run by the headmaster. It ran 20 miles morning and afternoon. The school was smaller than it was a few years ago, and the committee was faced each year now with a deficit. Mr Smith said the district had never made a request for assistance before now. Its reserves had been eaten up. They were to be congratulated, on what they had done. The Minister promised to go into the question and see what could lie done to assist the committee in its request for a £ for £ subsidy. TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. PLANS FOR, ASSEMBLY ROOM. Messrs W. G. Hillier and W. Crawford, representing the Technical High School Board, waited on the Minister in regard to the plans for the proposed new assembly room. Mr Hillier said the Employment Funds had promised a subsidy, b«t there had been a delay, and he asked the Minister to expedite the payment. Non-payment was holding up the start of the work.

The Minister said lie would go into the question. An inspection of the Ashburton High School farm was made by the Minister, after which he inspected the Technical High School. Before his departure for the north he was entertained at afternoon tea.. THE OFFICIAL LUNCHEON. The Minister and his party were entertained at the Somerset Hotel at mid-day by the Ashburton Borough and Council Councils. Those present were the Mayor (Mr W. H. Woods), the Mayoress (Mrs W. H. Woods), the County Chairman (Mr F. Frampton), Mrs Frampton, the Town Clerk (Mr W. Patterson), the County Clerk (Mr G. Kelly), Mr S. Smith (Mid-Canter-bury representative on the Canterbury Education Board), Mr W, G. Hillier (chairman of the Ashburton Technical High School Board), Mr W. Crawford (Principal of the Technical School), Mr J. W. Bowden (acting-chairman of the High School Board), Mr E. A. Cockroxt (headmaster of the High. School), Mr H. G. Kemp (Engineer-Secretary to the Ashburton Electric Power Board), Mr W. G. Gallagher (chairman of the Ashburton Hospital Board,) and Mrs Gallagher. The Mayor expressed pleasure at being able to welcome the Minister, whom he congratulated on his appointment to Cabinet. He wished the Minister the happiest of times in his position. He thanked Mr Herring for having arranged the visit. The County chairman endorsed these sentiments. It was not often a Minister stopped at Ashburton. The County Council was not asking for anything this time, hut it wanted to be kept on good terms with the Minister, because one never knew how soon assistance might be wanted, Mr Herring said he hoped everyone would realise that he ready and willing to aid with their problems. The Minister characterised the reception as an ideal one, as it had something more substantial than mere words behind it. It spoke volumes for the hospitality of the Borough. His visit had been a most pleasant one. The

hospital he had found all that the Director-General of Health said it was. Ho referred to the hath recently put in at the Allenton School. He spoke: of his visit to the Domain, and said it would be a. credit to any city in New Zealand. It was picturesque and beautiful, and he had been greatly taken by the overshot water wheel, which, he thought, had no parallel in the Dominion.