HON. P. FRASER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 237, 20 July 1936, Page 7

HON. P. FRASER

DEPUTATIONS IN ASHBURTON. THE VISIT ON SATURDAY. The first official visit to Ashburton of the Minister of Health and Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) was concluded after the “Guardian” went to press on Saturday. After visiting the High School farm and inspecting the stock, the Minister paid a brief visit to the Technical High School, and after being entertained at afternoon tea left lor Christchurch on his way to Wellington. Request for Buildings. At the High School farm, the actingchairman of the Board (Mr Bowden) welcomed the Minister ancl referred to the severe lack of buildings on the place. Sheep had been worried by dogs, and equipment had been stolen because there was no one in residence. A grant for the purpose had been withdrawn in the depression period. If a dwelling could be put up, the agricultural instructor (Mr It. M. McGregor) could reside there and pay a rental. The Board felt that tne request was reasonable. Members of the Board who were on the farm to greet the Minister were Messrs M. Bruce, J. Brown, H l . It. C. iVlcElrea, F. Eiampton, W. H. Woods, E. H. Orr. The headmaster (Mr Cockloft) was also in attendance. The. history of the farm was outlined by Mr Bowden. The assets were greatly in excess of the liabilities. The Minister said that a school farm to be successful as an instruction unit should show the pupils how a farm could bo conducted when all the ordinary charges were added. He asked the Board to give him a financial statement embodying these charges. He agreed the Board had a very good case for a residence on the farm. > Mr McGregor detailed the work that was carried out on the farm. The Minister promised to look into the Board’s proposition. Ho said he did not altogether agree with schools having farms.

THE FARMERS’ UNION.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT PROBLEM

Messrs S. H. Lill, Raymond Oakley, L. Aitken and 11. W. Wightman, representing the Farmers’ Union and the Crown Tenants’ Association, asked the Minister to give his attention to the question of transpout facilities for country children. it was pointed out that at present only 10 per cent, of the children who obtained Proficiency certificates were able to tako advantage of the secondary schools because there were no easy means of bringing them to Ashburton, The Minister said the Government was fully cognisant of the handicaps placed on country children and it felt they should not be penalised. The unanimous feeling of Parliament would undoubtedly he behind the measures the Government would take. The cost was difficult to arrive at. A start somewhere would be made as soon as possible with tho aim of equalising the opportunities of town and country children .

REQUEST FROM MAYFIELD.

A NEW SCHOOL RESIDENCE. When the Hon. P. Fraser was in Timaru, Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P. for Temuka, raised several matters affecting his constituency. Conveyance of pupils to secondary schools at Ashburton from the northern portion of the Temuka electorate was dealt with. The Minister mentioned that the question had been engaging his attention for some time. The Government was sympathetic and he was very hopeful of some measure of assistance being given. Representations were made m regard to the rebuilding of the school residence at Mayfield, and in this connection the Minister promised to give the application his careful consideration. He referred to the difficulty cf meeting immediately the large number of applications of this nature, particularly in view of the fact that many of the buildings were old and in need of replacement. The Canterbury Education Board had listed the works in order of urgency and as funds permitted everything possible would be done to make up the leeway in respect cf cases of rebuilding.