EDUCATION IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 125, 29 May 1896, Page 2

EDUCATION IN AUCKLAND.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER,

THE WANTS OF THE DISTRICT AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION.

This morning ab ten o'clock the Hon. W. Campbell Walker, Minister for Education, accompanied by his Private Secretary, met Mr Jas. Muir and the members of the Board of Education in the Board room, Victoria Arcade. In addition to tbo Chairman, there were present Messrs Theo. Cooper, A. R. Harris, S. Luke, R. Udy, and W. Woodward. MrF. Lawry, M.H.R., was also present. Tho Chairman of the Board, after welcoming the Minister to Auckland, laid before him a summary of the Board's re* quirement. in regard to school buildings. Detailed lists of requirements upon tho goidfiolds, country schools, town and suburban schools, and teachers' residences, were submitted to the Minister. The estimated cost of all requirements was stated as follows : — Goldfields, £2,000 ; country schools, £4,000 ; town and suburban schools, £2,500 ; teachers' residences in country districts, £2,500 ; amounb required to meeb liabilities incurred in anticipation of this year's grant, £2,000— making a totai of £13,000. _ The Chairman explained bo the Minister bhat the Board did nob ask for any increase in the amounb (£45,000) annually voted by Parliament for school buildings, bub thab in bhe allocabion of the grant the special circumstances of the Auckland district., i.e., the rapid development of the goldfields, the increasing number of country settlements, and tho isolated nature of tho schools should receive special consideration. He mentioned a case which had come under his notice this morning of a new setblement where the number of children waa nob large enough bo require more bhan one school, bub where the patchy nabure of bhe land rendered ib imperative thab ab least two separate schools should be builb and maintained;

Mr Luke aupporbed the Chairman's statement.and reminded the Minister thab while bhe larger Soubhern educational disbriebs had started with a liberal equipment of handsome and commodious school buildings provided oub of their land revenue in the provincial days, Auckland had to begin bhe administration of the Education Acb of 1877 with scarcely a school building within iba area. He urged thab wibhonb special consideration ib was impossible for bhis Board bo provide accommodation ab all commensurate with that in the South. He also pointed out thab the growth of population here was only jusb beginning, and thab ib was impossible to estimate how greab and how rapid ib would be. Mr Udy referred bo bhe comparative cost of education in Auckland and the South, and to the fact bhab the buildings were erected more cheaply here, bub bhab an itilinibely greater number of separate school buildings were and would.always be required in this district. The Minister in reply said that ib gave him greab pleasure bo cooeb tho Board on his firsb visit to Auckland. He would carefully consider bhe statemenb and figures submibted to him, and would promise that they would receive duo weighb in tho allocation of this year's grant. He could assure tho Board of his will to help bo the'fullest extent, bub bhe claims of all disbriebs musb be fully considered. TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION.

Mr Cooper inbroduced tho subject of technical and manual instruction. A copy of the circular issued by tho Board in March last to Committees bearing on the subject wae handed bo bho Minister. The Minister expressed his approval of tho circular aa setting forth in a clear and concise manner the provisions of bhe Acb passed by Parliament laßb year for bho promotion of manual and technical instruction. The Minister wenb on to speak in terms of highest praise of bhe good work done in the Wellington Technical School under bho direction of the Education Board of that district. He suggested thab in Auckland ib would be well if the component parts existing in the Auckland Technical School, tbo Art Gallery and the Elam School of Art, could be concentrated under the Board.or gome obher cenbral autboriby. He pointed oub bhe advantages to be gained from combining together bhe scheme of instruction in arts and sciences.

The Chairman bhatikod bhe Minister for hia courtesy in meebing tho Board, and expressed a hope that ho would find time to visit some of bhe Auckland schools.