TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 16

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

LOCAL BODIES' ATTITUDE. REFUSAL TO CONTRIBUTE. DISAPPOINTMENT EXPRESSED.

Eight borough councils which were asked by the Seddon Memorial Technical College to support the institution financially have refused. Another borough council has referred the request to its finance committee. The replies received by the board of managers of the college at a meeting yesterday varied considerably. Some were of the "letter received" nature, one borough council softened the blow to the extent of stating that it had 110 funds available for such a worthy object, and another —Xewmarket Borough Council— "very much regretted its inability," etc. The director of the college (Mr. G. J. Park) said that unless the Auckland local bodies supported the technical college the result would be that the institution could not compare favourably with other technical institutions, in the long run. There was a need of additional apparatus for the college, a need which the Government was apparently unwilling to satisfy. In some parts of Xew Zealand considerable contributions were made. The assistance from the Auckland City Council was worth £700 a year. The chairman (Mr. H. S. W. King) said that some local bodies seemed to be unaware that they could contribute from their general fund. Mr. W. X. Macintosh: Yet some of them contribute to sports and picnics. The chairman: There is a reason for that. It is like some of the members of Parliament supporting grants. They want to get back on the borough council next time. Mr. Macintosh: A lot of the people on local bodies do not seem to think much of education. I know a local body that gave an elaborate banquet, but there was no mention of schools. They even cut down their library rate. It was decided that the director should draft another letter with the object of again approaching the local bodies.