VISIT TO NORTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 11

VISIT TO NORTH.

HON. P. FRASER'S TOUR

MANY DEPUTATIONS.

" SCHOOLS CONSOLIDATION.

The acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, who left for Wellington last evening, returned to Auckland yesterday after an extended visit to the North. On Saturday he left Danraville and proceeded to Kawakawa, via the Mangakahia Valley and Kaikohe. He visited a number of schools en route and received several deputations, the principal subject being consolidation of schools. A Kaikohe deputation urged the need of additional classrooms at the school and discussed with the Minister the transport of children, so that a consolidation scheme could be carried out. More School Accommodation. Deputations at Kawakawa also brought up the question of consolidation and the need of additional school j accommodation. It was stated that the Muerewa School would not consolidate with Kawakawa, but that several schools were prepared to consolidate with the latter. Mr. Fraser said he was very pleased at the movement in the Bay of Islands district towards consolidation and the position in the Auckland district was so good that it was almost embarrassing, as there was the question of buses and buildings. Expenditure of Millions. The condition of schools in New Zealand, Mr. Fraser said, were so bad that it would take millions to put them right and in addition many teachers' houses would have to be rebuilt. Unfortunately the building programmes had been too much for the boards to cope with and the difficulty was a lack of experienced craftsmen. Post primary education, he declared, was the right of every child in New Zealand, hut consolidation would provide a school that would compare with any in the cities. Prior to the Government coming into office there had been no arrangement for conveyance of children by road. He was very pleased that secondary education had been introduced at Kaikohe, as they wanted the children' in the country to have the same educational chances rs the children in the cities.