WAIMAIRI SCHOOL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17395, 4 March 1922, Page 13

WAIMAIRI SCHOOL.

ACCESS TOR BRYNDWR CHILDREN. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Railways, received two deputations yesterday, which were introduced by G. Witty, M.P., on the subject of providing access from the Bryndwr district to the Waimairi School in the vicinity jof Bligh's road. At present, owing to l Hawthorn road stopping at the north 1 railway lino and not crossing the line, children from the Bryndwr- district tiave to make a lengthy detour in order to get to school. '1 lio first deputation cousisted of .Messrs Fawcett (chairman of the School Committee), Peverill and Riley (representing the-' Education Board), and members of the School Committee. This cieputation asked (1) tor a footway, properly fenced, alongside the railway line from Bryndwr station to the boundary of the school; grounds or (2) a siibtrav under £Be line to continue Hawthorn road. . The second deputation consisted of Messrs W. J. Walter (chairman of - the Waimairi County' Council) and Crs. Sisson, Hart, and Hawke, and a number of residents. They asked for a level crossing and a- road through to the school grounds. The Minister j in reply, said he would obtain' the opinions of the Departmental officers on tlie matter, and would communicate the result later; Personally, he did not think that it would be impossible to give effect to the suggestion for a footway alongside the line if, as proposed, a substantial fence separated the footway from the railway line so that the children would not be. endangered. As to the level crossing, the Minister could hold out no hop© that this would be granted; the policy of tnc Railway Department was not to increase the number of level .crossings. As to the proposed subway under tne line at the end of Hawthorn road, the Minister said that he would h'ave a feport submitted to him on the subject,. Cr. R., W. Hawke, who represent* the riding on the County Council, remarked that, ns there appeared to be a diversity of opinion as to' the best means of giving access, it would be desirable for representatives of the School Committee and the County Council to confer with the view of arriving at a common "understanding. The Minister agreed that such a course was desirable.