NO MONEY!

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18032, 26 March 1924, Page 11

NO MONEY!

FOR BOYS' HOSTEL. TECHNICAL COLLEGE BOARD'S REQUEST. A deputation consisting of members of the Board of Governors of the Christchureh Technical College ,(' n " eluding Mr McGregor Wright, the deputy-chairman), Dr. D. E. Hansen (director), the Hon. G. J- Smith,

M.L.C., Messrs E. J. Howard, M.P., and J. McCombs, M.P., was introduced to the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, by Mr G. Witty, M.P., yesterday morning.

The deputation asked for a grant of £1650 to provide part of the lunds for the purchase of the residence of Mr George Scott (a former chairman of the Board) at Opawa, for the purpose of a hostel in connexion wrth, the boys' technical college. -«■*" Scott had lost a son at the war and it was intended that the hostel would be known as the Scott Memorial Hostel. It was explained that the property had been offered to the Boaid tor £3300, but Mr Scott was prepared to give £I3OO of that amount, leaving the Board £2OOO to find. To build a hostel providing accommodation equal to that in the residence under offer, would involve" an expenditure of at least £IO,OOO. The building at Opawa would last, it was stated, at least -20 years. _ Dr. Hansen stated that at least 200 pu/.s travelled by train daily to atJond tho College: there were boys from North and South Canterbury, from Hokitika and from Blenheim. The Christchureh Technical College was the nearest college of its kind to a very large part of the South Island. Regarding the Girls' Hostel he said, in reply to the Minister, that the Board provided one-third of tho cost and the Department two-thirds. The Minister remarked that the technical colleges at the other centres had no hostels attached to them.

Dr. Hansen thought that there was one at Dunedin: lie had heard that hutments had been erected. The Minister: That may be so; but they did not come to me about them. Several members of tiio deputation spoke in support of the proposed hostel. Mr "J. W. Graham (a member of the .Board who is also a builder) said that the house contained 16 or 17 rooms which would provide accommodation for 30 boys as well as for the necessary staff. There was an area of threeI quarters of an acre. The building was certainly old, but was quite sound and had many years of useful life. The Minister said that he could not give Christchurch hostel accommodation while other centres had none at all. The half-million at his disposal was urgently needed for works like those that deputations from Christchurch School Committees had brought under his notice that morning—additions where there was overcrowding, and a new school to replace "the rotten old building, at Richmond"; these were cases of urgency. He had nothing but commendation for the zeal shown by the Board. "They do right to push their school in every possible way"; he added, <r l have nothing but commendation for Rio energy wjth which fhey push their demands." He agreed with what had been said as to the desirableness of hostels in the large centres and, even to a greater degree, in the smaller towns of the Dominion serving the needs of large farming populations within a radius of 30 or 40 miles. Four years ago he submitted a programme of hostel buildings representing an expenditure of .£250 000; but such had been the demands for actual school buildings—the average yearly expenditure thereon had been £500,0(50 —that it had been impossible to face the hostel question to any extent. In Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, there were no hostels connected with ihe technical .colleges. In Christcliurch they had one for girls: he had visited jt and had nothing but praise tor it. He would like to give them one for the boys, but it was a question of money, ahdh© regretted that he could not do anything about it. The deputation had his sympathy. Mr Witty: TTrfit won't build the hostel I

The Minister: T haven't set myself against it. I tegret I cannot give you a more favourable answer—it's a question of the purse, and I haven't got the money I The Hon. G. J. Smith asked if the Minister would give the matter consideration when tne estimates for .192526 were being considered ! Mr Scott was very much interested in the Technical College, and they might be able to get him to continue his offer for another-year if the Minister could hold out any hopo. The Minister: You can take it absolutely that it is impossible in the financial year 1924-25: but in regard to 1925-26 it may be possible, but I cannot pledge the Government. I shall certainly have got rid of some of these old primary school buildings. I may have a little more money. If you like, you can prepare a valuation of the property, but you must understand that I cannot do anything this coming (1924-25) year; it may be a matter for consideration in 1925-26. You must distinctly understand • that I cannot pledge the Government: but there is a possibility that something may be done in 1925, if the Department and you are satisfied that this is a business that should not be lost : and if you can get an option, no harm will be done and probably good may come of it.