SCHOOL STATUS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 11

SCHOOL STATUS

MINISTER'S ATTITUDE TO WEST CHRISTCHURCH

CHANGE NOT FAVOURED [From Our Parliamentary Keyortei J WELLINGTON, August 30. ■I have given careful consideration to the suggested change o£ the West Christchurch School from a disttiet. high school to a secondary school, and have informed the chairman of the school committee that I am not in favour of amending the Education Act to allow a secondary school to be ulaced under the control ot an education board. I do not consider such a course desirable, because, in my opinion, a .secondary school should be under the control of a board of gov's! i.ors." Thus the Minister for Education ihe Hoe,. R. Masters. M.L.CA to-day cieiined hi., attitude toward the suggestion thai the West Christchurch School should be converted into a secondary school. He said that he had receive.l an invitation io meet tile Canterbury Education Board and others interested at ■-hi.' next monthly meeting in Septern-t'-r to discuss the status of the school but, unfortunately, because of his cuiies as leader of the Legislative Council, it was not possible lor him "ei pay a visit to Christchurch. Having made his position clear in regard to the control of the secondary school if one were established at West Christchurch, the Minister concluded by saying that he would be pleased to arrange for the Director of Education OMr N. T. Lam bourne' to meet the Education Board and others interested if il were thought thai such course would be helpful so far as the question of the status of flic school was concerned. COMMITTEE TO PROTEST AGAIN CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT "We shall certainly ra:.-e another protest," said Mr T. Andrews., chairman of the West Christchurch School Committee, commenting la.-i evening on the Minister's statement. The committee desired to have the school raised to the full status of a secondary school, and to be under the control of the Canterbury Education Board, he said. According to the Education Act, a secondary school must be under control of the department, with a. board of governors, but the effort would be continued t<> ohiain an amendment to the act.