SITE APPROVED

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 7

SITE APPROVED

COMBINED SCHOOL AT ASHBURTON

AREA OF 20 ACRES TO BE PURCHASED

Approval for the acquisition of 20 acres of land near the racecourse for a new combined secondary school for Ashburton has been given by the Minister for Education (the Hon. Peter Fraser), according to a letter received by the Ashburtpn Technical High School Board last evening. The Minister wrote that a report had been submitted to him after the conference, which took place in November about the proposed amalgamation of the High and Technical High Schools at Ashburton. He had approved of the negotiations being proceeded with for the purchase of an area of 20 acres of what was known as the racecourse site. The Public Works Department had been requested to allow its land purchase officer to take the necessary steps in the matter.

‘‘lt will not now be necessary to give further consideration to securing additional land adjoining the Technical High School,” said Mr Fraser. *■ It was decided to arrange a meeting with the High School Board to discuss the site.

Mr W. S. Kerr said that both boards had recommended the site occupied by the High School grounds in Kitchener street, and the area of land across the road. The boards were in a better positio- than officers of the department to decide which was the better site. He considered that the attendance at evening classes would be affected if the amalgamated school was built on the racecourse site. “I could not agree to the amalgamation of the schools on a site which is not going to suit the convenience of the school. lam afraid that not enough consideration has been given to the site by the department,” said Mr Kerr, who moved that another conference be arranged with the High School Board.

The chairman (Mr H. Watts) said that at the conference of the boards last year, the principle of amalgamation of the schools was approved, but the chairman of the conference had made it clear that the motion was not binding on the boards to amalgamate. “It occurred to me that it was the thin

edge of the wedge,” Mr Watts said. He said he had heard that some members of the High School Board would not agree to amalgamation unless the school was erected on the High School playing ground* site. Mr E. Buchanan seconded the motion. The opinion that some members of the High School Board had altered their, opinion on the most suitable site after they had inspected the area near the High ’ School grounds, was ex-

pressed by Mr A. Brown, who said that the area was spoilt because there were two large gullies running through it. Mrs J. W. Tinker said some parents were strongly of the opinion that the racecourse site was too far out of town, and they would not allow their children to go out there at night. Therefore the night classes would suffer. “I think it is fairly definite that amalgamation is going to take place, said Mr Watts.