SCHOOL CLOSED

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26465, 5 July 1951, Page 3

SCHOOL CLOSED

LACK OF FUEL AT ADDINGTON

HEADMASTER’S ACTION CRITICISED The Addington Public School has been closed for three days by the headmaster (Mr S. Lorking) because of a lack of fuel for heating the classrooms. Mr Locking’s action was taken with the full support cff the school committee. The secretary-manager of the Canterbury Education Board. (Mr L. S. P. Butcher) said last evening that Mr Lorking had apparently misinterpreted the instructions of the board in closing the school without first obtaining the sanction of the board. “At a meeting of the board about two months ago, I brought up the question of dealing with the position when the fuel at schools in the city area ran out,” said Mr Butcher. “It was decided that we would agree to any reasonable alteration in the starting time of a school, but would certainly not allow total closing of the school. ’This decision was published in the newspapers. “As each case arises, I have been careful to stress that any amendment to the starting time agreed to should be reviewed at least at weekly periods, as the fuel supply position may alter, as indeed it has in many cases. There is no need to delay the starting time after 10 a.m., as was done in this case.”

Mr Butcher said that under the bylaws of the board, neither a headmaster nor a school committee had the power to close a school, except when the weather was so bad that the children were unable to reach the school. Addington was the only school in the board's area that had closed down. The pupils at Addington should be in attendance at the school by 10 a.m. today. A brief summary of the position would be issued to all headmasters in the city area to-day. added Mr Butcher.