MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26868, 22 October 1952, Page 10

MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOLS

BOARDS’ REQUESTS FOR INCREASE MINISTER ADDRESSES CONFERENCE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 21. The Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) today asked the annual conference of the New Zealand Education Boards’ Association to form a subcommittee at the end of its Conference to “thresh out the question of maintenance for the good of all” with him in his office at Parliament Buildings. Several remits asking for an increase in the maintenance grant to boards of Is 2d a square foot of classroom space are on the agenda for the conference. Mr Algie said he wanted a basis to work on. “Do we get from you information which enables me to go to the Cabinet with a clear head?’’ he asked. Questions he desired clarified were: What system of maintenance were the boards working on? Could boards establish the difference between capital and maintenance works? Could the boards establish a cycle of building and maintenance? Could they get a system of bookkeeping in maintenance accounts to show exactly * where the problems stood at any time? Would boards think that the presence of a departmental officer would help in their arriving at maintenance claims and give added strength to them? In what respect was the sum of Is 2d inadequate? Did boards feel that having their own maintenance staff—he did believe in board workshops—enabled them to make the best use of board funds?