LOAN FOR SCHOOL BUILDING

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27047, 23 May 1953, Page 8

LOAN FOR SCHOOL BUILDING

PRINCIPLE APPROVED BY BOARD The principle of building schools with loan moneys was supported by the Canterbury Education Board yesterday morning. Mi’ R. W. Sansom, who raised the matter, said the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) had made the suggestion recently, but he did not seem to have had a very good hearing from his colleagues. A building loan should make things easier and would spread the burden over several generations instead of making heavy demands on present taxpayers. Seconding the motion to support the Minister, pro forma, Mr A. E. Lawrence said that when he was chairman of the board it had suggested a £10,000,000 educational loan which could have been raised more easily than now at cheaper interest rates, and building could have been accelerated at lower cost. He understood the scheme was shelved because other Government departments had asked why education should be singled out for a loan scheme. Mr F. T. Ager said such a move would help to meet the pressing need for more school buildings. Most serious aspect of the problem was that the board, short of money, was forced to spend it where it served the greatest population, and country centres felt neglected, said Mr F. G. Armstrong. In fairness it should be stated that the board had seldom been refused funds for new buildings which were really necessary, said Mr A. Manning, chairman of the building committee. Departmental officers had certainly deleted some proposed works; but on the ground that the board could hot do all the work even if the funds were available.

The main shortage was in funds to maintain schools and grounds, said Mr Manning. The chairman (Mr S. J. Irwin) said he thought the motion aimed to spread the burden rather than provide any immediate increase in finance.