SCHOOL AT FOOT OF HILLS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 7

SCHOOL AT FOOT OF HILLS

TENDERS FOR FOUR CLASSROOMS

DISPUTE AT CASHMERE RECALLED

Tenders have been called for the new primary school promised to the people of “Cashmere flat,” after a large protest meeting of parents late last year. The school should be ready for full occupation next year. At the outset, there will be four rooms on a site on the east side of the foot of Colombo street, near the bottom of Dyers Pass road. The sixacre block is level, has a stream on the eastern boundary, and a grove of oak trees. It is pleasantly situated and there are possibilities for attractive development of the school on the new block plan. Crowding of the Cashmere School, at the junction of Dyers pass and Hackthorne roads, has been the cause of unrest among those living on the hills. A large number of pupils go there from the flat, within the city boundary, because of the convenience of bus services. Earlier talk of excluding pupils from the flat led to some solid block voting and upsets in the last election of the Cashmere School Committee.

The dispute came to a head when notice was given last year that it would not be possible to accept all the pupils in prospect: A protest meeting of parents completely filled the large Masonic hall at Cashmere and, after Education Board members had heard the pleas of parents from the flat that their children would have to walk or cycle long distances to other schools, a compromise was accepted. It was agreed that cases of real hardship should be admitted to Cashmere and that some crowding would be accepted on the understanding that plans for the school at the foot of the hill would be pushed ahead.

The calling of tenders yesterday gave widespread satisfaction round Cashmere. Residents feel that the new school will give considerable relief to the Cashmere school and provide even better playing facilities than are available on the rather cramped hillside site. The Somerfleld and Beckenham School will also gain some relief.