SITE OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28415, 23 October 1957, Page 12

SITE OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL

Deputation From New Brighton

After more than two hours’ consideration in committee of claims for a high school to be erected at New Brighton instead of at Aranui, the Christchurch Postprimary Schools’ Council last evening reported that it would be sending a statement to the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) The Post-*primary Schools’ Council and Education Department officers have unanimously preferred the Aranui site in previous investigations and it is thought unlikely that this attitude would be changed unless there I was substantial fresh evidence. | When the meeting opened, the I chairman (Mr W. J. Cartwright) said that a New Brighton deputation had approached the Minister, who had asked for the coun- | cil’s further comments on that case. The sub-committee, which had handled earlier inquiries, had prepared a draft statement. In the last few days, Mr Cartwright said. New Brighton interests had asked for another opportunity to meet the council. “As jit has been our policy to hear every bit of evidence in these cases, I thought it fair that we should hear them again,” Mr Cartwright said.

As the council and deputation would be discussing matters submitted privately to the Minister and as he understood the deputation would raise questions of private estimates for development of the suggested New Brighton site in the Rawhiti Domain. Mr Cartwright suggested that the whole matter should be taken in committee. The deputation agreed to this procedure. Recommendation to Minister After the deputation had been present for an hour, the council held another hour’s discussion in committee. Mr Cartwright afterwards reported that the council’s recommendation would be sent to the Minister. No indication was given of its contents. Another 20 minutes of the council's general business was taken in committee because it concerned negotiations for land. In the other 10 minutes of open meeting, it was reported that progress was “disappointingly” slow on the assembly hall at the Christchurch West High School, but that a grant of £694 had been received to reform and rescal drives and that a tender had been accepted for the removal of a house on additional land acquired for the school; that a grant of £1585 had been received for realigning the drives and regrading and scaling playing areas at the Avonside Girls’ High School; and that a grant had been received to complete site development at the Cashmere High School.