RAWHITI HIGH SCHOOL SITE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28552, 3 April 1958, Page 18

RAWHITI HIGH SCHOOL SITE

No Application To City Council

The City Council has not given official consideration to the use of part of the Rawhiti Domain for a high school and there is no such application before it now. This situation was confirmed yesterday by Cr. W. J. Cowles, chairman of the reserves committee.

The renewed advocacy of the Rawhiti Domain site for a high school in the east, made by combined New Brighton school committees in the last week, caused “The Press” to ask Cr. Cowles about its availability. “The New Brighton interests were to send a deputation to the City Council on this matter last year; but, just before the council met. the Post-primary Schools’ Council issued its considered statement (supported by the Department of Education! that the Aranui site was preferred to Rawhiti because of estimated costs of preparation,” Cr. Cowles said. “The deputation, therefore, asked that its approach to the City Council be postponed. Since then we have had no new request.”

The question whether the Rawhiti site would be made available by the City Council, if officially approached, had therefore never been considered by the full council, Cr. Cowles said. However, to clear the air, he intended to raise the question before the reserves committee himself and it should make a report shortly.

Opposition Likely “But I must be quite frank," said Cr. Cowles. “I said earlier that the New Brighton people had made a .strong case. I still believe that, but my own inquiries have indicated that the proposal to release about 20 acres of the domain for a high school would meet a good deal of opposition if placed before the full council. The Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) has asked that a site at Bexley be investigated. So the whole subject has become further involved. “I appreciate the desire of all concerned to have this whole matter settled soon,” said Cr. Cowles.

Mr E. F. Wilde, secretary of the combined school committees of the New Brighton area, which support the Rawhiti site, said that Cr. Cowles had stated the position correctly. The Rawhiti supporters realised that their request depended on whether the Education Department would give the site consideration if available. The deputation had, therefore, approached the former Minister (Mr Algiei last year and the present Minister (Mr Skoglund) last month. If the Minister expressed interest in the Rawhiti site, a fresh approach would be made to the City Council.