ARANUI CLAIM

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28561, 15 April 1958, Page 10

ARANUI CLAIM

Reply To New Brighton

Arguments advanced for a New Brighton site for an eastern suburbs high school are misleading and should be answered, the chairman of the Aranui school committee (Mr A. S. Lewis) says in a letter to the editor of “The Press.”

His reply to published New Brighton claims is as follows: “The New Brighton supporters claim that they represent the greatest pupil population to the extent of a four to one majoritj’ represented by primary schools in the two districts. The Aranui claim rests on the geographically central position to the site with regard to possible post-primary school population. A strong secondary claim for Aranui rests on the availability now of a site against the doubtful availability of Rawhiti Domain—an important community recreational reserve “Ignoring secondary claims for the moment, it may be profitable to examine the validity of the major claims. The New Brighton combined committees would appear to have based their argument on two assumptions—first, that their primary school population represents the total high school population; and second, that it is a New Brighton v. Aranui argument. Both assumptions are fallacious. “It is true that there are four primary schools in New Brighton, but the new school is for postprimary children, not for primary children. Furthermore the school is not just for New Brighton postprimary children nor for Aranui post-primary children, but for all post-primary children east of the areas conveniently served by existing high schools. To assess the possible post-primary population, therefore, little indication can be obtained from present primary children in New Brighton schools, not all of whom will b&- postprimary children at the same time, anyway. Residential Density “Consideration must be given, to residential distribution over an area east of Linwood avenue and including Burwood and even parts of Dallington and Shirley. This shows the need to be for an eastern suburbs school as has been emphasised recently by the postprimary Schools’ Council. Argu-

ments for the advantages of a New Brighton high school over an Aranui high school as such are seen to be spurious. There is only one real consideration and that is to find the best central site for an eastern districts’ school. That this is available in Aranui does not make the proposed high school an Aranui High School in a parochial sense. “If the New Brighton committee wishes to argue the validity of primary school population as a reason it should also take note of children from North Linwood. Burwood, Bromley, Banks avenue. Linwood Intermediate, Linwood Avenue, and the proposed new school for Wainoni. Undoubtedly there are children who now attend all these schools as well as Aranui and New Brighton schools who would be attracted to a cen-trally-placed eastern high school. The 4 to 1 majority in favour of New Brighton ceases to exist. Aranui becomes the centre of 11 schools within an approximate two miles and a half radius. “The New Brighton claim is based on false evidence—primary school children instead of postprimary children, even ignoring some primary schools to which it does not want to attract attention. It ignores the needs of other eastern districts and does not take into account the location of existing post-primary schools. It further ignores the need for a central site to serve the whole eastern district.

“There is little point in arguing the merits of secondary considerations apart from the one mentioned earlier. The main issue is the convenience of the most central site. When the areas from which post-primary children will be attracted are taken into account the Aranui site is the only logical choice,” the statement •ays.