ARANUI HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28805, 28 January 1959, Page 10

ARANUI HIGH SCHOOL

Official Advice Delayed

The secretary of the Christchurch Post- primary Schools’ Council (Mr P. J. Halligan) was able to tell the council last evening that a tender had been let to the Fletcher Construction Company, Ltd., and that work had begun on the site for the new Aranui High School, but only because he had been told unofficially and because he had been to the site and seen the work. “It is discourteous, to say the least, not to let us know what is going on,” said Mrs' L. J. Broomfield. The council had previously objected to the Education Department on the lack of notice given it of tenders let for new schools.

Mr Halligan said the council was usually kept fairly well informed on tenders being let. It had complained previously that it was not consulted on the design of schools until the department was committed. Usual Procedure The usual procedure, he said, was for the" Minister of Education to advise the member of Parliament in whose district the school was being built that a tender had been let. The chairman of the council usually received a telegram at the same time, and official advice was given later. Perhaps the holidays had interfered on this occasion.

The council agreed to discuss advice on tenders and new schools with Mr K. Oldfield, of the head office of the department, when he visits Christchurch next month. To a question by Mrs Broomfield, Mr Halligan said that tenders for the Burnside High School had closed some time ago and were still being considered by the Ministry of Works and the Education Department.