Minister “Unwilling To Meet Board”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29791, 6 April 1962, Page 12

Minister “Unwilling To Meet Board”

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 5. Claims that the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) is unwilling to meet the Auckland Education Board have been made by the board which has decided to invite the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) instead.

The board said it wanted to discuss with Mr Tennent several of its problems, particularly the conditions at Ardmore Teachers’ College and the establishment of another college on the North Shore.

The board had been asking Mr Tennent for a month, said Mr J R. Hallam. Surely the Minister was in a position to give a date. The board did the biggest business in New Zealand in local body affairs. The Prime Minister should be requested to meet the board at a special meeting. Mr A. G Bull said he was appalled at the conditions at Ardmore when he visited there seven years ago and he understood most of them still obtained. "You’ve got to make yourself felt or you won’t get anywhere and will be fobbed off." said Mr BuU, Mr F. G. Hosking said he agreed with the suggestion. The Minister had been in the Waikato a fortnight ago for three days. He seemed to be frightened to come to Auckland. Opposing the motion. Mr J M. Cowie said the Prime Minister did not even know the board’s problems and would have to refer them back to the Minister of Education. “We want the Minister of Education on our side and we want to try to pin him down." he said. “How are we going to get Mr Tennent here?’’ asked Mrs S. A Hanson. “We have tried and haven’t met him. Is he scared to face up to the problems here?” “Eluding Us”

“The Minister is eluding us, but I don’t think it is correct to invite the Prime Minister,” said Mr W. F. G White.

Mr C. K. Munro said he agreed with Mr Hallam as it was one way of getting the Minister here. “We are done with duck-shoving.” The chairman, Mr H. Mawson, then detailed the communications he had had with Mr Tennent since the last meeting on March 6 when it was decided to invite him here.

Mr Mawson said he telephoned the Minister on March 7. but he was not in his office He telephoned again the next day and the Minister said he would go into the matter.

Mr Mawson wrote the same day confirming the telephone conversation and the Minister replied that he was unable to come up for the next board meeting.

After the works committee meeting on March 21, a telegram was sent to the Minis-

ter inviting him to make a date, but no reply was received

Mr Mawson said he telephoned the Minister on the morning of the board’s meeting when the Minister's secretary said Mr Tennent would telephone back in the afternoon. He then said he hoped he would be able to come up for the next meeting

"We have been postponing things far too long,” said Mr K. R Lambie.

“There is too much talk,” said Mrs Hanson, “and in the meantime the students at Ardmore will have cold water and no light this winter.” Social Visit “The Minister has been in power 18 months and has paid one social visit here,” said Mr Hallam. “If things are as deplorable at Ardmore as has been said, why do we carry on without getting any action? “The Minister has not had the courtesy to fix a date and yet at a fortnight’s notice unveiled a plaque in the district. “If the Prime Minister directs Mr Tennent here, we can iron out outr problem,” he said. The motion to write to the Prime Minister was then carried.