MINISTER’S REPLY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 13

MINISTER’S REPLY

Mr McAlpine replies: “In 1960 when the school was in full use. nine courses for a total of 74 officers were held at Christchurch Of these. 56 officers were from the North Island and only 18 from the South Island. Had these courses been held at Trentham, the saving in fares would have been approximately £143. In addition, a’ least three senior officers from the head office of the Transport Department travelled to Christchurch to give instruction at each of these nine courses. The fares for these officers would cost at least a further £lOO and this expenditure would not have been incurred had the school been at Trentham. "Hotel accommodation a: Christchurch cost £1223 for the 1950 courses for the 74 officers; the accommodation at Trentham would have cost only £6o9—a saving of £614 “To sum up. the money saving in 1960 would have been approximately £857 had the school been located at Trentham instead of at Christchurch.

‘Tn addition to the cost, there were numerous other factors which were taken into account. The most important is that the police training school is alongside our school and there is great value in the liaison between transport and police officers right at the outset and which could be obtained by both'

schools training together on suitable occasions. The Trentham police school has a library, a gymnasium, and other facilities which are available to the traffic officers’ training school. For example, the lecture room facilities at Trentham are far superior to those available at Christchurch and there are also more amenities to provide interest for the officers when off duty and better facilities ’for study at night than were available at the hotel in Christchurch.

“A further point is that the facilities at Trentham already belong to the Government and any payment made is merely an adjustment between departments. Had the school been left in Christchurch, the Government would still have been maintaining the Trentham facilities for other departments’ training courses which are operated there. I feel that it is only common sense for the Transport Department to make use of these Government premises rather than to provide separate facilities in Christchurch.

“Another great advantage is that the location of the school at Trentham enables much closer liaison with the bead office of the Transport Department and also enables more senior departmental officers to give instruction at the courses than was the case «t Christchurch.”