Education Board Policy On Speech Clinics

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30066, 26 February 1963, Page 18

Education Board Policy On Speech Clinics

An outline ot step* taken by the Canterbury Education Board in the establishment dl it* speech dipica, end tit plan* for the future, was given to a meeting of the board by the secretary-man-ager, Mr W. P. Spencer. Recent publicity regarding these duties had called for auch a statement, he said. "At the end. of UM, it was necessary because of the need to make more room for more teacher trainees, to move two of the three clinics to the upstairs portion of the large house on the Cranmer portion of the college property. The third clinic, which was partly equipped by the Rotary Club, was not disturbed, but because of unjustified criticism at the time, the Minister of Education paid a visit to Christchurch and inspected the facilities being made available,” * said Mr Spencer. “Negotiations had been going on for some years for the purchase of a large house in Salisbury street next to the college property and it seemed -then that the property would be purchased within a week or two arid the Minister, supported by the board, in all good faith, stated that it was intended to establish all three clinics in that house as soon as possible. Negotiations for that property could not be completed as quickly as desired because of the reluctance of the owners to sell and the promise made eould not be fulfilled because of the circumstances outside the board’s control. The property was eventually secured midway during last year and reports made by expert advisers- to the board and to the Education Department made it- imperative that the building be demolished because of the ‘heavy infestation -of two-toothed long-horn borer. This was accomplished in quick time but now that the building is not existent the promise previously made for it to become a speech clinic centre is naturally impossible. "Because of the need for further facilities at Cranmer for additional students, the third clinic mentioned earlier

has been moved to the Christchurch East School and although It is the desire of all concerned to have a consolidated speech centre at the ‘college, it. will take some time yet to accomplish this, because now no building is available for the "purpose and the project -will need to be replanned and fitted into the board's huge building programme. It is hoped to be able to include in the 196364 programme a building for the purpose provided no obstacles are in the way so far as the proposed motorway is concerned. "Finally, I would add that the three clinics as at present established—two at Cranmer and one it Christchurch East—are excellently set up and would itand inspection at any time by all those interested,” Mr Spencer said., Mr Spencer and the board’s chairman, Mr A. S. Murray, will investigate the effects of the proposed motorway.