Hornby School Block Sought By Parents

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 18

Hornby School Block Sought By Parents

Parents of schoolchildren in Hornby will call on the Government to honour an undertaking to provide a new four-classroom block at the Hornby School.

Their case will be presented to the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) in Wellington today by the membei of Parliament for Wigram (Mr M. P. Connelly). The decision to take this action was made at a meeting of parents called last evening by the Hornby School committee.

This was also the case with the inadequate water supply at the school, and both projects were deferred. In spite of the Government's election promises of more State aid to private schools, increased foreign aid, plans for teacher training, and improvements in education, the school had been subjected to an act of gross unfairness.

The 60 persons present were unanimous in “registering dismay" at the decision not to proceed with the building of the new block, accord ing to a supplied report In a 133-word motion, the meeting called on the Government to honour its obligation to go ahead with the work, and registered its determination to “resort to every lawful means to give our children their right to expect a decent education in proper surroundings, supplied by a Government intent on setting an example to child, ren in honouring its pro mises.”

“The board's inability to provide the promised improvements, made on behalf of the paying public and the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys) is a direct result of a Cabinet decision, and the onus is placed clearly on the Cabinet," said Mr Rhodes.

“We may be forgiven for a feeling of cynicism at Mr Taiboys praise during his Education Week address for the many persons who volunteered their time and energies for education. We make no apologies for straightspeaking on this issue. We have acted with forebearance throughout,” he said.

The motion demanded that fund* for the new block be made immediately available to the Canterbury Education Board. , The chairman of the school committee (Mr R. J. Rhodes), reading a copy of an address to Sir Keith Holyoake, said that the matter was of the “utmost gravity” and warranted an Immediate and sympathetic inquiry. Mr Rhodes said that, although children had to weai overcoats In classrooms be cause of the cold, the committee had agreed with the board when it was told that heating facilities in the new block would be up to standard, and to replace the pre sent system would be a waste of time.