Deputation over school land sale

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 20

Deputation over school land sale

The proposed sale of part of the Memorial Avenue frontage of Burnside High School for building sections will be discussed in Wellington next week with the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys).

The chairman of the school’s board of governors (Mr B. Zeff) and the member of Parliament for Riccarton (Mr E. F. S. Holland) will discuss the proposal with the Minister and present a public petition condemning the Government’s decision to sell the land, which is estimated to be worth more than $30,000. At every meeting of the school board last year, the

decision was criticised. It was felt that the school, designated to develop as the South Island’s largest secondary school within five years, would have a bigger than normal call for land. If the land was sold for building sections, the board pointed out, new land would be difficult to acquire.

The board has pointed out that the Government is already being asked to extend the site of the Christchurch Teachers’ College at Ham because it is considered too small, and they have warned that they do not want the same situation to develop at Bumside High School. The deputation to meet the Minister will also discuss progress on the school’s s2m development plan.