TAIHAPE TECHNICAL, SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 656, 5 November 1909, Page 5

TAIHAPE TECHNICAL, SCHOOL.

; ASUCCSSSFULBEPUTiTION. -■ ;■' ' The' Taihape Technical School! though , a, very yonthiul institution, has\made gratifying,progress, aud,the'attendance,continues to increase.. The people of. Taihape haiw...not neglected the doctrine of self-help.in"■'regarcl.'to; the school. Towards the dost of .construction, JEIISO, thev. contributed ..£250, the Government providing a t subsidy l oL£ilo.' A '.deputation,- introduced: By,-Mr.K.,W. Smith, M.P\; placed these facts before, tho Minister .'for ..Education- (Hon. ,G. Fowlds) yesterday, l . in- asking "the '. Government: for.-further financial aid.:'. It was stated,thatother; places had received 'much: greater; Government assistance than Taihape; , Hawerajfor' instance,'had from the Government for :jts school,, though the public sub-i scriptions in that town wero XSO ■ less. Tho deputation asked for a, further grant of £250, which would clear the liability:off the .building and help to do several necessary: things about/the, soliool. :The Sum would put -tno whole, institution in a. perfectly financial'• position. There was no other way open-to them' of geitinß l the necessary- moneyi '•• ■The Minister replied that • under ordinary circumstances' he would have been justified in refusing the'application. Taihapo had gono in for-a.more extensive building than had beencontemplated by the Department, and- he if as not going to have his hands forced-like that.. The Department could not be expected to. make-up a. deficiency in a>case whero there had been'expenditure in ,excess of its representation. If no stand were taken up on this point a* bad practice would grow up, and there would be many applications for assistance on the ground that buildings had: cost more than ■the"Brants. Then the Government were pretty heavily ' pledged .to grants for all kinds .of building 3 at the present time, and ■ money was ■none too plentiful. However, in view of - all , the circumstances, ho • woiild. try to meet. the .case by' promising two-thirds'of the sum:-if the committee would find the other third. That should not a-very serious burden, •■'-■•■ It was explained .that , the more elaborate plans had been adopted under.misapprehension. The Minister was asked to make the , grant at least 4200, in .which case the committee would ba willing to. find the other- £50. ■:-)..' ■ ' The. request-was agreed to by the Minister, ' and the deputation expressed hearty thanks.