OHARIU SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 17

OHARIU SCHOOL.

Sir,H-With your' 'permission I. feel justified.;in saying a few words'>'re' the abbve. At . the last meeting .v; of! the Education Board,-» Mr. Lee i": (chairman), stated that a deputation had-;,come to the last board meeting and' produced (i . rotten stump in support of its contention that the piles wero rotten. Tli'ajt was no argument according to Mr". Lee. His own" house, '18 years old; had recently/been Tepaired; and ono of the pilps'-had been discovered to'bo rotten. rest; of tho building was- absolutely sound. . ;Mr. Editor, -as, .the opinion, is gaining ground that.my;com-.' mittee had. no reason to ask for a new; school, I .would like to say a few words to-substantiato what I have already said to! the Education Board. In the first placc I headed a deputation to the board, and asked for a new . school. •Mr. Leo informed the deputation that the question of a new school for Ohariu was then on tho order paper, and- would receive every consideration, as tho board, recognised that a new school .was 'accessary.-' Immediately tho deputationwithdrew, the question of a new school dropped/ and the, board thought of re-, pairing tho old one, as the board -wa-s shop of funds.' Yet it; appeared in tho jfess that Mr. . Lee stated at that meeting; that the board, was in a better, •financial position than it'had been for some time. At tho next meeting of the board I again put in an appearance, to show reason's why the school should, xot'be repaired. I took in proof thatrtte school wis over 35 years old (which nad' been repudiated by officials"of tho -board),.;.namely, entry in the log-book iby.Mr. Lee, Inspector of Schools; also ia'sample of tho piles, which Mr. Lee psays''rs"a'- rotten stump. Mr. Editor ■this- remark by Mr. Lee was totally ■uncalled for and unfair, as I took those '■ pieces of wood from under the north side of the school ,in tho presence of i-'the head, teacher, arid there, was in that bag that I produced at tho meeting -of the board what--wis- left; of tWee, joiles- and piecc.s of - five, more. I have in my possession an entry made TjyiMr.. Loo in -the log-book 33, years ago,, that the'school was badly.built in theffirst place. Sftv Leo also stated that the board should accept the verdict" of their own ■officers in preference to that of outsiders." To show you, Mr".'Editor,"that outsiders, as Mr, Lee calls us, know something about it, the' board have' JSjoatk; enlarged on-the first specifications that were drawn up by the board's • officials. In conclusion, Mr. Editor, "I 'may, state that I offered to pay the board's expenses to Ohariu, but Mr. Lee objected. 'Mr. Lee knew too well the condition of the. school. As a protest against this work being carried out, tho! committee has tendered its resignation.1 have the opinion of professional builders_ that it is a -waste of monev' to repair the old building, and as a builder myself am of the same opinion. •—l'am,-etc., - S. BRYANT. Ohariu, December 21, 1910.' .':