NEW SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 154, 17 March 1923, Page 5

NEW SCHOOLS

FINANCING SECONDARY EDUCATION MINISTER ILLUSTRATES HiS PROBLEM HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE HUTT The problem of financing additional secondary education facilities for the city and suburbs of Wellington, and the peculiar features of the case, compared with other cities of the Dominion, were illustrated by the Minister of Education yesterday in his reply to a deputation.

A deputation, consisting of the Mayors of Petone and Lower Hutt, and several members of the Hutt Valley High School Board, waited on the Minister, of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) yesterday, to urge the early erection of a school on the site purchased by the Government three years ago at a cost of £7235. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., in introducing the deputation, reviewed tho movement for the establishment of a high school in the Hutt Valley. He complained that the site, which was being used at present for grazing purposes, was not returning anything like the revenue that should be derived from it. The High School Board nad no power to do anything, and . their appeals and those of the residents had fallen on deaf ears. Many children m that suburb were unable to gain admission to Wellington College, and some of them had come to live in Wellington, in order to qualify for admission. Mr. J. W. McEwan (Mayor of Petone) said the time was “rotten ripe” for the high school. The differences of opinion between the people of Petone and the Hutt had been got over. The site of the school was distant about a mile and three-quarters from the centre of Petone, but a footbridge would materially shorten the distance. An alternative was to supply a bus service for the use of children attending tho school. From Suburb to City. Mr. W. T. Strand (Mayor'of Lower Hutt) quoted the cases of families that had left the Hutt Valley to reside in Wellington, in order that their children might attend secondary schools. This was not a satisfactory means of coping with the problem of the aggregation of population in the cities. He contended that the establishment of the high, school would relieve the congestion in the \v ellington colleges. The financial position of the Government had no-w very much improved. (Laughter.) Tho Minister: It is quite true, but whether my position has improved is a different matter. (Laughter.) Mr. Wilford: The I O U has better security now. . , , , The Minister interjected that only 32 boys and 36 girls , from, the Hutt Valley were attending 'Wellington Col°T lady member of the . deputation said there- were 150 who wished to go to the college. Mr. Strand said he believed that there were 250 children froni Hutt Valley attending schools in Wellington. ' A lot of theni .had been forced to attend denominational schools. Mr G. T. London, of the Hutt High School Board, referred to the desirability of children from Wellington attending a high school amid such beautiful surroundings as at the Hutt.

Minister’s Reply. The Minister, in reply, said the Government had established a record in erecting 902 primary schools. When the Government purchased the site at the Hutt at a heavy cost it was not contemplated to have a school there. It was a case of Government foresight in getting the land. A voice: What about Mount Ale Mr. Parr: That was before I was t Wilford mentioned the Palmerston North school, on which the Government had expended £2OOO. The Minister! That is a primary school, and the amount was nothing like that. However, Ido not propose to stand here in defence of educational expenditure. All the money 1 have had has had to go in the direction of primary schools throughout New Zealand, and properly so; they are our first call. There is one exception—Masterton. A new high was built there to accommodate ZoU bovs and girls- I succeeded offly in uettimr tho Cabinet to agree on the local people taking up Government bonds for the whole of the amount some £14.000. There is no doubt you have a case that could be put very The” Minister sharply joined issue with a member of tho deputation who said that the system of education at Petone and Hutt district schools was not effective. Half the children in New Zealand were very glad to go to district schools, he said. In severe! of them they were getting excellent results. At Waihi they obtained 16 matriculation passes. He calculated that there would be P o ff lbl * , 3 .°“ pupils available/for the Hutt District High School. Wellington’s Demands. “It is mv duty, however.” added the Minister, “to look at secondary instruction as a whole in Wellington. There are large demands with respect to secondary education. The boys school has its limtis, and, to remedy matters, the State has expended £5O 000 to build hostels in addition. We spent a considerable sum in temporary buildings for the Girls School, but that was a policy that was not desirable. We have a site, and £3OOO has been spent on levelling it. There is a later demand for a. new Giris High School, at a cost of £4mooo. There is another £40,000 for the Technical School. A deputation is waiting on the Prime Minister next week for another £15,000. } our building will run into £25.000. The total expenditure asked for on Wellington secondary schools will therefore be £130,000. A Difficult Problem. “You are all citizens and taxpayers of Now' Zealand,” said the Minister. “You must appreciate that my problem is a difficult one. and the solution from the financial point of vie-w is not. easy. The Government has to realise the necessities of the two main institutions, and, as soon as the financial position permits, we must relieve their position. In no other city is that likely to obtain, because in other cities‘thev made the two main schools and increased their facilities; drawing their pupils from the suburbs into the cities. Here I have a problem. The

education bill is 3) millions a year-y a. big sum, although we are meeting it cheerfully. When I go to the Cabinet for more money I do- not know what thev will say. I shall be pleased, to place the representations you have made before the Government.” In reply to Mr. Strand, the Minister stated that if there was a proposal by the residents to take, up Gadornment bonds he would pass the pry pcsal up to the Government. “I am not asking for such a course, however.” ’he said. “People say I demand that that course be, followed.” KARORI SCHOOL A deputation, introduced bv Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., waited on the Minister, drawing attention to the state of the Karori School. All the rooms were full, they said, and there was an overflow to a hall, ten chains away. This hall was very draughty and. otherwise unsuitable for the purpose. Tlie authorities in charge were unwilling to continue letting it be used as a school. The Minister, in reply, said that to provide an extra room would cost £Bl4. He promised to submit the matter to the Cabinet, with a recommendation. _____________