TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 263, 2 August 1929, Page 8

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

REQUEST FOR £BOOO MINISTER SYMPATHETIC Good service in technical education could not be achieved by having the Technical College building divided, said a deputation yesterday morning to the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore), of whom they asked that £BOOO be contributed toward completing the building programme. The Minister gave a sympathetic reply, but said that the matter, to a large extent, was within the province of the Minister of Finance. Owing to indisposition, the Minister of Education was unable to carry out his arrangement to inspect the Technical College buildings in Wakefield and Mercer Streets, and also oh Mount Cook. Instead, he met a deputation representing the Technical College Board, supported by members of Parliament. Mr. C. H. Chapman, in introducing the deputation, said with regard to the buildings at Mount Cook that the foundation stone had been laid in 1921, and approximately nine years had passed since the building was commenced. Money could not be spent better than on the College. . Mr. W. H. Bennett, chairman of the Board of Governors, said the purpose of the deputation was to set before the Minister the immediate requirements to enable the work of the College to be carried on. Despite the money expended they had not the accommodation enjoyed by buildings constructed earlier. The speaker quoted figures to show the attendances at the College and the inconvenience under which classes were working in regard to recreation areas, sanitary provision, accommodation for teachers, and the transfer of classes during the day from building to building. The City Council had decided to purchase the old building and fhe grounds, the lowest estimate of which had been fixed at £50,000, and the proceeds were to be equally divided to meet the needs of the Education Board and the Technical College. However, before the old buildings could be handed over to the City Council it was essential that new buildings be provided at Mount Cook for the classes now taken at the old buildings. In this connection it was proposed to complete the west wing and erect the art school. It was estimated that this work would cost £30,650, or about £3OOO or £4OOO more than the sum resulting froih the sale of the old buildings. The construction of a corridor would cost not more than £l5OO, and toward the construction of a demonstration room by student labour, the Department was asked to provide only the cost of outside labour and materials, which should not exceed £2OO. In all, about £BOOO above the sum that would come from the sale to the City Council would be required. Mr. J. H. Howell, Director of the College, Mr. T. Forsyth, chairman of the Wellington Education Board, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., and’P. Fraser, M.P., also spoke. ~ _ In replying, the Minister said the matter was entirely one of finance. He would like to know what amount was required this year, and when the money from the sale would be available. As to the necessity of the work there was no question; Concerning the grant for the demonstration room there would be no difficulty over the grant, requested. In proportion to the importance of the work the request for £BOOO was not large. When the information he sought regarding the commit raent for this year came to hand he would give an early reply.