GRANT REFUSED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 144, 14 March 1931, Page 15

GRANT REFUSED

Money for School Baths CONSIDERED WASTEFUL a Masterton, March 13. A deputation representing the Walrarapa Secondary Education" Board, which waited upon the Masterton Trust Lauds Trust last night requesting a grant of £457 to complete the swimming baths at the Walrarapa High School, met with a refusal. One member of the trust, Mr. J. M. Coralline, criticised the High School, and urged that the great educational need of the district was a new Technical School building. The members of the deputation were Messrs. T. Jordan and G. Selby. Mr. Jordan said that good progress had been made by the unemployed on the excavation work for the baths, and members of the board had agreed that as there were still so many unemployed, they would go ahead and finish the work. Money for labour was available from the Unemployment Soard provided they could find tho money for materials. By granting tho £457 required for materials to finish the bath., he said, the trust would be providing a very necessary part of the school equipment, and would also bo helping to alleviate the pressing problem of unemployment. “It’s a pity the Unemployment Board cannot find a better way of spending the money when there are Hastings and Napier to be rebuilt," commented Mr. Coradlne. . „ “I am not disputing that,” said Mr. Jordan. “I say that we should take advantage of the opportunity that la presented. Apparently the money is not going to Hawke’s Bay, and if we don’t use some of it, it will probably be frittered away in other directions.” . Mr. Coradlne: Well, I might as well tell you now, I have no sympathy with the proposal. ' Mr. Jordan: If Mr. Coradlne thinks that by refusing to agree to this, the money is going to Hawke's Bay, I aim afraid he Is going to be disappointed. After the deputation had withdrawn, Mr. Coradlne repeated that’he had no sympathy whatever with the proposal, especially under existing conditions. There witro two public baths in the town, and one at the West School. There were baths and showers sufficient for 100 at the High School hostel, which was practically empty. “I feel," he added, “that the High School is not filling the want, educationally, that this district requires. It is not growing, and the hostel is nothing but a white elephant.” “Extravagant and wasteful educational expenditure—that is what I call it,” continued Mr. Coradlne. The chief educational want in the district was a new Technical School. The Secondary Education Board never eame along with proposals for anything for the Technical School. The Technical School was growing, and it had practically no conveniences at all. Luxury after luxury had been lavished on the High School, while the Technical School lacked the ordinary conveniences demanded by a civilised community. “After my recent inspection of both schools and the hostel, ’’ said Mr. Coradlne, “I am convinced that the most urgent necessity in this town Is a new Technical School.” The trust decided that it could not see its way clear to make the grant requested.