EXCHANGE OF SCHOOL AND POLICE SITES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 162, 5 April 1938, Page 16

EXCHANGE OF SCHOOL AND POLICE SITES

Agreement Expected MINISTERIAL VISIT TO HUTT DISTRICT An important feature of the visit paid to Hutt schools yesterday by the Minister of Finance and M.P. for the district, lion. W. Nash, the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, the Director of Education, Mr. N. T. Lambourn, the chairman of the Wellington Education Board, Mr. W. Dyer, a board member, Mr. J. Stonehouse, the Education Department’s architect, Mr. R. Savage, and the board’s assistant secretary, Mr. Dewhurst, was the discussion at Petone Central School on the exchange of that site for the land now occupied by the police station, police residence and land adjoining. As the result of the discussion it is hoped that an exchange will be effected shortly. The areas are approximately the same but the police land would enable a better placement of school buildings than the present site and have the advantage of bounding, to the rear, the expansive Petone recreation ground. The exchange would not affect the courthouse, which would remain where it is in Elizabeth Street. Intermediate School Site.

The Ministers were impressed with the magnificent site between Penrose and Kauri Streets acquired from the Wellington Hospital Board for an intermediate school. The area is more than nine acres and is in a central position for the Lower Hutt schools. No building plans have been developed yet, but action may come earlier than 'thought in view of the schools filling up rapidly. An intermediate school would solve the manual training centre problem, this school now being taxed to capacity. The intermediate pupils would do their manual work at their own school and leave the present manual training centre free for scholars from outside schools such as Upper Hutt, Silverstream and Stokes Valley. It is hoped to have completed this year the new Hutt Central School in RailwayAvenue, the site of which, on laud adjoining the present school, was inspected. Eight rooms have been applied for, as at. Waterloo. The school will be ap openair one on the same lines as Waterloo but with the larger sized classrooin s rerecently authorised. It will be the first school in the board’s area with the larger rooms. The authorisation of a grant is expected shortly. Considerable drainage work and filling will be needed on portions of the land acquired. When the new school is built the present'infant school will remain where it ig for a few years. Eastbourne’s Needs. urgent need of further accommodation at Muritai School and the desirability of securing more land was placed before the party at Eastbourne. The mayor, Mr. E. JV. Wise, ami the school committee met the party. It was pointed out that some pupils were being accommodated in temporary premises which had been converted into a classroom after its acquisition last year. It was agreed that the matter be further gone into by the Minister, Mr. Dyers and Mr. Wise. Schools And Settlement. The block of Native land at Waiwhetu where.it is intended to erect State houses was inspected and the board’s representatives urged fhe necessity of setting aside an area there for a school. The board’s Nae Nae site was inspected and it was agreed that the reservation was a wise one in view of probable settlement extension there. The four acres at Graceficld which has been set aside for a school was inspected. It was stated that in view of the large number of houses being erected in the locality the matter of a school was being carefully watched. The concreting work of the Public Works Department and the fence erected by the school committee at Petone West School were inspected. Application is before the department for two new openair detached rooms, a cloakroom and the remodelling of the brick building, two rooms of which are very cold in winter? One room asked for is to accommodate increased attendance and the other to take the place of a corrugated iron structure erected some years ago as a science room but used as a classroom. Committee members met the party. The new open-air Waterloo School was seen under ideal conditions and the work being done in the grounds was inspected. The Waiwetu School grounds were looking particularly well when the party inspected the new open-air infant rooms. Eastern Hutt had no particular problems of accommodation. The grounds were in fine order. The remodelled infant department was inspected. Boulcott School grounds were also commended.

At Randwick, the school committee requested an extension of the concrete area, it was considered desirable that the work should be done and the board’s representatives -were asked to request the Public Works Department to have jit put in hand.

Representations regarding accommodation were made at Wilford. where committee members met the party. The matter will be investigated further. The Ministers and party were entertained at lunch by Mr. and Mrs. Dyer at their residence, Epuni Street, Lower Hutt, and at morning tea at Hutt Central School by the chairman of the committee, Mr. Cains, the headmaster and staff.