TECHNICAL COLLEGE CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 127, 22 February 1941, Page 13

TECHNICAL COLLEGE CONTROL

Reply By Col. McDonald Ta

Criticism

CHALLENGE ISSUED TO MR.

W. APPLETON

.Mr. Appleton will find that, instead

Of my having found another mare’s

nest, as stared by him, ho lias found a

hornet’s nest,” said Colonel T. W. McDonald, replying to comments made by Mr. AA’. Appleton regarding his — Colonel McDonalds —allegation that the Wellington Education Board was being filched of its rights regarding the control of the Technical College Board of Managers. "If he can prove that I have al some time past found a mare’s nest, 1 will resign my seat on the Technical College Board, on condition that if he fails to do so, he will resign his seat,” he added.

Regarding Mr. Appleton’s remarks about what hud been done in 1903 with the concurrence •!’ the Education Board, Colonel McDonald said that totally different circumstances existed at that time. All that was done then had been revoked by the Education Act, 1914, and the then existing managers ceased to exist. “Mr. Appleton’s reference to SubSection (1) of Section 113 of the Education Act, 1914, clearly shows that he 'does not understand the law under which the technical school is carried on,’ Colonel McDonald continued. “Mr. Appleton should know that the subsection referred to by him is clearly stated to be ’subject to the provisions of this Act’ (Education Act, 1914) and sub-section 12 of that Act (as amended by Section 31 of the Finance Act, 1931, No. 2), provides that 'in respect of any technical school, whether established before or after the coming into operation of litis Act. the Minister may, on the application of Ihe controlling authority thereof, by notice published in Hie Gazette, direct that from a date to be named in the notice live controlling authority shall cease to exercise control over the school, and that the sole control thereof shall be vested in the board of managers.’

"The Wellington Education Board has consistently refused, despite very strong pressure from the board of managers, to apply to the Government to have the control changed from it to such managers.

"As late as July 28, 1933, the present director of the technical school. (Mr. Hulling) wrote to the Education Board as controlling authority, anti stated, inter alia, 'as your board has determined that it is to remain the controlling authority, my board requests that your board take immediate action to provide suitable access for students. “On July 6.1933, the then Minister of Education, Mr. Bitcbener, wrote to the Technical School managers a letter in which he stated, inter alia, 'I note Unit your board is to approach the Wellington Education Board regarding the question'of the control of the school.’ Again on May 10, 1933, another Minister of Education, Mr. Masters, stated, inter alia, Tn regard to the transfer of the whole of the properties used bj the Technical College, to the Technical School Board, I have to say that certain preliminary steps must be taken before this can be done. In the first place the board (Technical School Board) has not at present power to hold land, that power being vested in the 'Wellington Education Board, which is the controlling authority. 1 would suggest that the Technical School Board approach the Wellington Education Board with a view to its making application to me for the transfer of control to your board, under section 12 of the Education Amendment Act, 192-I.’ This is the very section of the Act already quoted by me as showing that the only way in which the Technical School Managers could possibly get control of the school would be by obtaining the approval of the Wellington Education Board, and the latter making application to the Minister to have the control changed.

“In 1919 the Director of Education wrote to the AA'ellington Education Board, giving certain information which the Director staled he hoped would be sufficient to enable the Education Board to proceed with the plans for the first instalment of the proposed building. “In a letter from Mr. AA. 11. Bennett (then chairman of the Technical School Board) to the Education Board, dated August 17. 1933. urging the board to place the control of the Technical School under the managers, he said, inter alia, ‘The education board, however, has power to insist that all business should, be done through them, and all negotiations forwarded through them, as 1 can find no record of any abrogation of authority to rhe board' of managers.’ Again, he states that tlie managers have no legal power to hold property ami have no rights over tlie property at present in use. “At its June, 1933, meeting the education board resolved ‘That this board inform the AVellington Technical College Board that it regrets it cannot see its wav to deprive itself of the control of the AVellington , 'J’echnieal College.’ Again, on July 26, 1900, the education board wrote to the Technical School managers stating: ‘I am directed to inform you that this board, alter full consideration of the representations placed before it last week by the deputation from your board of /governors, resolved that it cannot see its way to accede to your request that the control of the AVellington Technical College should be handed over to your authorities.’ “In the face of this complete answci to Mr. Appleton, which shows that he does not. understand the position and was barking up the wrong tree, I say that it is 'clear that he. not I, has found a mare's nest which might hutch some troublesome chickens for him.