PETONE SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 250, 21 July 1942, Page 3

PETONE SCHOOLS

No Raid Shelters Yet “The position is absolutely scandalous, said the deputy-mayor of I’etone, Mr. IL Green, in reference at a meeting ol the borough council last night to the absence of raid shelters at Fetoue schools. He said every school in Lower Hutt had been adequatidy protected. I‘etoue was' a vulnerable area, aud the lives of children were concerned. 'The Education Board should be asked why I’etone children had been neglected. _ In a discussion that followed, it was said that the Education Board had delegated its powers to the Public Works Department, which had accepted tenders. Tenders were accepted in February lor shelters al the Hutt Valley Memorial Technical School. Petone. but. only one shelter had been built, ami even that was not yet available for use. After a cessation of work, four men had started again, but with only that number the work would be slow. Il' the school could get large concrete pipes, the staff and pupils would build shelters for themselves. In the meanlime there were slit trenches for St). At the I’etone Central School there was nothing.

On the motion of the deputy-mayor, seconded by Cr. Steffensen. the council decided to ask the Education Board why adequate air-raid shelters had not been erected for Petone children.