TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Evening Post, Issue 51, 29 February 1908, Page 2

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

MORE ACCOMMODATION. MOUNT COOK SITE. The lack of accommodation for pupils in the present premises of the Technical School came before the meeting of the Technical Education Board last evening. The director (Mr. Latrobe) stated that the classes were much fuller than at the same tihio last year. Pupils had to be refused on account of the scarcity of room. Every part of tho building was occupied every night of the week. At the samo time ho did not think it advisable to have other buildings, as they might hardly be filled by the overflow classes. It would be preferable to do tho bost they could with the present accommodation. The over, flow classes might not pay. Tho chairman (Mr. J. P. Luke) considered it very unsatisfactory to havo to refuse pupils. It would bs better to look round for rooms and see if relief could not bo found in that direction. A committee- cbnsisting of tho chairman and Messrs*. Ballinger and Carmichael, to consider the question >of accommodation, with power to act if necessary, was appointed. In tho same connection was raised again tho question of a sito for a Technical College Tho director read a copy of a letter sent to the Minister of Education on tho subject of urging the necessity of .making use of tho Mount Cook reserve as a sito for the Technical College, as well as for the National Museum' about to be established there. As an answer to the suggestion of the Minister mado to a previous deputation that tho city should provide tho Bite, it was pointed out that tho City Council had granted the land where the present workshops were situated. The chairman snoke at length on tho question, emphasising tho lack of ground for recreation on the present site, the number of students already exceeding 1000, and tho advantage of naving the Technical College in conjunction with tho Museum. The value of the land at present dedicated by the City Council for the purposes of technical education was at least a sufficient guarantee of the City's willingness to turthei' the cause of techn'cal education.