NEW HIGH SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 41, 18 February 1920, Page 5

NEW HIGH SCHOOL

THE HUTT VALLEY SITE.

The purchase of the Woburn site by the Government for the erection 'of a High School for the Hutt Valley was referred to at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board to-day. A letter was read from the Education Department stating that the purchase of the site had practically been completed, and the question of the erection of a school would shortly be considered.

The Secretary of the Board (Mr. G. L. Stewart) stated that no time was to be lost in the creation of a High School Board under the Act,,

Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. : "Has any protest been received from Petone?"

Mr. Stewart; come in to-day.' 1

"Not yet, unless it has

Mr. C. J. Harkness said the whole trouble was caused by parochialism, which met the Board' at every turn whenever it had to erect a school building. He considered that the Government, in taking the decided actiou it had done, had displayed "s. gleam of light and a ray of hope." I* had been looking ahead to the. future expansion of the district, and he considered that the decision was a very wise one.

Mr. G. London said he was surprised ri Mr. Harkness'a remarks. There was nothing parochial in Petone's attitude at all, as the Government could have' gob an equally suitable sito at les!> than half the price. He ' held that the resident* of the district should have beer, consulted.

Mr. E. P. Rishworth held ■ that the best site had been secured. It was the finest situation in the Valley, and would be regarded as such when the two boroughs were merged into one.

Mr. W. H. Field, "M.P., said he regretted that the Percy site had been overlooked. It had special attractions which could not be obtained on the Woburn site on the fiat. He was not against the Woburn site if the extra bridge could be proceeded with in the immediate future. Personally he thought the Percy site should still be considered. The discussion then dropped.