ABOUT A SITE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 37, 13 August 1923, Page 8

ABOUT A SITE

FOR THE GIRLS' COLLEGE

BOARD DISCUSSES QUESTION

&I>HEEEB;.TOi PREVIOUS DECISION.

An important meeting of-the Wellington Colleges Board was held this morning to consider what reply was going to be made to the deputation of old boys which waited on the last meeting of the board with the object of reopening the ques-/ tion of the site of the new girls' college. Mr. WtKd presided, and there were also present Mrs. Kane, and Messrs. Denton, Barber, T. Forsyth. W. H. Field, .M.P., R, DarrocE, and R. A. Wright, M.P.

In a lengthy statement at the opening, the chairman said that two years or so ago the board had decided the site for the new' 'school by 5 to 2. Several alternative: sites were considered, and the question"was gone into very fully. There were very-considerable reasons against several dHfie sites, either on the grounds of finance 'or The matter was fully canvassed, and public meetings were held. The board came in for a large amount of criticism for holding up the question/ A large sum of money, he suggested it was over £5000, was spent on levelling -the site chosen. Meanwhile £30.000 had "been voted to allow the building ttojVproceed. He . thought the position was that (1) a site had been approved after consideration, (2) the Government. ..would not stultify itself by wasting Jthilmoney already spent on the site, and'•find:: a considerable sum to acquire a new site, and (3) if they did not proceed the whole controversy would be reopened. The town would divide and no school would be built.

FANCIFUL OBJECTIONS.

Summarising the old boys' objections, the chairman said it was considered the close proximity of the two schools was undesirable, vjewing discipline, etc. He thought "'the Objection was on fanciful grounds.;; The second objection was that there was no-Jroom for making playing fields, the ground being too hilly. He thought the grounds, if they had to be made, would cost more than flat ground. The third objection was on the ground that the-girls, would invade the grounds of the boys. This was a real objection. There was no doubt suggestions would later be made in that direction. It was incumbent on 'the board to make it clear that no .'encroachment would be allowed. The board must consider whether it would rescind its previous decision, which ■would undoubtedly mean that the £30.----000 granted would be withdrawn. That '•was clear from what Mr. Massey had stated.

Mr. Denton' suggested that the chairman was unfair in that he had not gona fax enough baclc. The chairman: "I think I did." ll!r. Barber that the £30,000 v.'oald riot be. lost. .

Mrs. :E. W. Kane: "The Auckland University; lost its grant for twenty years." ••■' ,*"'-

OLD BOYS' SWAN SONG.

Corciimiing,' Mrs. Kane said she hoped, as a; new member, that no motion would come forward. She thought the chairni;vn!s statements fair, particularly as they Knew his private opinions on the matter. ; She did not think that the public had ■ interest ( e.d_ itself at all in the question. '--lE' it fiad, -'she ■would, as-'a member of the board, have • received at least one communication. She. had not done so. The whole business was raised by the Old Boys' Association. When the land was originall yreserved under the Education Act,' 1887, the land was for boys and girls, and the boys had since been in undisturbed possession. There was. however, nb fear of an encroachment by the girls. There was plenty of room on the large property of 63-i acres for all the playgrounds required. She thought the old boys' deputation was" just a "swan song"—a dying effort

Mr. Korsyth moved that the board call for tenders for the new buildings on the site agreed to and already prepared. "

. This was seconded.by Mrs. Kane, who, however, suggested that no motion was necessary.

As an amendment, Mr. E,. Darroch moved that the board rescind its previous motipn, and reopen the question of site. He said he did so on the grounds mentioned. If it was wrong in principle they' should not go on. They should not commit an error now for which they would bei sorry, later. He suggested the natter had gone through rather quietly in the first place. The amendment was seconded by Mr. W. H. .Field, M.P., who explained that lie was not inconsistent. He reiterated his views as expressed when the matter was before Parliament recently. The old boys had promised to find a suitable site immediately available.

A member: '"They haven't done it." The chairman said sites had been suggested. "-

Mr. Field considered the best site offering ;\vas the brickyard site next to Athletic Park. They were told the Constable street site would not be available. The city might consider giving this site in return for any land the council might consider it necessary to take for a tram through^ the board's property. Mr. Wright said the matter had not been got through, quietly. Mr. Parrocli said he was referring to a. perioct before the approval of. the site. Mr. Ward: "I stepped in and objected when the levelling was started." Mr. Wright said they had gone too far, and had practically burned their bridges Lbehind them. The necessity for the college was urgent, and to build on the approved site was the only method by which to obtain it. A VERY COSTLY SITE. Mr. Barber said he was not yet satisfied with, the site, but it was the only thing tfiafc was offered that was at 'all acceptaWer^-fle-agreed with the chairman that it was going to be a very costly site. If-tha Government would look at it generously, he thought it would be better to accept the loss incurred and try for a belter site. In view of the present position, he could not see a better site, especially considering the'-.re-strictions placed-by the Government. Mr. Denton considered the' board had another' opportunity to rectify a mistake. -;. ~ The chairman said it was quite clear that if he"voted_.with three of the mem-, bers, the "decision", was going to be with ■ his casting vote. The main objection was the encroachment on the boys' grounds. He agreed with Mrs. Kane that the beard controlled this, and so long as the boys' grounds were not interfered with there could be no objection to the. girls' school going in any position. He could not vote to stultify the board. For two years.'lhe board had carried on without ono word of protest, and had asked continuously for the building money. Now they.'had got it, some people wanted them to go to the Govej/ment and say: "We don't want £50,000. We want £40,000 so that we can buy a new site. You must lose £5000 spent on the approved site." He could not take the responsibility of stopping the school at the stage it had leached. The amendment was lost, Messrs. Denton, DaiTdch, and Field voting, for it; The motion to call tenders was then earned. , ~.......