SCHOOL DESIGNS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 13

SCHOOL DESIGNS

'fWHITTLING-DOWN PROCESS"

EMPLOYMENT OF GOVERNMENT ARCHITECTS.. -,

"A. whittling-down process." This was how Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., referred to a communication from the Education Department, read at yesterday's meeting of the College Governors, proposing that in future the board should not employ private architects, but allow the Public Works Department architects to ■ attend to its requirements. v"I don't think a board of governors will be necessary, any longer," was Mrs. Kane's comment on the letter. The chairman read a long letter from the New Zealand Institute of Architects, protesting against the Department's attitude ; and pointing out, inter alia, that the Government did not insist that no private ■ medical, practitioner should work in a hospital, or that no barrister should be given a brief on behalf of the Crown, but as their fees had ho effecj; on Government grants for specific purposes they were paid without question. With the design and erection of schools, under, the officers of the Public Works ' Department, the letter proceeded, education .boards would have no control over the work, neither on the \ extent of the accommodation needed, i the general arrangement </. the. buildings, nor the particular needs of the district/thus rendering nugatory their I rightful function of looking after the particular" interests of the community which they represented. The employment of one Department with centralised control would result^ in stereotyped architecture and lack of individuality, both 'in planning and; genera} design: The economy proposed to; be obtained by the employment of the Government Architect, and other numerous officers of the Public Works Department rested on a purely hypothetical basis, for to carry out all the work required would entail a considerable addition to the staff. - '. The chairman (Mr. W. F. Ward) said he did not think any hoard in the Dominion approved of the Department's attitude. It meant that stock plans would, be submitted to everybody. ' At present, of course, boards had to submit their plans to the Department for approval. The Department wanted the boards to avail themselves of the services of Government architects to avoid j paying private architects' fees.

Mr. R. Darroch remarked that the Government very often followed private architects' plans. Mr. W. H: P. Barber said that the. Institute of Architects was not to be blamed for wanting the board to join in with.it, as the architects did not want to lose their commission.

Mr. Darroch .wanted to know whether a charge would be made for the services of the Government architects. ' "They have already said they would charge," remarked. Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. ■ ■■ '

Mr. Barber said he looked at the matter from the point.of view -6i the country's intrests. If the. Government architects could do the work more efficiently and economically than it would otherwise be done, then he did not object. Mrs. Kane: "I don't see where they are going to save money. If. they are going to have all this new work they must increase their staff."

Mr. Barber: , "If the Government architects design the whole of the schools in the country they should become expert. We are /more likely to get efficiency from people who specialise." The Chairman: "It is the same old cry of 'Government, Government, Government.1 •■"

Mr. Field: "We might save money in fees, but not very much. I should say we might not get such good work done." Mr. Barber said he did not like agoing to the Minister to protest unless a good case could be made out against the Department's attitude. It seemed to him that the argument was against the board. Mr. Ward: "They would have' one class of design, and would have to employ clerks of works to supervise." "I don't like this idea of having all school buildings exactly alike," remarked Mr. Field. • . .

"Neither do I," observed Mts. Kane; "it's a stereotyped idea." Before deciding to take any" action with the Institute of Architects, the board resolved to ihqnire from the Department exactly what it proposed should be donein regard to the preparation of plans and supervision of work, and what its views were on the matter of charges.