SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 26, 31 January 1924, Page 9

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

i PROTEST B,Y EDUCATION i BOARD. '„ Objection to a proposal by the Education Department that the Public •■ Works _ Department should carry out post-primary school building works was ■ discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board. Tha Department 6tated that there would be no objection to minor work being done privately, . but where a substantial amount was involved the work would have to be carried out by the Public Works Department. .".'.■ Mr. C. I. Harkness expressed a fear that such action by the Department! would have'the effect of whittling away, the powers of ;the 'board. ■ ■ -" Mr. T. Moss said he did not .think they should agree to the proposal. Sooner or later the Public Works Depart- Y ment would take over school construction as a whole. That would rob the board of its influence to such an extent" as to make its existence quite uniieces-^ sary. It was recognised that the Public Works Department did the worlq well, but it was also recognised that iti was a very costly method. He mov^dtthat the Department should be informed , that in the opinion. of the board, there was no necessity for the Public Works • Department to take over the building of schools, and that the businessi men . on the board were quite capable of deali ' ing with "the matter. ' This was carried.