COLLEGE NEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 36, 11 February 1926, Page 7

COLLEGE NEEDS

ACCOMMODATION FOR BOYS INCREASED STATE GRANT FOR MEMORIAL HALL MINISTER HAS GRAVE DOCSIS. An increased Government grant towards the cost of the memorial assembly hall at the Wellington Boys' College, «nd the need for more adequate aeeommodat.io» at the school, were the principal subjeeta upon which s deputation interviewed the Minister of Education this morning. The deputation was chiefly composed of members of the College Board of Governors. The chairman of the board (Mr. W. H. P. Barber) said thaj the old boys had subscribed a large sum of. money for the erection of the memorial hall, and the Government had agreed to contribute the balance np to £17,000. Upon tenders being called, it was found that i-e work would cost £18487, and they now asked the Government to make up the balance. The Canister (Sir James Parr) pointed out that the Government had already undertaken to find £10,000, and that the old boys had given £4000, plus £2000 for furnishings. There was" a deficiency of £4187. The Board of Governors was to find the balance. Mr. Barber: "How can we find iM We are all very poor. . . . If the money is not forthcoming it means that the hall cant be gone on with." MOKE ACCOMMODATION. The second point, he said, was that the accommodation at the Boys' College this year was quite inadequate for all who desired admission. The utmost capacity of the school, with overcrowding the classrooms, was 800, and 911 pupils Had applied for admission. The surplus of over 100 boys would have to be rejected unless the Government provided extra accommodation. He submitted that it would be an economy to provide the extra classrooms while the memorial hall was being erected. Belief would also be afforded in the event of the destruction of the old building by fire. In regard to the site of the"Girla' College at Thorndon, the board thought it such an important one, and it would have to accommodate such a large number'of pupils in spite of the Wellington Bast School, that additional land should be acquired for recreation purposes. At present the girls were hampered in every way. The cost of buying additional land would not be very much, and wonld be a great aid to education. Sir James: "I have already in my time addeu to the playground.** In regard to the Wellington East School, Mr. Barber continued, the principal was at her wits' end to know how to accommodate all the girls. "We have only just spent £50,000 there," the .Minister remarked. "What does she want now?" A letter was read in which th« principal complained of pressure in the lower forms, and referred to "turning pupils away. Mr. Barber said the governors considered provision should be made as early as possible for increased accommodation, as the position would be accentuated every year. Sir James Pam There is quite good accommodation if the two schools are taken together. The girls are very well off. It is different with the boys." Mr. W. F. Ward suggested that the Government might stretch a point and increase the subsidy it had already offered for the memorial hall. "LAST OF THE OLD BRIGADE." The headmaster (Mr. T. B. Cresswell) said he would make bold to say that no other secondary school in the Dominion was in inch a position as the boys' college in the matter of accommodation. They were the last of the old brigade, in the main eentres/iat any rate. The Minister had admitted the inadequacy of the accommodation two yean ago, and it had been further accentuated since. Personally, he did not want any .more temporary expedients. They had put up with a lot, and were prepared to carry fin for another year if they saw a clear prospect of relief at the end of that time. '' Why did you admit so many! *• asked the Minister. Mr. Cresswell said It -was quite impossible to forecast how many pupils would seek admission. An. inordinately large number of senior pupils had returned this year. If the Minister would instruct him to reduce the number of pupils he would be very pleased. Replying to the deputation, the Minister referred to the large amount of money involved in the deputation's representations, and remarked > {hat he had been a pretty good friend to tb«m in the hut five or six yean. They had done pretty welL The new hostel at the boys' college had been erected at a cost of £50,000, certainly as a result of endowments, bat the Government had to pay the interest Personally, ha was of •pinion that, it should have been spent on a new school, but the Government had decided on the hostel, and they had good value in the new building. It was the best hostel in New Zealand. The Minister referred to the £50,000 for the new girls* school; and said that the accommodation in the two girls- 1 schools should be reasonably sufficient. The girls were as well off, if not better off, than those in any other centre in the Dominion. He also pointed to the expenditure upon ti»e new technical college, the new Hutt High School, and the junior high school at Coutts street, Kilbirnie. All that amounted to £218,000 out of his vote for educational buildings. 'I have done my best for you," he said, "and you have got away with a pretty solid sum. I dont know any other centre that has done as weß.** NO PBOMXBB OF MORE. Howerver, he continued, the board's representations must engage his early attention. As to the memorial hall, it was with great difficulty that he got £10,000 out of Cabinet for it. Bealry fi*e Government could not afford to spend money on assembly halls. The policy was that if by local contributions or otherwise money was found, the Government met H with a grant In this ease it was understood that £1<M»O was all that the Government should find. Mr. B. Darroehs SJr^tbere was a promise of more." A previous deputation, he said, had been promised that probably more would be fortbeoßH ing if the money was insufficient. Sir James: "I think you are mistaken in assuming there was any sneh promise." Mr. Darroeh: "The Departin.Bßrti approval is for £XT,000." _ . "Again yon are wrong," repHed fl» Minister. "There was no departmental approval for £17,000. I have grave doubts of getting more than £10,000 for the hall The money I have got yt» has to go into room for the boys. I doubt if the eomtxv can afford £14,187 for a ban. However, I shall put the matter before Cabinet. Kf ty of the new toys at the college, said the Mhrfstsr, aould be taken at the technical day •ehool. "But you cant compare WeHmgton College with a technical school,'* Mr. Darroeh interjected. Mr. Barbers "Judging by the ■amber of pupils, they ewideatty p>efer the i college.** The Minister psenMl to look Into the queetfaa a* adfittonsm had at (fee

Thoradoa School, also into the dimeulty at the Wellington East Girls' School. He doubted if it was possible to make a start on the new boys' school this year. It would be a matter for the 1927 programme. The Junior High School at Kilbirnie would give the College some relief towards the end of the year, when he hoped it would be opened. ■ ;