TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 28, 1 August 1929, Page 14

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

INADEQUATE PREMISES

SYMPATHETIC REPLY

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

Arrangements were made for the Minister of Education (the Hon. 11. Atinore) to visit this morning the old Technical College buildings in Wakefield and Mercer streets and the jnore modern block on Mount Cook, but on account of the indisposition of the Minister the visit was cancelled, and ho met, in his room, a deputation representing the Technical College Board, supported by several members of Parliament. It was claimed that good serviee < in technical education could not be achieved by having the college divided, and it was emphasised that the Wellington City Council were buyers of the land and buildings behind the Town Hall, at a price to be agreed upon, but declared to be not less than £50,000, half of which would go to the Technical College Board. An additional £8000 was sought to completo the additions which are wanted, and the Minister gave a sympathetic reply, but emphasised that to a large extent the matter came within the province of the Minister of Finance. - . , The deputation was introduced by Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P., other members of Parliament present being Messrs. P. Praser and B. A. Wright; apologies for absence were received from Messrs. K. M'Keen and R. Semple, M.P.'s, who were attending other deputations. Mr. Chapman said that the founda-tion-stone at Mount Cook was laid in 1921, and it was approximately nino years since the building was begun, and now it was but half completed. Splendid work had been done by the Department in the past, but, natuially, on account of the growth in the number of pupils and the keen desire for technical tuition, it was regrettable that more had not been done. Money could not be spent better than on the Wellington Technical College, which had a splendid staff and students of a splendid calibre. Mr. W. H. Bennett, chairman of the Board of Governors, after expressing regret at the indisposition of the Minister, said that the purpose of the visit was to set before him the immediate requirements to enable the work of the college to be carried on. They were, proud of the institution; a few years ago there had been complaints from some sections of the commercial community that the instruction imparted was not such as to lead to the best results, but now it was agreed that the results attained gave entire satisfaction. The erection of the new college was delayod fifteen or twenty years owing to inability to find a site, but in that matter a debt of gratitude was owing to the Hon. >lr. Wilford for what he had done during the regiino of the National Government. However, for the money expended they had not got the accommodation other colleges, built earlier, had. The. new section was fully occupied, and tho old nearly so. THE PRESENT POSITION. Mr. Bennett said that the Wakefield street buildings and the first floor in the Mercer street building were wholly occupied by technical classes, while thp iron shed in the City Council motor yard was used four nights a week for apprentice classes in painting and decorating. About 200 day students in the art, homo science, and commercial classes were using the buildings both morning and afternoon; and in tho evening there were art and commercial classes, with the. following total roll numbers: Monday 319, Tuesday 281, Wodnesday 263, Thursday 71. The fol lowing grave inconveniences were experienced in the use of these buildings: There was no recreation area except the few quare yards between the two buildings, part of which was occupied by sanitary accommodation for the boys and male staff and for the Education Board staff, and was clearly undesirable for use by girls; the sa"nitary accommodation was very unsatisfactory the accommodation for tho staff was disgracefully inadequate; it was impossible altogether to avoid tho transfer of classes during the day from the old buildings to the new, and vice-versa a distance of nearly one mile. That was clearly most inadvisable, especially m bad weather. PURCHASE OP PKOPERTY. "The City Council has resolved to purchase the buildings and land," said Mr. Beunott. "The Government Valuer and the City Valuer are not agreed as to tho exact figure, though the lowest estimate, that of tho City Valuer is over £50,000. It lias been agreed'botween the Education Board and the Technical College Board that the proceeds should be divided equally to meet tho needs of the Education Board and of the Technical Coßegc. Before the old buildings can bo handed over to the City Council, however, it is essential that new buildings should be provided at Mount Cook for the classes which arc now taken at the old buildings. NEW COLLEGE. "To provide for the classes to - be transferred from the old buildings it is proposed to complete tho west wing and to oreet the art school with a frontage of about 130 ft parallel to tho workshops and about 50ft therefrom. The west wing will be occupied by engineering and building classes, tho rooms at present occupied by these being utilised for the commercial and home science classes now at the old buildings. The architects estimate that tho completion of the west wing and the erection of the art school will cost about £30,650, or , about £3000 or £4000 more than the sale of the old buildings.

. "It may be mentioned that the number of students in attendance at the now college, both morning antl afternoon, is about 650, and in the evenings as follows-:' Monday, 496; Tuesday 633; Wednesday, 551; Thursday, ' 597-' Friday, 317; total, 2594. . . . . ' "Another urgent need is the construction of the corridor leading from tho north-east end of the building to tho playground and the cafeteria Now that the library has to bo used as a classroom, for building students the cafeteria has to serve the purpose'both of a lunch room and a singing room the only access to. this being through the basement and over a long stretch of playground where for a considerable distance tho. students are completely exposed to southerly weather. The cor ridor is a part of the future extensions '£*£?l°l 5 Co°0 mpleteCl aC°StMt"A demonstration room is required in connection with the workshops where instructors, and especially evening motor engineering instructors, can demonstrate to students methods of work shop proceduro and engine adiustments. At present such demonstrations have to bo given in the workshops, where it is impossible for a class of students to sec properly; and where crowding round tends to distraction and! disorder. It i s - proposed to erect this demonstration room by student labour with tho exception of heavy work such as concreting, following tho same method as was used in the erection of tie cafeteria. The Department is asked to provide only the cost of outside labour and materials for this work | which should not exceed £.200." ' Mr. Beimett said that in all about S/8000 above what would come from the sale, to the City Council would bo required. He asked the Minister to use his influence with the Minister of Justice (the Hon. T. M. Wilford) in

having removed two cottages vhicli prevented the full use of" the playing area. Ho would point out that 'in the past seven years the increase in pupils at the college had amounted toi 73 per cent. REQUESTS SUPPORTED. Mr. J. H. Howell, Director of the*, College, emphasised the urgency of removing the classes from the old buildings to Mount Cook. The area for legi» tiniate recreation in Wakefield "street was no greater than- the Ministerial room, and, while the discipline was good, it was not just to young people to ask them to carry on under such, circumstances. Further, the old buildings 'were not.suitable for school work, and on top of that was the great difficulty of arranging the time-table when, two sets of buildings were being Tused. ■Mr. T. Porsyth, chairman of the. Wellington Education Board, and Mr. B. A. Wright, M.P., formerly Minister of Education, and Mr. P. Fraser, MJ?., spoke in support of the requests. . EARLY REPLY PROMISED. In his reply the Minister said it was entirely a matter of finance and he would like to know what amount would be required this year, and whoa the money from the sale of the property would be available. There was no question as to the necessity of the work. Thero would be no "difficulty about the grant of £250 for the demonstration room which the pupils were to build. It did not appear that any great sum would be required this year, as it would be a few months be- ■ fore tho work could be begun. Tha request for £SOOO was not big in regard ' to tho importance of tho work.He would give an early reply when he had the information he sought regarding the commitment this year. -.