SCHOOL SHELTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 56, 7 March 1942, Page 8

SCHOOL SHELTERS

ACTION IN WELLINGTON

A deputation from 28 school committees which met the District Engineer- of the Public Works Department last night is convinced that any delay in provision of shelters at schools is not attributable to the Department. It was stated that the following schools had been approved for action in shelter provision:—Thorndon, Kelburn Infants, Clyde Quay, Mount Cook, Roseneath, Hataitai, Kilbirnie Infants, Miramar South, Miramar Central, Seatoun, Worser Bay, Petone, Petone Cen-1 I tral, Hutt Central Infants, Technical College, Randwick, and Gracefield. The deputation stressed that shelters at Newtown and Kaiwarra should be provided promptly. A deputation representing school committees also met the Director of Education this week and urged the provision at each of the 28 city schools of ample air-raid shelters, first-aid equipment, and fire-fighting plant. It was stated by the director that the District Engineer of Public Works, in conjunction with the Education Board, was handling the matter, and that, regarding schools in a vulnerable area, if the price of tenders was within striking distance of the estimate, approval had been given to accept the tender for action. Exception is taken to the fact that no school committee as a whole was consulted regarding shelters by the Education Board. The Education Department, it was stated, had allocated £3 a school for purchase of first-aid equipment, and school committees should lodge applications for this with the board. Somt; fire-fighting equipment, such as hose, tap connections, tins, and pumps, was said to be in short supply. But it was known that bucket pumps were readily obtainable for £2 15s 6d. It was suggested that school committees write the board regarding hose, pumps, and similar equipment.