“PAWNING SHIRTS” FOR CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 18253, 18 April 1923, Page 9

“PAWNING SHIRTS ” FOR CHILDREN

MINISTER AND SCHOOL & , COMMITTEEMEN. A SHELTER SHED PROMISE. The Minister 6f Education-, the Hon. C. J. Parr, had a few words to say about his heritage at Christchurch yesterday, when a deputation from the Opawn School Committee, supported by Mr J. M'Combs. M.P., Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., and Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.,_ waited on him and urged that the erection of the now school buildings should be expedited. Mr Parr asked Mr West, chairman of the committee, “Is your committee- one of those that has raised money on its own!” Mr Went; Yes, we.raised £250 for our school. , , , , Mr Parr: Get it out of your head that it is your school. Mr West: Yes, we raised the money. Mr Parr: Over 90 per cent, comes from the department. Mr West: And yon get the kudos. (Laughter.) Mr Parr: Kudos is a good name for some of the criticism the department gets. Later Mr Parr said that in his term (three and n-ha!f years) he had been able to spend roughly £1.250,000 in school buildings and sites. That was_ more than the amount spent in any previous period of twelve years. His only regret was that he could not get more for the money. Material was very dear. In that Urm of three and a-half years the department had spent in the city and suburbs t>f Christchurch £58,439 on primary public schools, and £5,997 on technical schools. Mr MTombs: That is not a fair share of £1,250,000. Mr Parr: Wait a minute. You don't understand. There was also £31,000 on secondary schools, and £15.000 on the university. * That is a total of £110,756 in Christchurch and suburbs alone in three and a-half years. Mr Sullivan: What was spent on Palmerston North schools? Mr Parr gave the figures, remarking that he denied absolutely that Palmerston North had received’ preferential treatment. It was utter nonsense to say so. Mr Sullivan ; You are hard on mo. Mr Parr: Well, T mean it. Mr M'Combs : You can rest assured Labor members support you whole-heartedly in educational expenditure. Mr Parr said that as for the expediting of the work at the new school at Opawa, that was a matter for the Education Board, which advised the order of urgency. Mr West : What about shelter sheds? Are our* children to go without them through the winter? Mr Parr: With regard to shelter sheds, you certainly ought to have them. There is no excuse. I will see that you get them. (Applause.) -Mr West; Before the winter? Mr Parr: Before winter, if I have to pawn my shirt, Mr West: If you pawn yoprs I’ll pawn mine. We’re partners in this. " A handclasp concluded a breezy deputation. 11