FAVOURS TO NELSON

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 1

FAVOURS TO NELSON

ALLEGATION IK HOUSE EDUCATION MINISTER’S PROTEST [Fhok Ook Parliauentajci Eepoetek.J - WELLINGTON, September 16. A ’vigorous repudiation of a. suggestion that an undue amount of the public money had been, expended in his own electorate was made by Mr Atmore (Minister of Education) when tho Education v'oto was under review. Tho charge was made,by Mr Wright (Wellington Suburbs), who was Minister of Education in the Coates Cabinet, that during the regime,of the present Minister more money had been spent in Nelson district than in any other .educational district in New Zealand. Nelson, he declared, appeared to have had a tremendous amount expended upon it during the last twelve months or so. For instance, there was the Nelson Central School. When last he visited Nelson that was a very fine building. It may have been in need of remodelling, but instead a new building had been erected. -There were hundreds of buildings in New Zealand in far worse condition. Then there were tho new, school at Stoke, a now boys’ college and new girls’ college, and information that 'eighteen acres of" land In: J been presented to one or other of the colleges. Tho House was entitled to how much all those things had cost. Surprise at Mr Wright’s attack on the Minister was expressed by Mr Howard (Christchurch South), who recalled that.. during' the time the member for Wellington Suburbs held the portfolio members had been able to get nothing. All this had changed since Sir Atmpm took office. It was a wonder the present Minister found, time to attend to all the matters which were brought under his notice. The Minister, in reply, said ho had been surprised that Mr Wright had seen fit to make such an ungenerous suggestion in regard to the money expended in Nelson district. He had ne\ - er allowed any question of party to enter into tho matter of the erection of new schools. Mr Weight’s memory was apparently so' short that he did not remember that one of tho votes jf which he bad complained was granted by himself. . Mr'Wright: Which was that ? The Minister: The Nelson Girls’ College. ..... Mr .Semple (Wellington ■ East): You have had the earthquake, too. The Minister: “I am coming to that.” Dealing with tho Girls’ College, tho Minister said the plans had not beep suitable, and. he had refused y to sanction them. So far as Stoke School was' concerned that, was sixty or seventy years old, and the new building had been erected at -a cost of £l,lOO. ■“ Let mo tell Mr Wright,” said the Minister, “ that I, am not such a coward as to refuse to sanction now, buildings •in my own district when they are needed.” The Minister added that a great deal of the .expenditure had . been necessitated by the earthquake. Tho dormitory at Nelson College had been made useless and unsafe. Surely it was the correct course to put that right.