ROTTEN SCHOOLS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1920, Page 6

ROTTEN SCHOOLS

MINISTER SEES SAMPLE.

OF OLD SCHOOL. MONEY THE DRAWBACK. (Special to the "Star.") WELLINGTON, August 12. The Minister for Education had a vivid reminder by a. deputation to-day that the educational building problem not only concerns extensions, but that many old schools have passed their stags of usefulness and must be removed. To do it, said the Minister, would mean an t outlay of £10,000,000. He said this as lie gingerly handled some exhibits brought by a Pahnerston North deputation as samples of the wood in the Longburn School. Onepiece, a four-by-two stud, was wet and rotten. Another was a sample'of the inside lining, though it was difficult to recognise the fact, while a thoroughly wormeaten piece of timber shining with wear wii:. said to be a piece of the school desks. "I think you picked these pieces specially," suggested the Minister, with a smile. Mr Nash, who introduced the deputation, covered their failure to deny the soft impeachment by declaring "I don't blame them/' The School Committee Chairman assured the Minister that all the furniture was a mass of borer. The Hon. Mr Parr: We have seen worse. The Chairman: If that's the stud that's holding tier up we could push her over. Mr Nash (to the Minister): You are not pleased with it. The Hon. Mr Parr: I'm not horrified. Mr Nash: I have advised them to burn the old place down, but they won't take it on. Later in the discussion the deputation flatly inquired if the school would be renewed, if it happened to catch fire. The Minister: I suppose so, but I don't take the responsibility.

Mr Nash: Then burn it. A Deputationist: It is so wet that it won't burn.

The Minister said he was sorry to have to tell the deputation that their school was typical of many throughout the Dominion. Huncheds of these old schools tluoughout New Zaeland constituted the )r.ost difficult problem he had to handle. Obviously new settlements had to be provided for first, but the old schools would receive attention in the order of urgency. The Department's programme was to modernise and remodel them wherever possible, if the timber was sound enough to carry on. "I am impressed with the exhibit brought for inspection, of course," continued the Minister. "It is certainly pretty bad. I think I'll take it to the Cabinet and make remarkably good use of it there. The Minister of Finance has told me that he does not think he will be able to raise all the money required for education. That is the position we find ourselves in, but I hope it will not be found necessary to cut down the provision made by Parliament to the extent of threequarters of a million annually for school buildings.