BLACK’S POINT SCHOOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1939, Page 4

BLACK’S POINT SCHOOL

CONSOLIDATION QUESTION. [PKB I’EICBS ASSOCIATION.] NELSON, April 17. Describing as illogical the present policy of the parents of school children deciding the question of consoli-j dation of schools, the Nelson Education Board decided to point out the present position to the Minister tor Education (Mr. Fraser) and to explain that what the board considered was a ridiculous situation had arisen over the proposal to consolidate the Black’s Point School on Reefton. The board has for some time been anxious to provide better school facilities for Black’s Point children, who in the words of the chairman (Mr. Mclntyre) have the worst conditions of any school in the Board's district. The Black’s Point School is only one and a-half miles from Reefton, and the Board has been unanimous in its opinion that it should he consolidated on Reefton by transporting the children to the larger centre. However, it has been the policy of the Minister for Education not to enforce consolidation in any case where the majority of parents are not, favourable. When the Board recently visited the West Coast the chairman and the senior inspector (Mr. G. Overton), supported by Mr. C. F. Skinner, M.P. for Motueka, met the Black’s Point parents and emphasised the advantages which would accrue from consolidation in preference to erecting a new building to replace the present old and unsuitable school at such a short distance from the larger centre at the Reefton District High School. The parents were advised to give full consideration to the matter and to present a petition for submission to the Minister.

At to-day’s meeting of the Education Board advice was received that individual parents had expressed their wish in the matter, with the following result:—ln favour of a new school, 39; in favour of consolidation, one. The chairman said that Black’s Point had the worst conditions of any school in the Nelson Education district. After to-day the Board would take no responsibility for children being taught in the old school. If the Minister would not consolidate in view of the parents’ decision then the board wanted a new school, he said. Mr. F. A. Hamilton: Should the Board not voice its disapproval of the policy of parents making a. decision on consolidation? The chairman: The Black’s Point case shows the fallacy of the policy. Mr. J. H. Harkness: We should say we want consolidation and ask that the Board be able to decide the matter, if in its opinion and in that of the senior inspector it is considered to be in the best interests of education.

Mr. F. A. Carling: We could draw the attention of the Minister to the absurdity of the opposition. It was decided that the board draw the attention of the Minister to the illogical position because of the question of consolidation being decided by the parents and point out that the Black’s Point proposal was a, glaring example of a ridiculous position.