Sir James Parr

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 3, 15 December 1925, Page 5

Sir James Parr

Deputations at Napier NEW POST OFFICE. DEFINITE ANSWER DEFERRED. At Napier this morning the Hon. Sit James Parr, Postmaster-General and Minister of Education and Justice, me? two deputations concerning the Post Office and the site for the new Technical College. Mr J.'Mason, M.P., in introducing the deputation, outlined the efforts made in the past concerning the Post Office. He said that as a chief post office it was out-of-date and asked that the Napier Post Office should occupy the premier position among the urgent works. Mr Griffith, president of the Napier Chamber cf Commerce, said he did not think that there was such an out of date post office in New Zealand for n centre such as Napier. The town was under a great disadvantage because of the manner in which the various departments were split up. He said that they would like an assurance that the Napier Post Office was on the list o F urgent works, and a personal promise as to when a start would be made. The Chamber of Commerce had been active in the matter for the last fourteen years, and decided some time ago not to harass the Government until its finan cial position had improved. About three years ago they were told that Napier was third on the list, and he hoped that it had moved up since. Mr R. N. Chadwick spoke on similar lines.

THE MINISTER’S REPLY.

Sir James Parr, in reply, thanked the deputation for their welcome and said that duiing the last six years he had spent a lot of Government money in Napier. He had only recently taken over the portfolio of Postmaster-Goner al, and he did not claim to have an intimate knowledge concerning the Na pier Post Office. Last year Mr Coates had told them of certain buildings which were ahead of Napier in order of urgency. The order of urgency was the policy of the department, and it would not be departed from. To accede to all the requests would take over half a million of money. The Government aichitect had reported that in view of the great value of the site a much more substantial building than was required for a post office should be erected so that a number of other departments could be accommodated. He would inspect the building and confer with the Chief Postmaster, and if he could sat •isfy himself that the work was a urgent as had been stated he would facilitate matters. He considered that it would be the duty of the Government to make a start with it next year. He pointed out that the erection of post offices was conditioned by the vote allowed by Parliament. He assured the deputation that in a month’s time he would give an definite answer as to whether tenders would be called* and when.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE SITE.

Mr Mason, M.P., introducing the deputation from the Napier Technical College regarding the site for the new college, briefly outlined the negotiations that had taken place with the Napier Borough Council, who donated the site upon certain assurances being carried out.

Mr T. W. Bear, chairman of the Technical College Board of Managers, said that matters seemed to be at a standstill. The Napier Borough Conn cil had acted graciously in the matter and had treated the Board very fairly. The Council wanted to see a much larger grant than the original one of £3OOO before it would hand the site over, and the Board was most desirous of securing the site for educational purposes. Mr R. McLaren, director of the college, outlined the work done by the college and stated that the Council desired a guarantee of £20,000 being spent on buildings before the site would be handed over.

Mr Wright said that the Board was working on the lines laid down by the Minister, e but it had not any accommod ation to teach modern trades. He wanted to see the school developed on more technical lines, and he saw no reason why it could not be carried more into the day school. He hoped that some day Napier would have the chief Tech nical College in Hawke’s Bav. Th*Board was hampered a good flieal by regulations and the department had not considered that practical instruction had been necessary because they had failed to install modern machinery from which boys could gain practical experience. The Board did not wish to run a school in opposition to the High School

FAULTS OF PRESENT SYSTEM

Sir James, in reply to Mr. Wright, said that he was strongly of the opinion that New Zealand had not done its duty regarding technical education. In Napier most of the work done in the day schools was more of a high school syllabus. He did not-be-lieve that towns of Napier’s *ize could provide two classes of education. Industrial and technical education would in time draw two-thirds of the boys, and that was the system he was out to support. In New Plymouth they had recognised the fault of trying to carry on two schemes. Recently the two bodies had amalgamated under one control and he was satisfied that New Plymouth would fret post-primarv education that would be worth while What was wanted in Napier was an institution to strengthen the industrial side, and that was the kind that he proposed to have erected on the new site. It was no use asking him to build a new Technical High Schoo 1 to teach ordinary High School sub jects. That would be overlapping and

he would not encourage it I '. TTb was however, willing to spend a good deal of money on straight-out technica’ education. BOROUGH COUNCIL’S GIFT. Mr. J. B. Andrew, in renlv to Mr Mason, said that when the Conned was asked to hand over the valuable endowment it was assured that a building costincr about 2,40.000 would bo erected. Endowments were rare and the offer was made on certain conditions which the Council was not willing to depart from. Sir James remarked that it was a common occurrence for Borough Councils to give sites for the purposes of technical education. A MODEST BEGINNING. In his reply to the deputation. Sir James said that in looking over the files regarding the negotiations nowhoro could it he found that the Department had encouraged an ambitious programme, and he read a minute from the Late Minister of Education stating that as far hack as 1918 he bad advised that the chances of a large grant were ”©rv remote A few months later the Board without being adviced, pmnloved an architect to prepare plans for a new school. Tn 1019 thev were forwarded to the Department with a renuost for a grant of £15.009. He would advise the Board tn adont a new nolicv and urge the building of comnlotr workshins. the minimum cost to he £3 000 JTe would ho prepared to consider favourably a building for the (Continued on next column).

housing of the dav school. Speaking in the interests of the children he said he was not satisfied with things as they were in Napier. The post-primary education needed a complete overhauling. Instead of having overlapping and competition they would have unity and efficiency by adopting a principle similar to that adopted by New Plymouth. He considered that lhe local authorities should have an interest in technical education and assist with sites. On the new Boys’ High School £36,000 of public money was being spent. Towns of Napier’s size could not expect an unlimited expenditure. lhe £3OUU ou workshops would be of more value and importance tuau &15.U00 in the new school. Once the Government started spending money on that site, they would go on doing so, and the expenditure would probably run into £20.000. lhe Department would not think of stopping at £3OOO He would not give a guarantee of a large amount being spent straight away. He hoped that the Borough Council would re-consider the matter. He was prepared to make a start to-morrow, with the workshop, and he hoped that the Council would fall in and assist. In his opinion expenditure amounting from £15.000 to £20.000 would be necessarv in time on the new site. The qnesticn of the day schools be would tUteuss next week with the Director of Education, and ' he hoped that very soon something would take a definite form regarding the workshops. The deputation then withdrew and Sir James Parr had a private conversation with Mr Andrew regarding the Council’s offer.