PATIENCE EXHAUSTED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 111, 10 April 1934, Page 6

PATIENCE EXHAUSTED

SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. STATE OF COLLEGE STREET BUILDING. “Although the architect gave no definite statement, he led us to believe that lie considered there were other works in the AVanganui Education Board’s district which were more urgent,” said Colonel J. H. Whyte, chairman of the College Street School committee, in reporting, last evening, on the visit of an architect from the Education Department for the purpose of providing the Minister of Education (Hon. R. iVlasters) with a report on the state of the present main building at College Street. Colonel Whyte said that ho had done all he could to have tho Minister visit the school so that he could see for himself the state of tlie building. The Minister had not so far agreed to make the visit. Unless he knew that the Minister would definitely visit the school he (Colonel Whyte) would place the facts before the annual meeting, as his patience was nearly exhausted. Colonel Whyte also outlined correspondence that had taken place between him and the Minister and between Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., and the Minister. The purport of a reply the chairman had received from the Minister was that Mr Masters could not inspect the building before he ha.d received a report from tlie Education Department. Since then Mr Nash had taken up the matter with the Minister and the last letter lie had received was to the effect that there were more important works to be carried out in the Wanganui Education Board’s district than the rebuilding of the College Street School. However, Mr Nash was going to Wellington the next day and would pursue the matter further with tlie Minister. Unless the Minister visited the school before March 16, reiterated the chairman, he would place the matter before the annual meeting. There was only one other rebuilding item of any size on the board’s last list and tha.t was the Whenuakura School, which was now nearly finished. Mr Cutler said that he did not want to interfere with the chairman’s excellent work, but if something were not done he intended to move a drastic motion at the annual meeting of householders.

Later in the evening Mr Cutler mentioned that he knew of parents who would not send their children to the school because of the state it was in.