LYTTON STREET SCHOOL

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3491, 29 October 1926, Page 3

LYTTON STREET SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. IMPROVEMENTS AND FINANCE. The Lytton Street school committee mot on Wednesday evening, Mr. James Penney presiding. The chairman said that the meeting had been called to consider what further work could be done to improve the grounds with the grant which the committee had received. The secretary (Mr. T. F. FitzGerald) said that although the subsidy on the improvements had been approved it could not be obtained until the committee had completed the work. A great deal of the -work had been done and the finances had been strained rather much. The whole or the £7l which the committee had received by way of voluntary contributions was being expended on improvements to tbc section which the committee had purchased, but until this was completed the subsidy would not he paid. The whole position was that the committee needed the subsidy to carry on as the work was being done by day labour and wages had to bo paid. The Manchester Street school was on a different footing as the worK was being done by contract and tno contractor was prepared to wait for the payment.

Mr. E. H. Range suggested that the committee should send the Board its accounts for the expenditure of the £7l and ask the Board to meet further accounts to the value of the subsidy. This had been done in the past in the ease of other school committees. He could not see any difficulty in the way. As to the proposal for further improvements -Mr. Range reported that to plough level and sowdown the whole of the playing area would cost about £56 with doubtful results. The holiday period was not sufficiently long to enable the ground to settle down before the. children would be bark at school. It was a question whether it would be advantageous to disturb the present sole of grass or complete the draining of the area. His personal opinion was in favour of completing the clrainagc_ The chairman said that it was the question of finance that was troubling tile committee, but if the Board would pay as suggested by Mr. Range, it would be satisfactory. On the other hand if the Board refused the committee would have to endeavour to raise the money by a guarantee.

Mr. McElroy (headmaster) agreed with Mr. Lange as to the disadvantage of ploughing up the playing field. At New Plymouth a playing area was ploughed up, levelled and re-sown, hut it took two years before it co.uld bo used again. Mrs A. E. Sand ford suggested that half the ground might he dealt with this year and the balance at a later date. She moved a motion to Inis effect which was supported by (he

chairman. Air. Fitz Gerald considered that (he whole scheme should be gone on with

and moved an amendment to that effect. Mr. Heald supported this view. Mr. Range said that if the whole of the work was undertaken at once there would bo no where for the. children to play. It would not be possible to hold three, or four hundred children without a playing area. Arrangements would have to he made to provide other ground for the children. The motion was carried.