EDUCATION IN WHANGAREI

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1933, Page 8

EDUCATION IN WHANGAREI

Deputations to minister

Last evening, at the County Chambers, a deputation from the Board, of Governors of the Whangarei High School waited upon the Hon. R. Mastern, Minister of Education, and drew Ids attention to a number of matters affecting 'the school’s welfare. The chairman of the board, Mr I H. C. Rishworth, emphathe difficulties with which the school was contending owing to the fact that the , Department of Education had forbidden the use of endowment funds upon the improvement of the' - school grounds. Mr H. AV. Crawford urged the need for a manual technical training building in the High School grounds, to take the place of that in the primary school ground. At present much loss of time and great deal of inconvenience were caused by the necessity for high school scholars to go to and from the manual training building. It was pointed out that the Education Department promised £OOO odd some years ago for the work.

Air Ryder put before the Minister disadvantages which the school suffered in the matter of staffing. Air Masters, in reply, promised to do what he could to help the board. He pointed out, however, that lack of funds was the great obstacle. A premise of £GOO some years ago was a very different matter from one made today. The Minister added that ho would go , further into the questions next morning, when he would inspect' the school. Local Representation. Contending that parents in the borough and county do hot have sufficient representation on the Board of Governors of the Whangarei High School, a deputation from , the combined Schools Committees Association waited on the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. Masters, last evening - and requested amendment of the Act governing the matter. The deputation consisted of Messrs C. V. Stringer and R. H. Allan (Whangarei School Committee), Frank Mogford and B. R. Miller (Hora Hora), and M. Porter and J. Shneksmith (Whau Valley). Mr Mogford, who acted as spokesman, pointed out that under an Act passed in 1878, the constitution of the board of governors was fixed as follows: Two members appointed by the Government, two by the Auckland Education Board, two by the Auckland Grammar School, two by parents of children attending the school, and the chairman of the Whangarei County Council. This constitution may have been justified 55 years ago, though it was difficult to understand why the Auckland Grammar School heeded representation, but circumstances had completely changed the position today. It was felt that the people-of Whangafei borough arid county should have closer conrieetion with the government of the school. Efforts to secure amendnierit of the . constitution had been urged for some years, arid a good deal of correspondence entered into with the Department, but no progress had been made. It was suggested that the constitution of the board of governors should be as follows: Two representatives appointed by the Government, two by the Auckland Education Board and five elected by the people of Whangarei borough and county on- the basis of four representing the borough and one representing the county. ■ • Air Masters, iri reply, adriiitted that the position .today was'different from that in 1878, but as lie was unacquainted with the question he would have to investigate the facts when'he returned to Wellington. Mr Afasters said he was strongly in favour of local participation in the government of schools, and in this connection he paid tribute to the good work which school committees had done throughout the Dominion. He would be very glad to assist the deputation if he found that he could do so.

HIGH SCHOOL VISITED. This morning was spent by Mr. Masters in visiting the Wh'angarei High School, Technical and Primary Schools. The Minister admitted that the request for a manual training school on the High School property was a reasonable one, but -said that jlm matter was governed by finance.