GLARING EXAMPLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 April 1939, Page 8

GLARING EXAMPLE

SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION DECIDED BY PARENTS “ILLOGICAL AND RIDICULOUS” POSITION AT BLACK’S POINT EDUCATION BOARD CRITICISES PRESENT POLICY Describing as illogical the present policy of the parents of school children in any centre deciding the question of consolidation of schools, the Nelson Education Board to-day decided to point out the present position to the Minister of Education and to explain what the Board considers is a ridiculous situation which has arisen over the proposal to consolidate Black’s Point school on Recfton. The Board has lor some time been anxious to provide better school facilities lor the Black's Point children, who, in the words of the chairman, the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre, have the worst conditions of any school in the Board’s district. 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 be consolidated on Reefton by transporting the children to the larger centre. However, it has been the policy of the Minister of Education not to enforce consolidation in any case where i the majority of the parents are not j favourable to it. When the Board rej cently visited the West Coast, the chairj man and Senior Inspector (Mr G. Over- ; ton), supported by Mr C. F. Skinner, M.P. for Motueka, met the Black’s Point parents and stressed 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 Reefton Dis* trict High School. The parents were advised to give full consideration to the matter and to present a petition for submission to the Minister. I o!) TO 1 AGAINST CONSOLIDATION At to-day’s meeting of the Education Board advice was received that the individual parents had expressed their wish in the matter resulting in the following result: In favour of a new school, 39; in favour of consolidaThe chairman: “I do not think there is any place in New Zealand better situated for consolidation than Black's Point, and it. is absurd to ask the Government to erect a new school only one and a half miles from Reefton. The Board should make it clear to the Minister that it cannot recommend the erection of a new school. However, it should be impressed on the Minister that the Black’s Point children should be out of the old building as soon as possible, either by consolidation or by the erection of a new buiuding.” “NO RESPONSIBILITY AFTER TO-DAY” The chairman added that Black’s Point had the worst conditions of any school in the Nelson education district. ' "After to-day the Board will take no responsibility for the children being taught in the old school; if the Minister will not consolidate in view of the parents’ decision, then the Board wants a new school,” he said. Mr F. A. Hamilton: “Should the Board not voice its disapproval of the policy of parents making the decision on the question of consolidation?” The chariman: “The Black’s Point j 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 that of the senior inspector, it is considered in the best interests of education.”

Mr F. A. Carling: “We could draw the attention of the Minister to the absurdity of the position.”

It was then decided: “That the Board draw the attention of the Minister to the illogical position as a result of the question of consolidation being decided by the parents, and point out that the Black’s Point proposal is a glaring example of the ridiculous position.”