UNFAIR TREATMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 26 October 1940, Page 4

UNFAIR TREATMENT

SOUTHLANDEDUCATION BOARD CHAIRMAN’S CLAIM QUESTION OF GRANTS [United Press Association] INVERCARGILL, 25th October. “I have been told I should go to Wellington and sit on the Minister’s doorstep, but I'm not going to do that. If Southland cannot get its just educational requirements unless the chair- ; man of the board goes kow-towing to the Minister, it would be far better to appoint another chairman, because I am certainly not going to do it,” said Mr S. Rice, chairman of the Southland Education Board, at a meeting of the board to-day. After the reading of a letter from the Education Department, requesting that alterations be made to the Queenstown School, Mr Rice complained that, the board had experienced the greatest difficulty in obtaining grants for i more urgent works. “Many more urgent works are held up because of lack of funds,” he said, "and now that the department insists upon the board paying for all improvements under £7O out of its maintenance funds the position has become acute and we are up against it. “I have previously stated that Southland does not get a fair deal in the matter of grants. Why is Invercargill, the fifth city in the Dominion, denied the amenities that seem to be readily granted to other cities and smaller towns in New Zealand? Gisborne has • just opened a magnificent intermediate j school, complete with a large assembly j hall, at a cost of £40.000, but Inver- J cargill must wait. Apparently £40,000 j is far too much to spend on Inver- ! cargill. It is very discouraging to men who give a great deal of time and thought to the welfare of our children and the progress of the district of Southland to find that oi province is the last to receive consideration from the department. “The Minister asks for comment, and I think we should reply that we have more urgent work to be done,” adde Mr Rice. “I feel very strongly on this subject, and certainly consider that we have not had a fair deal.”