MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL FOR DEVON FORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13482, 8 May 1907, Page 8

MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL FOR DEVON FORT.

' I <t> — 7 DEPUTATION to THE borough " COUNCIL. •A deputation from tho Dovonport Public School Committee waited upon the Devon- • port Borough Council last evening, to urge v- •upon-' the .Council the desirableness of a , manual "training sohool being established at Devonport. Mr. J-, F. Buddie, chairman of the School Committee, said that .m July last the matter was brought before the then x * ' Council, and they were, asked to contribute • towards the cost of erection and equipment I'? of-.such a - school. At present, the - position if' I ', ■was that the children had, to journey across tho, harbour.- to the,.. Newton; East school, arid out of a roll number of 160 children in. 5 the 'fifth' and sixth standards,' only; 70 chilli, • dren were taking advantage of the training. The children went across in tho charge of a •' • teacher, but they did not return to Deiv cmport' under his control,' and to this many parents objected.. Another foature was that tho absence of the teacher disorganised the «i'V- .- •work of the • sohool, and as - the children went to the Newton East school twice a,' ; ; 5 week, the - Dovonport school work naturally suffered. : Mr. George George, of the Technical College, had informed the speaker that £600 would bo necessary to erect a j. school that woild be a credit to the- district,* . and the Government would subsidise £ for £. Such a vote (£300) would mean id in the ratable value of Devonport, or Is per head. \As this was;the'first meeting of the new Council, tho deputation hoped that when S;£-: arranging tho finances for tho ensuing year, the, matter would receive the Council's con- « , sideration. In • reply to a councillor, Mr. : Buddie .said that it had been suggested that 2 the building should be erected on the pub- : lie sohool grounds. The Mayor (Mr. Wm. Handlcy) sympathised with the deputation, but said that ho did not liko the idea of raising the rates, Jwi nor did he think that the ratepayers would ; agree :to a special 'loan being raised for the fit purpose. Ho suggested that the matter should. be referred to /a committee to deal . with. ■ i ;1 • : - Mr. G. A. Gribbin then moved that the deputation bo,- informed that - the matter would.' reoeive duo consideration by the Council. . The motion was carried and tho deputation withdrew. . .