NEW USE FOR ANNEXE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17662, 24 December 1920, Page 7

NEW USE FOR ANNEXE.

training of teachers. ! I temporary accommodation — I TERM LIMITED TO THRF.E YEARS. A request for the use of the hospital i annexe as an auxiliary training college ■ for teachers was yesterdav made bv the Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, to the Auckland City Council. The j Minister attended a special meeting of the City Council, and made the request in person. He said tlio Education Department was confronted with a serious difficulty in overcrowding in classes in the Auckland schools. This was largely due to a scarcity of teachers. The present training college was quite inadequate to supply the needs of the Auckland dis- } trict. 1 here was sufficient accommodation | for 80 trainees only, though at present | 200 were being trained. Of these about- | 100 would be appointed to schools verv soon. It was anticipated that another 200 applications would be received for admission to the college, and to make provision for these the department had been endeavouring, without success, to obtain a suitable hall for the temporary accommodation of the trainees. Mr. Parr said the Education Department intended to erecting a new training col lege, with accom modation for between 300 and <00 trainees. The new building would not be coin pleted for about three years, and it was necessary to obtain temporary accomrooda tion for the overflow from the college in the meantime. Replying to questions by members cf the council, the Minister said the Education Department would make the necessary arrangements with the military authorities and the Hospital Board for those bodies to discontinue using the annexe. The building, he understood, would be vacated in March. Several members criticised the proposal of the Minister, on the grounds that the building was unsightly, and should be removed. It was'also suggested that the occupation of the annexe by the Kduca tion Department might be" deemed the " thin edge of the wedge" towards the permanent acquisition cf the propertv as ' a school or college site. | The Minister emphasised that lie would | strongly oppose the permanent r.c----j nuisition -o£ lly* .site bv any Government department. He would be satisfied to j limit the tenancy of the building to a i term of three years. J The matter was subsequently discussed by the council in committee, and a resoj lution was pasfod thrjt the annexe h ■ placed at the disposal "of the Education I Department, Mtbiect to existing arrange I meni* with the Defence Department and j the Hospital Board, for temporary use | as a training college for a period not j exceeding three years.