ONEHUNGA INFANT SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18586, 19 December 1923, Page 12

ONEHUNGA INFANT SCHOOL.

DELAY IN RE-ERECTION. RESIDENTS INDIGNANT. A stormy meeting of protest was held at Onehunga last evening in connection with the delay in replacing the infant school that was burned down last year. The meeting was convened by the local school committee. The Mayor, Mr. J. E. Oowell, presided. The chairman of the committee, Mr. E. G. Speight, said that although the old school' was destroyed in .December la«, the infant classes were still without adequate accommodation. Some were being taught in a temporary " tin shed," that was hurriedly constructed in January, while the remainder had to use the hall in which the meeting was then being held. After the Minister for Education had visited the school last June the department stated that a grant would be maae and tenders called for, -'as soon as the board's architect had prepared the plans. This was completed early in October, but the department then gave instruction* to delay everything until a decision had been made in regard to the new policy of building all new schools in \ wood. The committee had been advised by the board that the school was to be rebuilt at last, but in wood, and that it would bo ready in April or May. Mr. Speight pointed out that all recently erected schools had been in brick, and. he presumed that the grant of £9876 was based on the estimate of the board's architect in that material. The amended scheme in wood provided for a most unsuitable building, and the board even proposed to utilise the site in Arthur Street, which had been formed as a playround for the children at the expense of ie residents. He urged that the meeting support the original grant, instead of the new scheme costing £6000, in conformity with the principle recognised by the educational bodies. '*..'"'.

Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P., moved: "That *3 the Government has . granted a sufficient sum to erect an infant ' school nt Onehunga, and as we are notified by the Minister that the board has authority to proceed with the work, this meeting »pop the: board to proceed immediately, with the work, or make it known to the nnhlic that thfl.. m».'<*>' h<> theMinister are not in accordance with fact." An animated (discussion followed this rnotion, which was carried almost unanimously. ::;■; '.'/■ r ." • Mr. J. Park moved that the meeting emphatically protest against the change from brick to wood for the Onehunga school, and demand that the original allocation for building in brick be adhered to, -■ - -, ■ ~ ' ■- The motion was seconded by Mr.' F. H. Dodd, who declared that the residents of Onehunga should 'not be satisfied with "half , a loaf." After further discussion on the delay that had taken place the motion was carried unanimously.