CRITICISM RESENTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18685, 15 April 1924, Page 11

CRITICISM RESENTED.

CONDITIONS AT EPSOM. TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. DEFENCE OF COMMITTEE. A spirited defence of the action taken j by the Epsom School Committee in con- '* nection with providing -temporary accommodation for the pupils of the school alter the fire, was voiced by the chairman, Mr. R. G. Clark, at (the annual householders' meeting held last eveningThere has been much criticism by parents of the accommodation provided at the' A. and P. grounds, where nearly 20l children have been attending since school reopened, and strong disapproval was expressed by Mr. Clark of the fact that practically the whole of this criticism had been made anonymously through the medium of the press, instead of the parents having approached! the committee personally. Had they done this they would have learned that She accommodation was only temporary, and that the committee had done everything possible to meet a difficult situation.

" The school committee consider that householders have behaved in a most ungrateful manner," declared Mr. Clark, " and I may say we feel very sore about it. Our policy has been to get a permanent school building at the earliest possible moment, and inside three months we secured a grant for the erection of a new school. Tenders will be called in three weeks' time. Had we pressed for the erection of temporary accommodation, it is certain we would not have got a grant so soon. Onehunga and Newmarket have both had to wait longer, and whereas it will be two years from the time of the fire before Onehunga gets its hew school, the Epsom school will be erected within a -year." Mr. H. Frost, a retiring member of the old committee, warmly supported Mr. Clark's remarks. " Is the grant for the" new school sufficient to put up a decent - building ?" inquired a householder. "It is sufficient to build a school that will be a credit to the district," replied Mr. Clark. (Applause.) Dealing with further objections, Mr. Clark stated that the committee had acted in conjunction with the Education Board in arranging for makeshift accommodation. Householders seemed totally unaware of the fact that the committee had practically no power, in its own hands; it could only make representation to the Education Board. The board's secretary, Mr. E. C. Purdie, had piven his assurance that (the Auckland Trotting Club's commodious premises would be available after the Easter holidays.. Mr. W. T. Smith, said the explanations' offered had doubtless done much good in showing parents the" true positron tof affairs, and in making them aware of .the fr.ct that the committee had no power to take any building it liked and put the children into it. Mr. Clark and his committee had done 'everything in their power to relieve a difficult situation, and as a result, the district was now well ahead of others where the schools had been destroyed by fire. •■■■".>;