TEACHERS' RESIDENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18763, 17 July 1924, Page 6

TEACHERS' RESIDENCES.

OCCUPANCY COMPULSORY.

SOME LET AT GOOD RENTALS.

There are nine teachers' residences attached to schools in the Auckland district which are not occupied by the teachers, according to a return supplied yesterday to the Education Board in response to a request from the department for this information. The return gave rise to some discussion, the chairman, Mr. E. C. Banks, expressing the opinion that where there was a suitable residence attached to a school the headmaster should be required to occupy it. One of the board members remarked that the difficulty was that many of the houses were out of date and not considered sufficiently convenient by the teachers.

It was further stated that headmasters not infrequently made money by letting their residences at a good rental, and living elsewhere. A case was cited in which a teacher at a country school let the residence, and put down in grass four acres of the best of the school ground, carrying on successfully in the dual roles of farmer and schoolmaster. A considerable portion of the remainder of the school grounds was swamp, and the four acres were required as a playing area for the pupils, but so far the school committee had been unable to secure possession of it. It was decided, on the motion of the chairman, that where a suitable house was provided for the headmaster he should be required to live in it. A report is to be obtained as to the condition of the unoccupied residences, their present use, and the alterations required to make them suitable for occupation by the headmasters.