TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19394, 31 July 1926, Page 12

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

OVERCROWDING QUESTION. MINISTER AND MEMBER. A LIVELY ENCOUNTER. [BY TELEGEAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The member for Manukau, Mr. W. J. Jordan, apparently still believes thai ho has got the Minister o£ Education, Hon... R. A. "Wright, to say that • thai 1 Seddon Memorial Technical College is not overcrowded, as it is generally admitted to be. The result was a lively passage in the House to-night. The Minister, in a statement to the press last Friday in reply to allegations by Mr. Jordan, said: "The department has no information of any free-place pupil being unable to obtain, admission to om> or other of the' post primary public schools in Auckland. Certainly none has been refused admission at the grammar, schools.' There is ample room at the Technical College for all free-place pupils desiring to take trade or domestic courses of instruction, if these were given precedence as should be dbne at a techni cal school. A large number of pupil* who are taking a matriculation course" or a commercial course at the Technical College could have attended one of the grammar schools for the same course if there was not room for them at- the Technical College." When the education estimates were being discussed to-day Mr. Jordan returned to the attack and repeated his former arguments i»' two ten minute speeches without drawing any further reply from the Minister. I'inally, in a third speech, he demanded an answer and Mr. Wright promptly rose. " I take full responsibility for my statement," he said; "It is absolutely and literally true." Mr. Jordan: That there is ample room? • Mr. Wright: I withdraw nothing in it. I am willing to submit my words to any scholar for interpretation. The lion, gentleman says he is. going to take it' to Auckland and that he is going to tell on .me. That reminds me of the days .when I was a boy at school. Some boys when. they got the worst of it always 'used to go and tell. Well, T will go to Auckland and tell the other side of the stpryi I know the Auckland people and I have no doubt whatever that they will see the hollowness and humbug of the hon. gentleman. He is trying to work up an agitation for advertising purposes. I used to do it myself many years ago, but J don't now. . Mr. Jordan: You do it in print. Mr. Wright: If only the hon. gentleman will waj.t until the session is over I will go to Auckland aDd address, a meeting after him. I beptj to make Qut quite, as clear a case as he does. < .•' ' .