MORE GROUNDS NEEDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20081, 19 October 1928, Page 17

MORE GROUNDS NEEDED

THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE. CLOSING PRIMARY SCHOOL. ADVOCACY BY THE PRINCIPAL. The question of extension of the Seddon Memorial Technical College grounds was discussed at the meeting of the board of managers yesterday. To enable tho extension to he mndo the principal, Mr. G. ,T. Park, urged tho board to request the Government to abolish (lie Wellcsley St root School. Li a report, Mr. Park said that at tho last meeting lie had expressed the opinion that the extension of the school grounds was a matter requiring attention, and, as other technical schools had been given considerable financial assistance in extending their grounds, it might be found the department would grant it iti Auckland. It seemed the only reasonable method of extending tlie grounds at present would be by absorbing the Wellesley Street Primary School, and lie suggested the Education Department should be urged to make provision for tho pupils at present attending the Wellesley Street School at one of the other city schools, and to hand over to the college the buildings and grounds. It would first be necessary to make representations to tho Government that a technical school should come within the definition of a public school, as tho Auckland Improvement Act of 1879 set aside the grounds attached to tho Wellesley Street School for as long as they were used as a playground for a public school. The board should also make provision against tho contingency of tho old Grammar School building being lost. In presenting the report, Mr. Park said ho thought the board should take strenuous measures to extend the playground. There was no need to antagonise tho Education Board. Mr. J. P. McFhail said he thought itwas not fair to send the primary school children to the Newton East School, which was the nearest. Another member said the school served a large district, and there was no other nearer than Grafton. Parnell and Newton East. Mr. K. Aimer said that what should bo aimed at was tho safeguarding of the grounds for the technical college when tho primary school was removed. " My concern is for the pupils," said Mr. Park. If tho use of the old Grammar School building was lost the collego would have to turn away 100 pupils.

On the motion of the chairman, it was decided to ask tho Minister of Education to amend the definition of a public school to include technical schools, and to point out to the director of education the necessity for extensions, asking that the, whole question of the needs of the technical college should be considered by the authorities concerned.