SAFETY OF SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20868, 9 May 1931, Page 10

SAFETY OF SCHOOL.

DANGEROUS TOP STOREY.

PROMISE OF REMOVAL.

MINISTER SEVERELY CRITICISED

[by TELEGRArH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. J NAPIER, Friday

Three members of the Napier High School Board at a meeting this evening declared that unless the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmoro, adhered to his repeated promises to remove the top storey of the central block of the school which was damaged by the earthquake, they would take their children away from the school and send them elsewhere. Another member declared that this opinion was general among the parents concerned.

A virtual threat to resign if the Minister did not reverse a more recent decision to rehabilitate the central top storey as a classroom rather than provide new classrooms previously promised, was made bv the chairman of the board, Colonel Holderness.

Mr. G. A. Maddison, Chairman of the Hawke's Bay Education Board and a member of the High School Board,, said when lie interviewed Mr. Atmore in Wellington some time ago, Mr. Atmore emphatically and unhesitatingly, in the presence of the department's architect, who supported the Minister, said the top storey should be decapitated. The word " decapitated" was used specifically by the architect both verbally and in writing. Tho Minister afterwards confirmed the statement and promised three rooms to replace the damaged top storey. He further confirmed the statement at Hastings in April.

Mr. Maddison said he was disinclined to blame Mr. Atmore. He believed the position had been forced on him by the Public Works Department.

The chairman said if a business man chose to run his business in a damaged building it was his look-out and his employees could leave, but to send children compulsorily into a dangerous building was another matter.

Mr, E. V. Simpson described the stairway as a trap. If the top storey were repaired it would not be used, and would therefore be wasted. Nobody could say there would not be more severe earthquakes, but apart from their severity no child compelled to go upstairs could do satisfactory work if a tremor came. Another member said at one Hastings primary school during a recent shake the children stampeded and knocked down a teacher. Nothing could stop them. The principal of the school, who was present at the meeting, said the children were still in a very nervous state. It was decided to arrange for an interview with Ministers in Wellington.