SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 935, 31 January 1890, Page 14

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

A deputation consisting of members of the Clyde-quay School Committee, witli the exception of the Chairman (Mr Willeston), who was unavoidably absent, waited upon the Education Board on Wednesday for the purpose of urging that increased school accommodation should be provided for the Clyde-quay district. Mr Watts having read the resolution passed at the meeting of householders on the previous evening, most olThp 1 children 'who were unable to gain admittance lived on the northern side of the school. Mr Grundy, headmaster of the school, in reply to the Chairman of the Board (Mr J. It. Blair) stated that so far he was aware only four children going to his school belonged to the Mount Cook district. The Chairman pointed out that there were about 54 vacancies at the Mount Cook School, but these would soon be filled up. With the exception of the Thorndon School every other school in the city was full. Mr Grundy stated that there were about 170 infants in ' the schwj,' Reply-

ing to a question, he said that if the infants were removed he would be able to find room for about 150 standard children; The Chairman remarked that the Board received very little support when they proposed to erect the school—-in fact, there was a great deal of opposition to it. He pointed out that at present the only school where there was anysurplus accommodation was the Thorndon School, at which there were vacancies for from 150 to 250 children. In the courseof further discussion, the Chairman said lie felt sure that the district would require a separate large school. Mr Young said the people had shown considerable apathy in the matter before the school was erected, and they really had themselves to blame. Mr Veitch thought that the householders had always recognised tho necessity of getting a school for the district. The Chairman pointed out that the Board’s difficulty in the matter was that they had only LI9OO to provide school accommodation for a district stretching to the Man a wat.u. The Rev J. Paterson observed that the Clyde-quay was one of the most growing districts in the city, and there was no doubt that they needed extra school accommodation. Mr A. W. Brown suggested that the School Committee should consider the matter, and let the Board have some idea as to what accommodation would be required in the future. Mr Burns : Will the Government provide the funds. Mr Young : They have got to do it. Mr Watt pointed out to the Chairman that the school had not yet got a scientific apparatus. The Chairman replied that the Committee had got enough from the public to enable them to purchase an apparatus. The school had received a great deal more assistance than any other school in the district. The deputation having withdrawn, it was decided, on the motion of Mr A. W. Brown, that the matter of arranging for accommodation for the infants should be left in the hands of the Chairman.