MINISTERS AT LEVIN

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 5

MINISTERS AT LEVIN

THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL SITE. ; SETTLERS WANT LAND. In pursuance of tiie new policy adopt- , eel by the Government in dealing with ■ the neglected (but not criminal! das- : of children, who require to lip placed i under control and discipline, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister of Lands, ano the Hon W. 0. Walker, Minister of Education, visited Levin yesterday wif: the object. o£ .selecting a. silo for the establishment of an industrial school, for males only, where the inmates could, be trained in agriculture and landed pursuits. The Minister's were accompanied by Mr A. Barron, of the Lands and Survey Department, Mr G. Hogbon, of the Education Department, and Mr J. D. Ritchie, of the Agricultural Department. On arrival at Yv crcroa, the Ministers proceeded to inspect two sites—-the State farm of 800 acres, within one mile of Wercroa, and a (nock of about one thousand acres of Crown land adjacent. The area required for the industrial school is about one hundred acres, and the question to be decided between the Lands and Education Departments is as to which of the twr sites is most suitable for the purpose alluded to. The result of the consultation will be announced shortly, as it is the desire of the Government that the school shoidd be in working order at as early a date as possible. The quality of the land in either .site is eminently suited for the purpose, being old river bed with gravel understrata, suitable for the successful carrying on of agricultural and pastoral pursuits, or vegetable and fruitgrowing, dairying and kindred Indus, tries. Although the Education and Lands Departments are somewhat- at variance as to the site to be selected, the information gained by Ministers by their personal inspection of the locality will no doubt lead to a satisfactory settlement of the difficulty. The whole of the two blocks of land were yesterday traversed by Ministers and the officials of the departments interested. On returning to Wcreroa about o p.m. Ministers were interviewed by a depuration of local resident's, consisting of Dr Mackenzie, Messrs W. C. Nation, Bartholomew, J. Prouse and Silvester, who urged that the Government should acquire from the natives an area of, say, one hundred acres of land on the western side of Horowhcnua Lake for the purpose of cutting up into sections of about a quarter of an aero each, and throwing them open for sale, care being taken that no person should be allowed to take up more than one section. It was represented by the deputation that the sections would sell rapidly ; and that they would prove a. great advantage to residents of the surrounding district. Mr Dm:can. expressed himself entirely in .sympathy with the proposal, and promised that if there were no legal difficulties in the way ho would endeavour to have effect given to the wishes of the deputation.