“ DINGY OLD STRUCTURE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 3

“ DINGY OLD STRUCTURE”

WELLINGTON SOUTH’ SCHOOL. " Speaking at a meeting of the Wellington South Progressive Society, on the question of the Newtown school, Colonel G. R. Mitchell, M.P., stated that it was proposed to pull down the present school and crest two new schools in its stead. One, it was proposed, should be built on a flat two acres of ground near John street, and the other opposite the now Fire Brigade' station hear the town belt. Colonel Mitchell said that the new Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, had lately visited the school and Jhad approved of the two new sites, and’was of the opnv ion that the old ■ school,,should i)B„cnt up and sold as a business proposition, thereby paying for tho two sites. As an ex-chairman of the school committee, Mr J. Castle said he always advocated’ tho retention of the " present site, as It was so central? ! If the Education Department*was‘going' to expend money ou tho purchased two new sites ho, (Mr Castle) would like to know what the two new schools would cost us compared with the scheme formerly proposed. If it were finally decided to give up the present site he would bo in accord with Colonel Mitchell’s proposal to retain the site, as a breathing space, or possibly (if the residents approved) 'a* memorial park. When Air Parr Visited the district he described tho Newtown school as a (‘dingy, dirty old structure.” Mr W. A. Worth, who presided at the meeting, agreed with Colonel Mitchell's suggestion. He knew what town-plan-ners could do with open spaces, and nothing inore fitting or ~no|)Jo,,,Qptl W he done with the site.

In conversation wiill a “times” reporter yesterday M'ri Castle stated that the matter was one that should bo thrashed out at the" annual meeting of householders at the end of the present month. “If the Newtown school is to be closed,” said Mr Castle, “then the site should ho retained as a memorial park for Newtown, ylpch is,a,growing, district and require^,..morfi... breathing space.’* ’