AGAIN THE SITE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11583, 28 July 1923, Page 5

AGAIN THE SITE

FOR NEW CIRLS’ COLLEGE

OLD BOYS PROTEST TO BOARD OF GOVERNORS. “CAN DO NOTHING MORE.” Strong language was used by Dr J. S. Elliott, Messrs M. Myers and W. Bethune yesterday, when criticising the decision to erect a new Girls’ High School on portion of the Wellington College grounds. The three gentlemen in question constituted a deputation from the Wellington College Old Boys’ Association, and waited upon the College Board of Governors yesterday. “We want to impress upon this Board of Governors the deep distress the past students of Wellington College feel at the proposal to dismember the Boys’ College for the purpose of putting a girls’ school upon portion of the grounds,” said Dr Elliott, who spoke first. MUCH OPPOSITION. He had interviewed many people in the city, and assured the Board of Governors that there was a very considerable body of opinion in the city against the proposal. He had spoken to various people, and they thought it a scandal that the matter should be proceeded with. The college was a large one, and needed all the ground which it could have. “We are here as the representatives of the Old Boys’ Association, and we think that you are here as the guardians of our inheritance,” said Dr Elliott, who stated that they thought that tne proposal was going to do the college a great deal of harm. As there were two propositions, one the desirability of a new girls’ school and the other the suitability of the Wellington College site, they had been very adroitly combined, and the issue made a single on© by the people who desired the site, and this he deprecated. A well-known man recently had stated that the college was a Naboth’s vineyard, and had told them that they must be prepared to guard their inheritance. If necessary, they would get a puhlio petition on the subject. MORE SUITABLE SPOTS, H© knew that there were other suitable spots in the city, and it would not be difficult to find them. They suggested the top of Constable street as a cheaper and better site from every point of view. They knew that it was part of the town belt, but they did not wish to filch the town belt away; they suggested that an exchange of some of the south-eastern land at the college with the City Council. Mrs Kane": Does Dr Elliott Chink that the main vent of the city sewer would be an advantage in the neighbourhood of a.girls’ school? Dr Elliott: I don’t think that that would be injurious to public health. Mr W. Bethune stated that one objection to the site on the hill was the amount of excavation That would have to be carried out. Mr Ward: That is done. Mr Bethune went on to state that at present the grounds were too small for the 800 boys. Then there were the memorial baths, which would have to be sacrificed, as the girls’ school would overlook the baths at close range. Then there was the question of the proximitv of hoys and girls to one another. In Auckland the town was divided by an imaginary line, with girls’ and boys? schools on each side of it. He suggested that this should he applied to Wellington. For 28 or 29 years he had been associated with the college and the Old Boys’ Association, and he knew that if they carried out this proposal they would undo the whole of the life work of Mr J. P. Firth. They had this opportunity of reopening the sub* ject, this disagreement between the higher educational authorities, and took it. “NONE TOO MUCH ROOM.” Mr M. Myers remarked that the boys had none too much room as it was. The school was growing; it had not yet reached its limits. If another school were established, they must : inevitably cramp the development of both schools. Secondly, they had no playing area for the hoys, And he trusted that there would be no attempt to filch the grounds from the boys. But there was more than that. W T ho had provided the grounds? Not the college, nor the State, but largely Mr Firth and private persons. Almost a scandal existed as to the present accommodation at the college. They knew that parents in Wellington could not send their boys to Wellington College as boarders. It was only right that country people should have priority under the existing circumstances, but local parents had not caked to 6end their sons to the college to board, knowing how matters stood. He ap-, prehended that there would be no Hoarding establishment on the commencement of the girls’ school ; but ifmust come, and then they would spoil both schools. They were not advocating a svle at Constable street, nor any other site—they were merely suggesting it. There must Tie other sites in the city, and they could be found. “BEYOND THE MOMENT.” But he asked them not to look at th© needs of the moment, but to gaze ahead and not to 6poil bobh schools by taking the proposed step. Mrs Kane: Mr Chairman, have you had any advice from the department that this matter would he reopened? Mr Ward: None whatever. “I think thgt it is a great pity that the Old Boy6* Association in the first place did not move with the energy tlTat they are now moving,” said MrW. F. Ward, chairman of the board. “The matter was known to the whole town, and it is now rather a late 6tago in the proceedings for them to act.” He. himself, had been opposed to the present site, and had spent much time inspecting proposed sites, which proved unsuitable. He had conferred with both the present and the previous Ministers for Education on the subject, and had urged all the arguments advanced bv Mr Myers. He learned from them that certain of the educational authorities were in disagreement upon the subject, but they had no official knowledge of that. Mr R. Darroch: Who is this “higher authority” ? Mr Ward: The “higher authority,” I believe, is the Assistant-Director of Education. “CAN DO NOTHING MORE.” “It seems to me that the Old Boys' Association’s best method is to raise a monster deputation of the people of Wellington,” went on Mr Ward. “Wo can do nothing more.” Mr Myers stated that they were endeavouring to convince the board fhat a mistake was going to be made before it was too late to remedy it. There had been a gentleman in the position of headmaster, who had given his life’s work to the college, and not a word was said to him on the subject. Dr Elliott stated that tho Old Boys*

Association had been unable to act before on account of the maimer in which the work had been gone about. He asked the board to take a month to have a look round, to seek the opinion of Mr Cresswell, and then, if they could find no other epot, they would havo to be content. | The deputation retired, and the board, after discussion in committee, I left the matter in the hands of the chairman.