BRICK SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11660, 26 October 1923, Page 4

BRICK SCHOOLS

TOO COSTLY TO ERECT.

MINISTER FAVOURS TIMBER.

Per Press Association

CHRISTCHURCH, October 25

The opinion that brick school buildings were proving too costly to erect, and that better value would be obtain - ed by erecting buildings of wood, was expressed by the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education., in replying to a deputation from the "Waimairi School Committee. Mr Parr 6aid the Director of. Education (Mr Caughley) and himself* had been considering the matter of the cost of new schools, and had come to the conclusion that they could save a great deal of money if they built schools of good sound timber rather than brick. Wooden schools would last forty years. If it was decided to build in wood in future it would moan the department would be able to put up 25 per cent, more schools than could be erected for the same money in brick. It was a question of getting greater value for the money available, especially as there was such tremendous leeway to he made up. Another aspect was that the methods of teaching were changing, and there was a danger that many of the brick buildings would he out of date within the next- fifty years.