THE PAEROA SCHOOL

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 2726, 2 December 1910, Page 2

THE PAEROA SCHOOL

THE NEW BUILDING.

After many weary months of waiting, something definite has at last been decided upon regarding the re-erection of the school building at Paeroa. The wing - ot the old building (a wooden structure).^ is to be repaired, and the rest of the ; building will be re-erected in brick. The delay in taking the work in hand is by no means creditable to those-respon-sible, and now that a definite course of action has been decided upon it is hoped there will not be any more delay than is necessary. To the ordinary man it ap-

pears a peculiar thing that for the sake of a tew hundred pounds a " piebald " building, partly of brick and partly of wood, should have to be erected. The

cost of renovating the remaining wing of the old building will cost anything from ,£IOO to ,£2OO, while to have erected a new brick room would not have cost so very much more than that amount. However, the Education Department, in spite of the protests of the Board of Education, the local School Committee, and the member for the district, was adamant, and so the best possible job must be made with the money available. The new building will be erected on the site of the old one, and will be about the same size. The interior arrangements will also be similar, but the building will face the drill shed, and will be so constructed as to allow ot extension being made when necessary. Mr J. Farrell, architect to the Education Board, was in Paeroa on Wednesday aiternoon, and he will at once take in hand the preparation of the plans and specifications, so that tenders will shortly be invited and a tender accepted some time this month. The building, although oi course a solid one, will not have much ornamentation, there not being sufficient funds to allow ot any " fancy work." In the meantime, the renovation of the remaining wing of the old building will be hurried along, 1 so as to make it available for use. . 1 The question of the Paeroa School was discussed by the Auckland Board of Education this week, when Mr Parr (chairman) said the Education Department had granted enough to re-instate the school that was destroyed by (ire. Unfortunately, the department would only provide tor three rooms in brick. A fourth was.asked for, but the department wanted that to be constructed of wood saved from the fire. He regretted that the department had not provided for a decent brick school ior Paeroa. It would be an ornament to the district, no doubt! The extra cost would have been . £370 It would be a piebald stiucture The Board would carry out the wishes of the department, but would certainly disclaim any responsibility in the matter. Mr Garland moved that the Board re-

cords it protest against the extraordinary action of the Education Department in deciding to re-erect the Paeroa School partly in brick and partly with the haSfburnt wooden building, and declines to accept any responsibility tor the position forced upon it by the department. This was carried.