DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTER Auckland, May 29

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 8

DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTER Auckland, May 29

A deputation from the Board of Ednoatioa waited on the Miuistsr for Education in respect to the wants of the district and technical eduua.« tion. The Chairman of the board, after wet« coming the Minister to Auckland, laid beforp him a summary of the board's requirements id regard to school buildings, Detailed lisfca of the requirements upon the goldfialda, country; schools, town and suburban schools, and teachers' residences were submitted 1 to the Minister. The estimated oast of all require* mauta was stated as follows : — Goldfield?, £2000 ; country sohools, £4000 ; town and euburban Bchools, £2500 ; Di-aohera' resi* dences in country distric », £2500 ; amount required to raeab liabilities incurred in Anticipation of this year's grapt, £2000— making a total of £13,000. The, Chairman explained to the Minister that .the board did not ask for any increase on the amount (£45,000) annually voted by P«rliament for school buildings, but that in the allocation of the grant the special circumstances of the Auckland district— 11.,1 1., the rapid development of the goldQelds, the increasing number of country settlements, and the isolated nature of the schools— should receive special consideration. The Minister, in reply, said it gave him great pleasure to meet the board. Ho would carefully consider the statements and figures submitted to him, and woulJ promise that they would receive due weight in ths allocation of this year's grant. He could'asture tho board of his will to help it to his fullest extent, but the claims of other districts miOba fully considered. Mr Cooper introduce! cLus subject of technical and manual in,bruution. The Minister eujjgesbad that in Auckland it would be well if the component part<» «d -ting in Auckland — the Technical School, Art Gallery, and Elani School of Art— could be concentrated under the board, or some other central authority. He pointed out the advantages to ba gained from combiuing the scheme of instruction in arts and science.?. Gisborne, May 29. A deputation of holders of small grazing runs j waited on the Hon. J. Carroll this afternoon with reference to the proposed taxing and ; rating of small grazing runs. They urged thab the rating of the runs would be a gross i injustice to them and a direct infringement o£ the terms under which they were induced to take up tk^ir leases. IE the runs were ratad as freehold proper tie 3 they should have the privilt ga of nuking them freehold, or else new leases in perpetuity should be isiuud to them ab the preeont mitals. Mr Cirroll expressed himself in sympathy with the - deputation. He recognised that to induca people to take up these lands the terms had been made very easy. Ho was not sure whether they could bs allowed a freehold or an extension of their lease?, Wb ho promised to lay their case before the Minister for Landa. The Fair Rent Bill was then discussed 1 . Tho deputation asked for an assurance that ifc would not apply to Crown tenants. Mr Carroll replied that he thought the principle would be confined to Crown tenants. Only those who were not Crown tenants would resist the principle, and he thought the opinion of the House was in the direction of the act bsing confined to Crown tenants. The deputation said they con«dored this would be very unfair, as their experience showed that very little Government money was spent to improve their properties and it had been the settlers, by their rates, who had made all the improvements. Mr Carroll promised to lay their, representations before the Minister for Lands.