EDUCATION MATTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 7

EDUCATION MATTERS.

OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS. AUGKLAND, May 21. The extensive nature of the programme of the public school extension works in the Auckland district, which is -now beingcarried out, or is under consideration, has been explained by the Minister of Education. The Hon. 0. J. Parr, in an interview, said that the public- did not realise the extent of the operations in which the Education Board and the department were engaged. He had, he said, made investigations in regard to' overcrowding and other defects in most of the centres of the dominion, and had found that the Auckland district perhaps .more than any other, needed early attention, and Wellington ran Auckland closely in this respect. Mr Parr remarked that the proposal now under consideration for the improvement of conditions at the Auckland city and suburban schools, but in regard to which no works had yet been put in hand, totalled nearly £l2O 000 of which £85,000 was for buildings and nearly £35,000 for sites. There was not one case of overcrowding in the Auckland city and suburban schools that was not being provided for in the shape of the erection of further buildings, or the purchase of sites and the preparation of plans, nor had the country been neglected. He was particularly anxious to cater for the back-country districts, and he was glad his department had financed the board quite liberally in this respect. A very large sum was being exoended, or was about to be expended over 140 districts in the Auckland province.