NEW SCHOOL AT GORE

Southland Times, Issue 19249, 13 June 1921, Page 6

NEW SCHOOL AT GORE

UNAUTHORISED CONSTRUCTION WORK. MINISTER’S PROTEST. At the monthly meeting of the Southland Education Board on Friday something further was said in regard to the erection of the new school at Gore, for which it appears, the sanction of the Education Department had not been obtained. The discussion arose in consequence of the following letter from the Minister of Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr:—

“My attention has been drawn to two newspaper articles appearing in the Mataura Ensign of April 11 and 12 and in these an effort has been made to throw upon the Department the responsibility for the discontinuance of the work at the Gore school. In connection with this matter I have to say that the Department had no knowledge that any work had been undertaken by the Board, and indeed neither directly nor indirectly was the Board authorised to proceed with any work‘prior to its receipt of my telegram of April 11, notifying the approval of the grant. In the newspaper extracts above mentioned the Education Department is also charged with delay. As the Board is no doubt aware there was a great deal of correspondence in connection with the plan*’ (some of it unofficial to expedite mattezj, but on January 28 last, when the Beard’s architect conferred with the officers of the Education Department in Wollin?'zn, plans were agreed upon. I have carefully perused the subsequent correspondence; on the file and find that in order to expedite matters the Department has mai/c its inquiries by telegram, thus avoiding the delay that communications by memorandum would entail. I find also, that oz, February 2, a telegram was sent to the Zioard stating that the Department was prepared to recommend the erection of eight roue's at Gore, but could not agree at tLe same time to recommend a grant for s school and site at West Gore which would have invited a further expenditure of of £7600. The Board wa*v at the same time asked if it agreed to this ami I have to point | ovC that an answer was not received from Lie Board by the Department until March 14. Owing to the financial situation the | matter of a grant was not dedlt with by { Cabinet until April 11, and immediately the | grant was approved I informed the Board by telegram of the same date. I think ' have made it quite clear that the Depart- • ment has in the circumstances used every possible effort to expedite matters in connection with the rebuilding of the Gore School, which was always impressed upon me as urgent and was so regarded by myself from my own personal knowledge. In all probability the writers of the articles accepted without question the statements of irresponsible persons instead of endeavouring to ascertain the true position from a responsible body, but I shall be glad to receive the Board’s assurance that they were not based upon information supplied by the Board or its officials.”

The position taken up by the Board is shown by die following reply which it decided to forward to the Minister:—

“I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your memorandum of April 26 regarding two newspaper articles, which appeared in the Mataura Ensign, in reference to the discontinuance of work at the Gore school. In reply I have to inform you that the erection of this new building was proceeded with by the architect without authority from the Board. As soon as the Board was informed of the position steps were taken to have operations suspended until receipt of authority from the Department that a grant was available. With reference to the length of time that elapsed in forwarding a reply to the Department’s telegram of February 2, I have to point out that the matter could not be placed before my Board until its meeting on February 25. On March Ila wire was sent to your Department in reply to the above telegram and a further wire on March 14. In conclusion I can assure you that no members of the Board or any of its officials was responsible

for the misstatements which appeared in the articles referred to. I might mention that immediately I read a copy of the articles in the local morning paper I communicated with the editor of the Mat aura Ensign and pointed out the seriousness of the charges made against the Department without any inquiry having been made from this office as to the actual facts.”