COUNTRY SCHOOLS

Southland Times, Issue 18968, 15 June 1923, Page 10

COUNTRY SCHOOLS

ERECTION OF TEACHERS' RESIDENCES. The suggestion made by the North Canterbury Education Board, that the Government should take steps to obtain a loan for the purpose of erecting residences in the country districts for school teachers, does not find favour with the secretary of the Southland Education Board (Mr Stevenson), who informed a representative of the Southland Times, that. at. the present time the Board had some 40 residences throughout the district, which were not being occupied by the teachers, a great many of whom preferred to arrange other means of accommodation. Another difficulty which arose was the constant transferring of teachers from one district to another. It might be that at one time the teacher going to a particular school was a married man, and required a residence, but later, when he removed to another school, his place might be taken by another teacher, who was unmarried. Thus it was a very difficult matter to deal with. Mr Stevenson quoted one instance where the Board had approached the Department for a grant to build a teacher's residence, but before the Department would consent to the expenditure being incurred it required an assurance that the teacher would occupy the residence. This was given in good faith, but a few weeks before the dwelling was completed, at a cost of £B7l. the teacher was compelled to resign from the service on account of ill-health. The consequence was that the residence had never been occupied. Another case had occurred where the teacher, who was a married man, with two children, had applied for an extra room to be added to the dwelling he was occupying, but. the Department had twice turned down the application. The teacher concerned thereupon applied for and was appointed to a position at another school. His successor, who was a single man and did not require the teacher’s residence, accordingly asked at the last, meeting of the Board to have permission to lease the residence. This, Mr Stevenson stated, was not a very satisfactory position for the Board because it was not receiving by such leasing a fair return on the outlay involved, not getting much more than 20 per cent. Mr Stevenson further stated that the necessity for residences in the towns was much more essential, as many of the teachers could not secure what they required in close proximity to their school, but in the country districts, the position was entirely different and was nothing short of useless expenditure.