SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2026, 12 August 1920, Page 23 (Supplement)

SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

• NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS. DEPABTMEKT'S PEOGEAMME. Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 12. The Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) was urged by a deputation from Longburn to-day to rebuild the local school, which, it "was claimed, was in such a state that it could not be satisfactorily repaired. The old portion of the building was erected 50 years ago, and was so rotten that the people of Longburn threatened that they would not send their children to school for another winter. Mr Parr congratulated the School .Committee on having done so much to improve the grounds and school surroundings. Tlicso old schools, of which there were hundreds, were a most difficult problem to handle. Obviously, new districts where there were no schools must be attended to first. Old schools must receive attention in the order of urgency. The department's programme was to remodel and modernise them, wherever they were sound enough. Two millions would be required if all were to be rebuilt. The fact was that the Education Boards had been asked to supply the department witli a scheme of work for three years, but the'Wanganui board was the only one which had complied with the request. He was afraid life would have to refuse to let the boards have more money if they did not give the required information. The "Wanganui board placed the Longburn School second on its list for 1922. He would be largely guided by the recommendations of the boards, but 'he reserved to himself the right to overhaul the plan of work drawn up. The architect to be appointed by the department would visit all the schools and report on their condition.