POLITICAL WIRE PULLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 57, 16 June 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL WIRE PULLING.

ALLEGATIONS RESENTED. | By Telegraph—Press Association. , Wellington, Yesterday. I Allegations of political wire pulling I to induce grants for school buildings J I made at a recent meeting of Hawke's Bay Education Board are strongly resented by the Minister of Education (Hon. George Fowlds). "I feel it necessary," states Mr. Fowlds, "to 1 show, that the particular member has misrepresented the facts. He says that' the Board has constantly recommended 'the Department to make a grant for Milltown School, Gis'borne; ■ that all such applications have invariably been, refused; that a grant has been made only when outside influence has been brought to bear on the Minister, and that the conditions have not altered in the slightest degree since the Board made its first application. Tile facts are that the Board first applied for a grant '-last August, was informed that as the building of the High School then in progress would have the effect of releasing a .large number of places in the main Gisborne school it did not appear that the time was ripe for the expenditure. The Board did not renew | the application until last March, wnen, | as I was about to visit the district, I I postponed settlement of the case until ; my return. A grant was authorised lin May. There has therefore been neither continual application nor invariable ' refusal, while, on the other hand, there has been a materia] alteration in the .conditions, the High School having Deen : opened, and the main primary school ' again -filled to its full capacity."