SCHOOLS AND TRADE.

Wairarapa Age, 1 October 1930, Page 4

SCHOOLS AND TRADE.

OBSERVATIONS AT W.F.CLA. ANNUAL MEETING.

MR. H. C. L. ROBINSON'S PLEA. One of those who atteqdefi the' annual meeting of the WT.CA Ltd. yesterday (Mr. H. 0. L. Bobinson) made a somewhat novel departure from custom by seizing the occasion to emphasise the economic value of schools to any community and in this case to Masterton.

Mr. Robinson said it -seemed to him that in ba'd times they were in a position to do what it was not possible to d-o in good, times—interest public opinion in a question of importance hot only to that association, but' to every tradesman and property-owner in Masterton. The question was whether an access of trade could be brought to the town sufficient to offset the present depression. Ah effective step in this direction would be to improve the educational facilities of the town. If the people of the town cooperated and got into touch with the Minister of Education, it ought to be possible to have a leading boys’ school arid a leading girls ’ school, with facilities which would bring into, the town probably three hundred boarders and probably also a number of families which could not afford to -send their children here as boarders, but would come here to live. in order to take advantage of the Educational facilities. A request Imd been made to the town by the Minister of Education—

Mr. E. G. Eton asked, on a. point of order, whether this was a discussion Technical School v. High iSchboj,.” or of the affairs of the W.F.C.A. The ohairman (Mr. C. M. Bowden) said that all Mr. Robinson had done so far was to appeal to shareholders to support an improvement in educational facilites for the benefit of the town. This was in order. ( My. Bobinson said he was nut supporting any side. He felt that if only advantage was of the resources we had here in combination with those of ihe Government we should be able to effect an improvement that would be of great value in increasing the dignity and importance of this town. Now was the time to consider that. He put it forward as a business proposition to be considered by the community and, he suggested, by the Chamber of Commerce.

The matter was left at that stage.