SCHOOLS TOO COSTLY.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1414, 11 October 1923, Page 5

SCHOOLS TOO COSTLY.

CRITICISM BY A BUILDER. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. From the point of view of a practical builder, Mr F. A. Snell (member of the Auckland Education Board) considers that some of our school buildings cost too much. He also draws attention to the way costs vary in different parts of the Auckland Education Board's district. He said that, allowing twelve square feet for each pupil, the cost of building in various localities was as follows: In brick: Curran Street School, £36 16s per pupil; Cornwall Park, £27 6s; Vauxhall Road, £22 9s; Hamilton High School (approximately) £4B 10s; Whitiora, £23 10s 7d; in wood, Takanini, £l7; Tatuanui, £ls; Hillcrest, £2l 10s. The Marist Brothers' School at Hamilton East cost £l2 6s 2d per pupil. The width of the corridors in some schools was referred to by Mr Snell. He asked whether it was necessary to have Bft. wide corridors, which each took up the space of half a class room. As to other modes of economy he suggested that, in many cases, foundations were sunk to an unnecessary depth. In regard to concrete walls, the standard specifications called for a four to one mixture. This was an absurd waste. Again, where the pier and beam method of construction was adopted, the curtain walls were specified to be 6in reinforced concrete. Mr Snell regarded this as waste, and said that practical builders put up four-inch curtain walls for buildings in which heavy machinery was operated. Brick schools erected in s the past also bore evidence of waste in their massiveness, while tiled roofs were a luxury that the country could not afford at present. Mr Snell said he had put his views before some of the members and officials of the Auckland Education Board, but the Board had not seemed keen to discuss the matter.