QUEEN'S PARK SCHOOL SITE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17697, 24 October 1919, Page 3

QUEEN'S PARK SCHOOL SITE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In "considering the Queen's Park site question it may be as well to refresh the memory of some who apparently, have forgotten some important incidents. If I remember correctly His Worship recommended, or actually stated, that he or they, had offered the Justice Department the area on the top of the Park for Supreme Court and Magistrate Court buildings, and these were. I think, offered free and without compensation. If His Worship was not personally responsible for this proposal he certainly never publicly raised any objection to it.

The law and legal facilities were then evidently considered of more importance than the playing and recreation of the children. In his letter, MrMackay says: "The Crown holds' it (Queen's Park) as a trustee for the public of the district in which the domain is situated, to be used as a public park and recreation ground," and further, he emphasises this statement by declaring that he and his colleagues—as trustees —decline to allow any part of it to be longer closed up or fenced off for the use of any one part of the community:" Admittedly a certain amount of entertainment is occasionally to be discovered in the Law Courts —for example, as on Monday last, but even his Worship will find it difficult to argue successfully that the "recreation" offered by the Law Courts is such as to justify, within the meaning of the law, the fencing off of a considerable portion of a public domain for the use and benefit of that small section of the community who use the Law Courts. Then there was the appropriation of the Art Gallery area by the Domain Board, and the proposition to '"grab" most of the remaining portion of the adjoining space for the Municipal Buildings, and subsequently their grabbing of the aci\e which has been used by the children as a playing ground for fifteen years, with the alleged intention of planting it with flowers and shrubs. And then came the effort to squeeze the school off the site, which had been occupied and used to such excellent purpose for the last forty years. in view of all this, it is a bit surprising, and it may be reassuring to some, to now have the direct statement of the Mayor in his letter that "It is our desire that the whole Park should be available as a play and recreation ground for all the children of the Borough—our scheme of development has that end in view." May it ever continue! Even although their conversion should be somewhat belated, let us hope the admission is an indication of genuine repentance, and also of an inclination to see things—so far as the children are concerned—in their true perspective. There was, and is still, however, much need for an awakening. What a striking contrast there is between the Wanganui Domain Board or Council and those of other centres in their encouragement and assistance given to educational bodies. Here, in Wanganui, instead of the Education Board receiving the hearty and loyal support and encouragement in their voluntary efforts to further the interests of the children of'the Borough, and of Queen's Park district in particular* these local gentlemen seem to have deliberately set themselves to thwart and oppose the Education Board's efforts to serve our young people. The statement of his Worship that "members of the Board hailing from Palmerston might be pardoned for instituting a grab at the expense of Wanganui" is simply "twaddle." In Palmerston North (Campbell Street) largely due to the efforts of the Mayor and citizens, who backed up the Board, they will shortly have what will probably be the finest primary school in the Dominion, also an excellent site in the Borough, and little Feilding, for their Technical High Sdhool the Borough Council recently gave £500. The County Council in the distrist contributed £1100, and residents £500 —£2100 in all- They purchased twenty acres in the Borough and handed over the titles to the Board. Yet here our local worthies decided "at all costs" to prevent the Board from retaining and securing the acre in cuestion as ian open playing space for all for the use of Wanganui children, and even suggested that a score or so of our Wanganui people's homes might be take,n, under the Public I Works Act, and removed, that the school —with its forty years' record —might be cleared from the vicinity of the Art Gallery. In Marton, too, some few years ago the residents raised £500 towards the purchase of a new central schopl site. The building is one of the best we have,, and the surroundings are picturesque. Wellington is shortly to have a new technical college, largely due to the efforts of the local bodies and members. In Auckland the Seddon Memorial College was built principally from funds provided by local institutions. In Feilding, owing to the loyal support and bad ing of the local authorities the Government has promised .grants for the erection of a technical high school and agricultural college and hostel. In Wanganui we have been trying for two years to secure hostels for our Technical College, and we have had no support from our Mayor and Council. 1 might continue the contrasts, but will save you space for the present. It is claimed that our national educational system is to make good citizens, with vision, patriotism, and public spirit. Is the need not apparent?—l am, etc.,

W. BRUCE

■•P.S.—Since the above was written I notice in the press report that a majority of the Borough Council resolved to erect the Library and Museum on the flat in front of the Drill Hall, and to plant the whole of the remaining portion of the flat in grass plots and trees and shrubs, and lay out walks. And the Mayor suggested the site on the top—apart from the consideration of any school — where are the boys and girls of the community to play their open and active games, such as cricket, football, rounders, tennis, and the many other exercises needing open and clear spaces. What further proof is needed of the force of the accusation of their neglecting and largely ignoring the interests and physical welfare of our young and growing people?—

W. BRUCE