TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 134, 8 June 1937, Page 9

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

NEW BUILDING PROJECT MINISTER MEETS THE BOARD MATTERS FOR HIS CONSIDERATION The Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) as part of his programme in Wanganui, met the members of the Wanganui Technical College Board of Governors yesterday and had several matters placed before him for consideration. Main among them was a request for a new building on the Purnell Street Hostel site. In reply, Mr. Fraser said that the matter would be given consideration as part of a general scheme to afford Wanganui the best possible equipment m primary, secondary and technical education. He pointed out to the board that the task of his department had to be visioned as a wnole, and the most pressing needs met lust. The Minister inspected the college hostel site, proposed grounds for a new building and also an area of land at Wanganui East it was proposed to acquire for experimental purposes. Later, he was met by the members ot the board—Messrs. L. W. Hogben (in the chair), Mrs. Batt, Messrs. J. Patterson, W. Bruce, Ballinger, Palmer, Marris, W. R. McElwain and F. H. Allen.

Mr. Hogben, stressing the need for a new college building, said that the present stood on a site of acres, for which the board paid rental to the City Council at the rate of £9O per annum. “Adjoining the hostel is a further area of 14i acres belonging to the City Council, which the board hopes will be acquired for the future location of the college,” said Mr. Hogben. “This matter w'as placed before a previous Minister of Education, Mr. H. Atmore, in the year 1929, and he promised to give it favourable consideration and authorised the board to enter into negotiations with the City Council. This was done, and the council at the time offered to lease the additional 14i acres at a nominal rental provided that a new technical college was built within eighteen months- The present council is now giving the matter its consideration. The disadvantages of the present college site are that it is too small; it is cut into two by a street along which there is very considerable traffic; the buildings are scattered and supervision rendered unnecessarily difficult. Up to the year 1929 the college was a two-storeyed building, but as a result of the Murchison earthquake the Government ordered the upper storey to be removed. The existing scattered buildings are the result. It is very desirable that the college should be built on the fine area of land (144 acres) on part of which the hostel stands. There are very great possibilities there for the building of a very fine institution to meet the district’s needs- We ask that the land be acquired and that the question of the erection of a new technical college building be given consideration by the Government. Perhaps the existing college buildings could be used by one of the primary, or even the Intermediate School. In asking for the new college building now the board considers the time is opportune for the following reasons:— (1) Two class rooms are in urgent need of replacement. (2) We are anxious to fulfil our trust that a Memorial Hall be erected and until the location of the college is settled we cannot proceed in the matter. (3) There is a demand by residents (tenants of the Collegiate School Estate) that a street be constructed throughout playing field.” Replying, the Minister said that he would go into the matter and give it evefy consideration. They had already noted the cramped conditions at the Girls’ College, and there was pressing need for rebuilding the Nelson Boys’ College and the Wellington Girls’ College. His department had to look at the matter as a whole and give each case the attention it merited. It was a huge task and it could not be accomplished in one, two, three or four years and would involve the expenditure of a gre?.% deal of money. Mr. Fraser paid a tribute to the very fine work done in shaping the hostel grounds, commending the board and the accomplishment of relief labour.