AN EXTRAORDINARY DECISION

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 December 1949, Page 4

AN EXTRAORDINARY DECISION

' I 'HE decision of the outgoing Cabinet to authorise the building of the new Wanganui Girls’ College should not be taken too seriously. Had the recent Government intended to implement its promise to have the college built it would have acted immediately after the political bait was handed out in the election of 1945. Had the Government of the day intended to obligate itself it. would have taken the step prior to the recent general election. That it did not do so was no oversight, it was the result of a survey of the building needs of the country as a while. Those considerations which prevented the Government issuing its authorisation when it possessed a mandate to govern the country are still standing now that the Government under Mr. Eraser has no mandate to commit the country to any line of action. After the flection the confidence of the majority of the electors having been withdrawn from the Fraser Administration, it was inappropriate that it should take any action which would in any way commit the succeeding Government. The authorisation of the building of the new college building is therefore to be regarded as but an empty gesture. Why it was made will probably remain a mystery, but the Labour Party cannot complain if it is charged with exploiting this particular piece of electoral bribery to the limit in order to be able to say in the future that Wanganui would have had its Girls’ College building had not the National Party Administration cancelled the authorisation.

The making of the rebuilding of the Wanganui Girls’ College a piece of political groundbait to catch votes has been a disservice to that institution. The decision will be viewed with deep suspicion by Mr. Algie, the new Minister of Education, who will now naturally want to consider- the whole proposition de novo. The erection of a new college is a desirable undertaking or, if this proves impossible, the alternative of reconditioning the old building will have to be considered. But the decision no doubt will be reviewed against the background of the needs of the community for dwelling-houses, the Wanganui Technical College for extension and replanning, and the Avenue Intermediate School for reconditioning. Further, in view of the faet that a Regional Planning Committee is now in being there it would be appropriate if the problem of the location of schools were to be first referred to that body.