BACKBLOCK SCHOOLS.

West Coast Times, 7 September 1909, Page 3

BACKBLOCK SCHOOLS.

SETTLERS' GRIEVANCES.

BY TELEGUAPH— PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.}

AUCKLAND, Sept. 6.

At a meeting of the Board, of Education to-day a warm discussion took place on the grievances of back block settlers with regard to the expenditure of -public money on school buildings. The question was an application for the erection of a school at Tokerimu road, a remote back block on the Wanganui

The secretary to the board stated that /the applicant had been sent to the department, and a reply had been received that it appeared that the average attendance was only 10, and that £'2]o appeared to be a large expenditure for such an attendance. The department therefore suggested that further inquiry be made with a view to seeing*if a cheaper school could not be provided. Upon this the Chief Inspector submitted a report suggesting that the settlers should be requested to' erect their own school building. Mr H. J- Greenslade, M.P., took strong objection to the suggestion made by the Chief Inspector. It was grossly unfair to compel settlers to erect schools in back-blocks. They paid as much towards the cost of education as any city dwellers, and should be entitled to precisely the same treatment. He could imagine what sort of language any city school commVttee would make use of if such suggestions were made to it. Mr McKenzie (chairman) said the question was an important one, and an important principle was involved in such r-as-es as the present, where the average attendance of children at back-blocks schools was small and tincertain. He thought that -the architect to the board should be asked to design a cheap building capable of meeting actual requirements. *If a small and reasonable grant were asked for the department .would no doubt grant it. - , . After some discussion the chairman s proposal was adopted.