MINISTER OF EDUCATION

Wairarapa Daily Times, 5 October 1926, Page 4

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

VISIT TO MASTERTON. THIS MORNING’S PROGRAMME. (Continued from Page 3.) The Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright) this morning visited the various schools in Masterton and addressed the scholars. The schools visited included the Central School, West School, Whatman Home jp School, Wairarapa High School, Tech-/ uieal School, and Lansdowno School. LAD’S BRAVERY RECOGNISED. At the Central School, in addittoi to addressing the children, the Wright presented the Royal Society’s medal to Gilbert Orr, for ing the life of Ina Wallace last year. Mr R. C. Drummond, headmaster, asked the assemblage to cast their minds back to October 4th of last year. On that day the Waipoua river was in high flood. Two or three little girls were playing on' a bridge, and Ina Wallace fell into the stream. Just below the bridge a boy was standing, and - he plunged in and rescued the girl. “That boy is a Central School ‘boy, and you all know his name. What is it?” “Gilbert Orr,” was the chorus in response. Mr Drummond continued that the facts had been brought under •the notice of the Royal Humane Society, which had decided to award ’ Gilbert Orr a bronze medal. Tho Central School had produced many great men, ‘and they felt proud of Gilbert Onr’s brave conduct. If the lad had hesitat- _ ed the girl would certainly have been j drowned. Air Drummond thenvMjsed the Minister of Education .t-o presentatio'n. ' ‘ The Hon. Mr Wright said that it gave him 'great pleasure to present the medal. If there was any act that appealed to people it was an act of bravery, particularly where that act was an attempt to save life. No matter what the nations opposed to Britain may say, they could never say that Britons were cowards. It would always be found that people with British blood in their veins were willing to do brave deeds in their efforts to save life. Mr •'Wright remarked that Gilbert Orr’s father had been a great swimmer, and no doubt the son had inherited some of his father’s capabilities as a swimmer. The Alinister heartily congratulated the lad on his bravery, and trusfed that he would keep the medal as a memento of the occasion.

Cheers were then given for Master Orr.yind also for'the Minister of Education.

Mr Alex. Donald conveyed to the Minister the thanks of the Royal Humane Society for making the tion. ft/ JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. T'HE MINISTER ’Si POSITION. FAVOURABLE WHEN MONEY AVAILABLE. For the Alinister’s visit to the Wairarapa High : Schol, the scholars were assembled on the tennis courts, this being necesary owing to the absence of an assembly ball. ' - Mr C. E. Daniell, chairman of the Board, took the opportunity of again drawing the Minister’s attention to the necessity for an assembly room. Mr Wright was a practical man, and they had to show him that they could make good use of tho buildings already provided, and that they could do Oven better if they had further facilities. “Mr Wright, let me ask you to address .this splendid gathering of young New Zea.....iie.., tne giorv of our land,” .said Air 'Daniell in conclusion. | j...e -.i.iiisn-r of Education thJKiddressed .the scholars. At the conclusion of the Atinistor’s ,i......-.-j, Dr. B. H. Cttley (Principal) said ’that a wrong impression seemed to have got abroad with reference to Mr i\ right’s attitude towards juniorphigh schools. Dr. Uttley said the position was that Air Wright would have been willing to go on with the junior high sciiooi... if .he necessary money had ueeu available. The Government considered that retrenchment was necessary at present. “It should be made clear that the junior high school movement lias not been jettisoned, but has •only been suspended,” said Dr. Uttley, who went on to enumerate many of the advantages of the junior high school system. Dr. Uttley said he would like Air Wright' to say whether the views he had expressed coincided with the Minister’s Views, or otherwise., Afr Wright said that he was not opposed to the principle of junior high schools. It was purely a question of money. 'He had had an estimate made of the additional cost of the proposed junior high schools, and found from £125,000 to £150,000 a year be needed for probably ten years. Ho was not opposed to junior high schools, but he was not going to attempt to “make bricks without straw.” Mr Wright said that when he had told Cabinet that about £150,000 a year extra' would be needed for the junior high schools, Cabinet had -said the money could not at present be provided. Ho then thought that, if the scheme were proceeded with, he would find himself in tiie position of having to deny the primary schools and secondary schools money to which they were justly entitled, and he was not going to do that. The Minister repeated that the question of junior high schools had not been abandoned, but had merely been suspended. 'Cheers were given for the Alinister.