TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160732, 19 August 1920, Page 6

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

QUESTION OF CONTROL. A .deputation from the Tec finical College waited an the Education Board last evening and asked for the control of the College by a board of governors. The deputation pointed out that last year the Board had been approached in this matter. The matter also came before the Council of Education last June, but sufficient notice had not been given. It was also pointed out that the school was a growing concern and the accounts were-.very considerable. Members of the committee felt, now that so much of their time was taken up, that they were justified in asking for fuller control. Ine Board was also reminded that a number of Technical Schools in New Zealand were now being controlled by boards. There ware numerous matters regarding the College where the committee had been put to a disadvantage. An instance of this was given in the ,£9OO recently spent in acquiring land for the girls’ hostel, and this money, had it not been diverted into this channel by the Board, would have been very useful for school purposes. It was also stated that frequently the committee gave very careful consideration to matters in the best interests of tho College and when these came before the Board they were referred back for further consideration. This entailed a great deal of correspondence, and the dual control was not satisfactory. Some years ago the Board gave Palmerston complete control of the Technical Schol there, and the committee thought that the same might be done in Wanganui. The time of members of the Education Board was fully taken up in primary school matters, and it was only natural to expect that sufficient a#ention could not be given to the Technical College affairs. Local bodies would be more inclined to support the College if under the control of a board. The committee wanted the interest extended and the people of Wanganui to realise that it was their own college. The Chairman pointed out that at the present time tho board of governors would have no power to hold the land of tho College or to acquire the land, and this wuld have to be done through the Education Board. The secretary explained in regard to the land fer the hostel that the Govern- ; rnent gave a grant to acquire four acres, and as there was a block of six acres, and the owner having reduced Iris price to <£4so per acre, the Board decided it would be very desirable to acquire the extra land. This might be wanted later for a separate infants’ school, and if the Board acquired this land the College account would bo credited accordingly. The Board also regretted the handing over of the Palmerston Technical School to a board of governors. In regard to the rent of the Wanganui Technical College, the College was only paying for the rent of tho ground it actually used. Mr Lusford, speaking \in regard to close scrutiny of accounts, stated that for two years the Borough Council's grant to the College had been allowed to lapse, - and thus the subsidy had also been lost. The secretary stated that he was not opposed to the board of governors,- but in the interests of education throughout the district he thought, seeing the limited accommodation available, that the Beard should keep close control of the College -affairs. It was proposed to erect accommodation for manual classes in Wanganui, and until this was available the Board should have control. In regard to the Borough Council’s subsidy, it was thought that the Council had made this an annual grant, and that application was not necessary each year. Tho Board set up a, committee to draw up a report on the matter of control, to be presented to the next meeting.