MONEY FOR SCHOOLS

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14616, 17 March 1921, Page 5

MONEY FOR SCHOOLS

A DEPLETED EXCHEQUER ONLY URGENT BUILDING GRANTS. DEPARTMENT MUST ECONOMISE. (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday. The Auckland Education Board this morning received a memorandum from liie Department nt' Education advising t! at witii the present price of building and (lie present slate or finance it was tin use asking for grants for school buildings or alterations except in the most, urgent, cases. "When it appeared that very substantially increased sums would in all riobabihty he available for the erection el school buildings," said the Department, "the standard of accommodation v;is raised, and it was hoped that a comprehensive scheme of rebuilding and f. modelling could be undertaken. The e: cessive cost of buildings that have necessarily to be erected to provide fo:' the most urgent cases, and the present. (Inancial outlook make it necessary that grants must, be restricted to the most pressing needs. The commitments necessitated by the increase of school population in settled districts, and the spread of population to districts previously spars ly settled have made the Department liable for a very substantial sum." After conference with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education lays down the following rules to govern beards for the time being:— (i) Application for rebuilding of old s-hools be deferred. (2) Special grants for remodelling cnly where absolutely necessary. (3) Subsidiary accommodation be deferred till necessary requirements provided. (4)' If a hall is used school buildings h°. deferred. (5) School accommodation must take precedence of teacher's residence. (G) Applications now before the Department will be dealt with in the order of their urgency. The memo, concludes with the promise that as the financial position becomes relieved, and the more urgent works carried out, these restrictions would be relaxed.