MINISTERS IN THE NORTH

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14722, 12 August 1921, Page 2

MINISTERS IN THE NORTH

HON. J. C. PARR AT DARGAVILLE. DEPUTATION TO HON. J. G. COATES (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) DAHGAYILLE, Thursday. Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, was entertained at a public banquet on Tuesday night. Yesterday, in conjunction with Hon. J. 0. Coates, he laid the foundation stone of the new jbrick infants' school, the first of its "kind in the Northern Wairoa. During the day he visited all the schools in the district, and also inspected several sites for proposed new schools, and the site of the new technical school, Which is to cost £14,000. Speaking at the ceremony Mr Parr, in congratulating the committee on its efforts, said ill would be the day when school committees were abolished; they were the direct representatives of the parents, and had saved the countrv thousands of pounds in the cause of education. While he was m power he would not attempt t 0 weaken the power of the local school committees. He deplored the fact that nearly 40 per cent of our boys left school with only fourth standard certificates, and in his new proposals, some of which he outlined, was a scheme to get hold of these boys. He stated th»t the financial stringency was the only thing that stopped a lot of his proposed reforms being brought in. He was hopeful, however, that things would soon brighten up, and allow him to carry out many muchneeded reforms. Hon. J. G. Coates received several deputations, the chief of which was one from the Whangarei County Council, asking "for assistance to complete the Wcka Valley Road on the Dargaville-Whangarei Main Road, which was almost impassable at present. The request was listened to favourably, but no definite promise was made.