A VITAL QUESTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 66, 20 April 1945, Page 5

A VITAL QUESTION

ACCOMMODATION IN WHAKATANE

POSITION PREVENTS PROGRESS

SCHOOL TEACHER'S PLEA

A decision to permit the erection of several hutments in the Borough to provide temporary accommodation for members of the school teaching staff was made by the Borough Council at its meeting last Monday evening. The Council was reluctant to waive its by-law covering the 1 position of building structures but under all the circumstances' and in view of the benefit which wouldi accrue to the town as a result agreed to the Headmaster's proposition that the Education Department should ba approached to have the hutments •erected. The Headmaster (Mr I. Hubbard) Avith Miss J. Hallen, waited on the Council to urge its support in the matter pointing out the unsatisfactory standard of instruction in the school as a result of teachers continually coming and going on account. of being unable to find accommodation. Mr Hubbard said that while the present drastic position obtained it was impossible to obtain a permanent staff. Teachers who were well housed in other towns would not leave even when promotion offered, tt was surely to the interests of the community as a whole to have the school decently staffed, but unless something were done to accommodate the teachers that could simply not. be achieved. Mr Hubbard said that his proposition was that half an acre at the rear of the schoolhouse. could be utilised for the erection of four army hutments such as had been converted to house the workmen on the new Tauranga school. He estimated the cost to be £200 for each hut but that he proposed should be the Education Board's responsibility. All lie wanted from the Council was its sanction to erect, the hutments as a temporary measure. Instancing the extremity to which newly arrived members' of the teaching staff were, reduced Miss Hallen gave her own experience since arriving in Whakatane. There were no boardinghouses and homes appeared to be taxed to the utmost to accommodate even the permanent residents. She had lived temporarily at Edgecumbe and at Ohope and, had been forced to canvass, from door to door. She cited Te Aroha where she had taught prior to coming to the Bay and where there were three large boardinghouses.

Discussing the subject when the deputants had left Cr S. S. Shapley declared himself wholeheartedly in favour of the suggestion and contended that it was the Council's duty to support the headmaster's representations.

The Mayor said he agreed that the position was so .serious' that it warranted the waiving of the Council's by-law providing that it could be regarded only as a temporary 'expedient and that the scheme was passed by the Health Inspector.

Cr Sullivan questioned the wisdom of waiving the by-laws and further criticiscd warmly the policy of the Housing Department which he claimed was not doing al} it might do to relieve the local position. He warned again the precedent of granting the permit in the face of possible further applications from private individuals.

The Mayor: I don't think it would apply!

Cr Sullivan: Certainly it would, j If you grant it to one authority, j or otherwise you can't! refuse the same privilege to one of our own ratepayers. Mr Sullivan went on to say that his main quarrel was with the present method of handling the position. The departments were, not utilising their best efforts—what for instance was to prevent the Education Board from .building a number of homes for their permanent staff in the town. It was certainly in a better position to do so than individuals.. He would say that after repeated representations to the Controller that that •officer was simply deliberately delaying house consruction, not only here but elsewhere.

The Mayor said he had to admit that he would not like to see any permit regarded as the thin end of the wedge to have it made into :i general application. JJr.. Why could we not f'" "urge upon the Department the need to construct something deccnt, say an hostel lor the teachers? What's wrong with the town that there are no private hotels or boardinghouses? Cr Creeke: They don't pay. Cr Warren: Why don't they pay?

Cr Shapley: Try it and sec. Cr Warren: I'm not standing up here to be critical. I want to lie constructive and I say that alter Ave have been approached by the Red Cross Association, to build a branch of the Y.W.C.A. to relieve the position and now again tonight wc .should do more than merely discuss it. Cr Crceke criticised Cr Sullivan's stand. "It's all very well to be talking precedents," he said "but What are wc doing in the meantime to help. J contend that the Headmaster Ijafe put before us a perfectly reasonable proposition and 1 can't see why its criticised. If we put a time limit on we are sale; enough. To quote our by-laws—they have been, waived before and will be waived in future." Cr Good thought that if new applications. had to lie made to the Education Board for fresh houses before the Council considered granting the present the teachers would certainly want for a long time. He was supported by Cr Arm strong. Cr Spring said he could speak from personal experience as a_ member of the School which body now regarded the whole pros,peet of' help from the authorities as absolutely hopeless. To all their representations over the past two years both the Education Board and the Housing Department had turned deaf ears. The Headmaster, who was responsible for the teaching standard at the school was in a desperate position. Teachers were leaving after only a few weeks stay simply because they could find no place to stay. He urged the Council to not merely acquiesce but to try and bring some pressure to bear upon the authorities in order to safeguard the educational interests ot the

town and district. Cr Sullivan hastened to say that he did not oppose the .scheme. He objected to the necessity lor the Council to have to ignore, its own by-laws, merely because Government departments who could the position were not pulling their weight. Instead ol' helping they were an. active hindrance. They were today just liddling with the situation. Cr Creeke: Before you sit ''own, Cr Sullivan, can you tell us how we can move these departments' to S^ ve us the extra .houses? Cr Sullivan: They are like the Sphinx—immovable ! Cr Creeke; There you are. We've got to help ourselves. I appreciate all you've said about the by-laws, but I <lon't think you have been very helpful in. assisting to relieve the problem before us. It's all very ! well to speak of alternatives but when you can't supply one you are not constructive. Cr Shapley agreed. While the Council was discussing the pros and cons of its by-lawwhat about the poor patient- —he asked. By-laws were broken in emergencies every day ol the week and they would not be creating a precedent by granting the permission which was asked for. No one could afford to be conservative today and _ housing shortage could be regarded as -t war measure. ir Cr Warren suggested that the Council should recommend the Education Board to purchase a permanent property and convert it into flats for the use of its teaching staff. On the motion of the. Mayor the Council finally agreed to reluctantly accede to the request of the Headmaster and permit the construction. of hutments on the property described, subject to the Health Inspector's, satisfaction and on the understanding; that they would be removed upon reasonable notice being given. ' '