SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17115, 9 April 1921, Page 4

SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

, * POLICY OP CAUTION. * The Canterbury Education Board yesterday received the following memorandum •from the Director of Education relative to the policy to bo followed in providing new school buildings:— •When it appeared that very # substantially increased sums would in all probability be available for t!he erection of school buildings, the standard of accommodation was raised, and it was hoped that a comurehensive scheme o" rebuilding and remodelling could be undertaken. The excessive cost of buildings that have necessarily to be erected to provide' for the most urgent cascs ; and the present financial outlook., maka it' necessary i'hat grants must be restricted to the most pressing needs. Thy commitments necessitated by the increase of sehdol population in settled districts, and the spread of population to districts previously sparsely settled,have made the Department liable for a very substantial sum, and at present there are before the Department applications which, if granted, would involve a further larrje expenditure. After conference with the Minister of Finance, the Minister directs me to inform you that he regrets for the timo being:— (1) That applications for the rebuilding of, old schoali must in general bo deferred. ('>) That special grants for the remodelling of existing buildings can be approved only in cases where additional accommodation is absolutely necessary, and the remodelling is essential in connexion with the provision of additions. (3) That applications for subsidiary accommodation, however desirable, must be deferred until the more nvcessary requirements' of class-room accommodation are provided. . (4) That where a hall or other pri-vately-owned building is available, the provision of a permanent building should be deferred- j (5) That the. provision of necessary . school accommodation must take procadence of the provision of teachers' j residences. j ' ((>) That applications now before tho ! Department will be.dealt with in order of their urgency with regard to the J needs of the several education districts, | and the funds that, so far as oan be j judged; will be available when in tho j ordinary course payments will become*.l 'due, _ j # As the financial situatiou Incomes re- j lieved and the more urgent works are i carried out, the restrictions herein will ; be relaxed, but at the present juncture the Minister hopes tJhat Education Boards will see their way to fender him thoir assistance Ifr refraining from forwarding to the Department applications that are not pressingly urge.it and might be deferred. «•