THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 3

THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIOX'S

CLAIM,

'flic claims of the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association to an interest in the premises occupied by the Technical School were placed before the Hon. •I. A. llannn, Minister for Education, by a deputation yesterday afternoon. Included in the deputation were Mr. 'P. Ballingcr (president), Mr. H. 1\ Allen (secreetary), and other members of (•ho Wellington Provincial Industrial Association, Mr. D. Robertson (chairman), mid other members of the Technical f-'chool Board. The Wellington Board of Education which is also interested was not represented, but it was stated that it was in sympathy Willi the request of the deputa.tio'n. Mr. 11. ];'. Allen related the history (if the relations between tho Industrial As-ooialion and the Technical School, as previously set out at length in Tuk Dtuiixiox. The Technical School Board formerly paid .£10(1 a year rent (o tho association for two rooms in tho building which the association assisted lo erect, but, the Auditor-General eventually refused to pass the privnumt. staling that he was legally advise/l that, the association after vacating the rooms bad no further claim upon them. Tho board was willing to pay the-rent, .and bad handsomely acknowledged '.he great assistance given by the iissrrdation to technical education. The n<Nociatitm therefore desired that a Bill should be introduced into Parliament to enable the board lo lease the rooms from the association. The threo bodies—Education Board. Technical School Board, and Industrial Association—were all in favour of the pronosal. The Minister: Are you advised that you have a legal claim? Mr. Allen: Yes. The Minister: Then would it not be letter to tost il? Mr. .T. P. Luke (Technical. Scbord Board! declared (hat it \va« the donation of .81.500 bv the association thai: enabled the board to erect the building. He also said that the Hon. T. Mackenzie hud made him a verbal promise in Parliament to try to give effect to what the dcnitat'on now requested. Mr. B. Robertson (Technical School Board and Industrial As<u",intion) urged that the desired Bill would lu> merely a matter of justice. Tho Toe'ii'lcal School really owed its existence lo the association. Mr. ,T. V.. Fihgevald (Technical S'di-d Board) «aid that, all the momlnrs of th" j'ward did. not share the views o-uircsed by the chairman. II« holievd ('"" laud on which Ihe buildins sIW mr, t'-o wonerty of the City Council, and if' aivlv>dv was g»nero'\s. (be council wc.s. rf (he'land belonged to lb" association. .Si'lo would probably be a fair rent, but th" land had been dedicated for educational purposes. He suggested e. /"hoi™ of remedies:—(ll That tlv b"ard "should relurn the .£150(1 sken by the e':s"CjVion • (2) Hint ronrc?»nlctioii on (lie bra'd should be nlone allowed to the i"«oeiaf'on in return for Hi? donation- (3) IV the Government should pay the .£IOO re"*. ' Mr. Allen said the bnildin* w a = "Ve. luWy ununited for i> Teebnieal Sebeel, and vas d' c crraoofully evorornwded. Clashes h"'i bad to be removed to various otW buildings. The Mi'MsH' said (he reot:o".t was fW .lie should introduce Ica-Hatiin tn define th" interests in the -nfprre' l to. Wc-o be to take up tba ri:>«:l : o" >-f seltling leeal interests between iiu'ividuals or public bodies, be voulil nlace > himself in a very awkward position. Thp'v were tribunals for the r"rpo-e "* '•ettli'ig claims (o propcrb-. lie w-mld like, before giving a i"ore de.'hrle In have the views of (he Critical ion IK-ir.l before him. The plea in rcg.ird 'a crn"'fable right.-: required very careful cont'd-■ ■ cation. He much ''porcHed to '-"p ""■. , dispute be'wecn public bo-'ios in "lvelliiuHon. He reco.'riii'ed tlir- ex-ell«!'t wnvk done f n r technical education ;, i this district, ami would always |." gK! .<■•■> ■ assist it. The Aiulitor-iieneral '"ad Milv done his duly in boldin" up (be pavilion!', and (b A Eduction Rcnartriei'l was not unfriendly to the Technical Sc'"ml Board, but'would l ; ke (o ossi*<- it. Personally, he would like to b» able to'belli those renresentcd by the deputation o\\\ of their difficulty.