THE MASTERTON HIGH SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 263, 2 August 1919, Page 9

THE MASTERTON HIGH SCHOOL

Sir,—The thanks, not only of Masterton but of all Wairarapa, are due to you for having brought out a statement from the authorities on the Masterton High School matter, because the establishment (ou a sound basis) of our Ion,? overduo school in the chief town is a_ matter of grave moment to overy responsible parent throughout the district. The facts, so far publicly known hero, relating to Mr. Daniell's site are as follow: During a recent luncheon in Masterton to the Hon. the Minister for Education, Mr. F. M. Coradine (then Mayor) announced that Mr. Daniell had presented 10 acres of land worth .£'sooo for a site for the new school, On a later occasion Mr. Coradine (by this time ex-Mayor) stated that the site offered by Mr. Daniell was held to be not suitable for tho school either in frontage or sizo or shape; that the Education Department had approached Mr. Daniell with a view to v purchasing a further five acres; that lie (Mr. Coradine) had seen Mr. Daniell and persuaded him to offer a further 10 acres for' the sum of ,£3OOO. Mr. Coradine added that the second 10 acres had a wider frontage l than, and was at least as valuable as, tho first 10 acres. The apparent result, therefore, is that Mr. Daniell is parting with land to the value of £10,000 for £3000-a munificent gift of .£7OOO. Now, Sir, whilo many people wore dissatisfied with the site offered, considering it low-lying—liable to expensive upkeep at some future time because of tho Waipoua River frontage (the present Mayor, Mr. W. H. Jackson, is talking at present of concreting the bank of the Waipoua to prevent it Hooding the town), noisy, because of its immediate proximity to the railway station and Mr Daniell's sawmill, and dangerous because it lies iu the lee of the sawmill with its stacks of inflammable timber—they could not 'look a gift horse in tho mouth." When, however, tho "10 acres for £3000" proposition was put forward, the matter assumed a different complexion. People began to question the value. And this is one of the questions as to which I trust tho Director of Education will make full inquiry and inform, tho public when ho comes up to Masterton.—l am, etc., A MASTERTON PARENT.