SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 195, 13 May 1920, Page 6

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

j THE WORST DIFFICULTY. While so much public attention has been called to tho need for better school buildings, it appears that tho problem of providing now buildings is not one on which the mere willingness or otherwise of the Government to provide funds ban any important' bracing. This was pointed out by Mr. Parr to a deputation which waited on him yesterday. Th<j Minister said that he was well aw4re of the great need existing' for better school buildings. The difficulty was not a financial one. On the contrary, he had been more liberally supplied with finance by Mr. Massey. than any previous Minister of Education had over been, but his trouble was that he could not get tho work done. At the present moment...tho Government had committed itself trover half a million pounds for school buildings, but the work had not been begun. Everywhere boards wore finding it impossible to get tenders for buildings. He knew that three boards were in this trouble, and he believed that others were in the same plight. In Canterbury, where it seemed to be impossible to get tenders under*'any other conditions, ho had agreed to the insertion o! a' clause in contracts to tho eifecfc that iT while t'hc building was being erected thero should be any increase, in the pricc of labour or building materials, the D& partment would p'ay this increase. II« was" prepared to do this all over New Zealand in order to get the work done, but even this did not', meet the case, ,He could seo nothing for it but that h« fchould bring beforo Cabinet some pp posal for 'legislation ivJiich would giVc priority for supplies of building, materia' for'schools and homes over nil othei forms of building. Ho had given this matter most anxious consideration dur< ing past months, and it seemed to hin' that the difficulty could not be got ovei except bv. the passing of 60me legislation on the lines he had indicated. Ho couh ; nee'no reason why, when children wert being taught 'in shelter sheds and porchej and such unsuitable quarters, the erection of school buildings should be post poned when grandstands and theatre: could bo built; ■Ralph Miles Snowdon, .chief engineer, also gave evidence aB to the smooth run nine of the engines. Axel Johanoen, A.B. on tlie Insa, said ho was on duty from 12 to 4fji.ni. thai flight. JIo was at. tho wheel for the firsf 'two hours and steered E.S.E. southerly tie was ordered to steer that course by the second officer, and ho' kept to. thai course. When it was his turn to bo oi: -(he lookout be did not go to tho fore castle, as the spray was com'iu? dyer ■ but remained on the bridtw. The lane was visible all the time, i and lie did nol notice tliat the vessel was., getting nearei to It. The Recond officer was on thf bridge tho whole time. Alexander M'Lcan. A3., who was or watch with the previous witness, said In was on the lookout from 12 till 2 a.m, lie was on tho forecastle: from 12 to 12.31 a.m., when it hepin to rain, and hi went on to the.hrldirc and kept lookoul from the port side. Ee was ■ instructs to steer' E.fl.K, and to keen half a polnl or so' southerly. There was no chant"? oi course up to tho time the vesßel struck Address by Counsel, i Mr. Young said that tho captain hat done all that he could hove done. Tl;< vessel was four or five miles out of hei course,- and they were not there to blanu anvone. , Mr. Klrkcaldie said that if the data or which the shin's course was set wai wrong, then t)ie course must have beei wrontt. but assuming that the daia, wai correct, the course would take her with. In' three miles of the land. The whoh evidence showed that the vessel held t< her course. He contended that the yobbo! parsed Otumatua Point at a safe distanci and there was leeway after that. II that so there could have , been nc negligence on the part of the scconc officer. The Court will glyo its decision at 11 a.m. on Saturday.