NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 23, 21 October 1921, Page 5

NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE

WELLINGTON’S GREAT NEED

MINISTERS INTERVIEWED

MR. MASSEY PROMISES HELP

A deputation, consisting of about eighty persons, and representing some sixty organisations in Wellington City, yesterterdav waited on the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) and the Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) to request a Government grant that would enable the Technical College Board to go on with the construction of its now building, and put at least one part in a condition fit for early occupation. The deputation was introduced by Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P. (Mayor of Wellington).

Mr. Wright said that some time ago a similar deputation had asked Sir Francis Bell for a Government grant of 420,800—the amount necessary to make a portion of the building available for use. Sir Francis Bell had replied that the Government was unable to assist, but had suggested that an appeal should be made to the Wellington public. An appeal had since been made, and the Wellington public had subscribed 42000 and lent another 411000 free of interest. At present tho walls of tho new college were constructed in one part to the roof level, and, in tho remainder, mostly up to the first door. Thus at present the building was useless for any practical purpose. The work was going on, but when the present commitments had been met, 4121,000 would have been expended. The whole of the amount so far expended would be valueless unless the work was continued. The deputation now asked the Government for 42000 a month, up to 4115,000. iThisi amount would ovencome the present difficulty with which the board was faced.' WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE.

Mr. Wright proceeded to compare what Wellington had done for technical education with what other centres had done. Ho said that tho Auckland people had raised 4112,797 for their technical school building. Christchurch had subscribed about 49800; Dunedin (from 1911 to 1920), about 49700. Wellington had subscribed about 419000 itself, and in addition the City Council had provided 4115.000. It was only fair to say that the Government had promised to hand over to the council the, buildings which were now occupied by the pupils, and which had cost the Government for their erection about 43100.

Mr. Massey: Wo gave you the site, too.

Mr. Wright agreed that the Government had given tho now site. Tho old site belonged to the City Council. Tho council had given tho equivalent of 411.900, which brought tho city’s total contribution to technical education up to 420.000.

Mr. Parr: Tho. City Council has not yet. found tho money.

Mr. Wright said that the council had paid its first instalment of 415000 out c' the 4115.000 promised, though as a matter of fact the council could ill afford the money. Tlio next 415000 would be paid over at tire beginning of the next financial yearAin April or May, he hoped. Wellington hud not been 'behindhand in the matter of private contributions and. contributions from tho council. It had done somewhat better than the other centres. It way at least clearly doing its best for itself. Mr L. K. Partridge, noting chairman of the Technical College Board, said it had been stated everywhere that increased production must be the salvation of the world. Was it. he asked, a. good way of increasing production to close Hie avenues to technical education? The amount of money granted to Wellington for expenditure on local works did not compare favourably with the amounts granted in other centres. Wellington should he given its fair share. The Wellington Technical College was in a parlous state. The board asked for sufficient to bring one corner of the new building into use. The deputation realised, he said, the financial difficulties of the Government, but felt that tho sympathies of the Minister of Education must 'be with its request. He appealed for a grant that would keep the walls from being left to decay, and that would free tho college from the necessity of using subsidiary buildings which were costing 4300 a year.

WELL TREATED OR OTHERWISE? Mr. T. Forsyth, chairman of the Wellington 'Education Board, supported tho request. Ho said that, the members of the deputation had not come in any fault-finding spirit. Mr. Parr: You don’t agree that Wellington has not been well treated? Mr. Forsyth was not prepared to make any such admission. Mr. PaiT said the city had been very well treated. Mr. Forsyth made some general remarks concerning the importance . of education, and suggested that Wellington had suffered in tho past owing to its being the scat of Government. It was nn anomaly that tho people were asked to contribute towards the cost of technical education, but not towards the cost of other branches of secondary education.

Mr. Parr: It is not asked, but in other centrea they have been glad to help./ Mr. Forsyth: The Wellington people have done a great deal.

Mr. Purr: Within recent months they have done a good deal. But not before that.

The Minister asked what was the actual financial position of the undertaking to-day. The City Council had contributed and a sum of ..£3OOO had been provided by the public, in addition to moneys provided by the Government.

Mr. Partridge said that the board had less than .£lOOO in hand after moating expenditure and commitments. It had been necessary to order material in advance.

Mr. Forsyth insisted that Wellington hnd not received fair treatment in educational matters.

Mr. A. C. Blake, president of tho Wellington branch of tho Educational Institute. also emphasised the importance of technical education. Mr. .1. If. Howell, director of tho Technical College, told tho Ministers of tho difficult conditions under which the work of the school was performed. The accommodation was so bad that it made some of the work scarcely worth while. MINISTER OF EDUCATION REPLIES The Minister of Education, in reply, said that tbo City of Wellington had been very liberally treated by the Government in the matter of grants for educational purposes. Mr. Forsyth: Yes, for primary education. . The Minister said that primary ration must receive first consideration. The Government had provided the money for costly addition* to tho University College in Wellington, and had made the initial grant for a new girls college, which would co«t something like .£50,000. The Government hal done a great deal for secondary education in the city. Mr. D. M'Laren: You just want to knop moving. Mr. Parr replied that ft was a ques-

tion how far the Minister of Finance could move at the present time. Ho was bound to admit that the provision made for technical education in the city was inadequate. The Government had recognised that fact when it presented the Technical College Board, with a site worth probably 420,000. The Govern ment had spent 415,000 on the now technical building. The Prisons Department had given considerable assistance in the supply of labour and bricks. The City Council had provided a sum of 45000, and the people of Wellington had subscribed 42000. He understood that this sum of 47000 bad already been expended. It seemed that the board, rather unwisely and in a rather unbusinesslike way, had ordered material and equipment without first consulting the Government about a grant. These commitments amounted to about 4G900. and left the board practically without funds for carrying on the work. It was for the Prime Minister to say now how much additional assistance the Government could give. The Minister of Education could not give any grant from the very limited funds now'at his disposal. lie had to give first consideration to the districts that had no, schools at all. or where theie wfis very gross overcrowding. The applications now before him for new primary schools and for additions to primary schools represented a sum of about 4750.000. , Mr. Parr added that he would like to see a grant made for the completion of a wing of tho new building. The cost of making five class rooms available for use would be from 410,000 to 412,000. the cost of the completed building would be in the neighbourhood of 460,000. He was prepared to admit that there were special circumstances. The City Council had still to find 410,000. Mr. Wright: That will be found all right. Mr. Parr: Have the springs of private generosity dried up in Wellington at 42000? I hope not. MR. MASSEY’S ANSWER.

The Prime Minister said that the spokesmen, of the deputation seemed to have a good case, and they had made the best of it. He wished the deputation to understand that the members of the Government were as much, interested ia promoting the cause of education as any member of the deputation, or anyone else. He thought that this was pjoved by tho fact that during the two years preceding the last three months or so the Government had spent more in fostering education than had been spent in any previous five years in the history of the Dominion. Mr. Parr: Last year wo spent more than twice as much as had been spent in any previous year—that was in buildings. Mr Massey said that three months ago, or a little more, New Zcalanjl had begun to feel the financial stringency which was affecting every country, Though in New Zealand the trouble was not so bad as .in some other countries, it was serious. Ho had expected something of tho sort, but it had come upon the country very suddenly and very severely, and as a result tho principal part of the business of Parliament this session would he to make such arrangements as would bring expenditure within income, not only in the Public Works Fund, but also'in the more important Consolidated Fund.

THROWING OUT A HINT. He did not wish to discourage the deputation by reminding it of that. He understood the particular difficulty of the college and ho realised tho importance of education. There were othor districts, however, where the position was just as acute as in Wellington, and the Government had to make the available money go round. Ho happened himself to represent a country district, but one that was going ahead. The people in jt were self-reliant and enterprising—or he would not bo where he was. (Laughter.) The district in question got a new technical school, for which it raised a great deal of money itself. The school, which was a technical high school, had not been open a month before it was found to be too small. Those in charge came back to him and to the Minister of Education and impressed upon him that it was his particular business to s r e that the requirements of the district were attended to. He explained that the Government bad financial difficulties, and almost at. once the delegation replied that it would find 45009 and with the sum buy Government debentures, if the Government would enlarge the building. That was an offer Khat could not he turned down. He mentioned it because he thought that tho people whom he represented had given a good lend. He threw out the hint, anyway. WOULD DO HIS BEST.

Retrenchment was necessary. He did not think that the slump would last forever, but it might last longer than he thought. Ho did not admit that Wellington had been worse treated than ether centres. (Exclamations of dissent.) They could agree to differ on that question. He understood that there was not sufficient money to complete tho building or make it habitable. He would be glad t: help, but he could not say straight off that he could find £15,000, because he had not go so far with the Financial Statement that ho could say how much n«s going to be available for the whole country for the next six months “I will tell you what I will do,” Mr. Massey conclude:!. "I will do my best to see that the building which is partly erected is rendered habitable, and later on. perhaps, Mr. Parr will be able to inform you how far we can go.” (Applause.)