MORE ACCOMMODATION WANTED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 196, 17 May 1944, Page 4

MORE ACCOMMODATION WANTED

Hutt Valley Technical College

Rooms totally upspiteil by reason of lighting and equipment are beipg used as classroonis at the Hutt Valley Memorial Tecbnioal ColWe, states the chairman of the board of governors. He expresses his personal opinion that when a new college is established the present buildings should be made a technological institute to work in collaboration wilth the laboratory fop scientific and industrial research already established in the valley, The fact that the area is now the most important centre of industry in the Dominion demands this. Six years ago the need for more accommodation was placed before Mr. Fraser, then Minister of Education, and on his recommendation a committee was set UP to report on the need for secondary education iq the Hutt Valley, In respect of technical education, the committee advised that the immediate needs of the Be tone college should be satisfied by the addition of another wins tQ its workshop: that steps should be immediately taken to secure a site for another college building further up the valley, and that, providing the new college was functioning within five years, no further additions should be made at Petope. The report was adopted by the Education Department. Plans were prepared for the additional wing, hut because of the outbreak of war construction wap postponed and the college is still waiting for this addition. In regard to the suggested new college- the board of managers has not been informed if a site has even been selected. In the meantime the need has increased b.V leaps and bounds. Next year the college will feel the full weight of the increased age limit ami.already it is having the utmost difficulty m meeting the educational needs of servicemen —a difficulty which will Sjeatly increase as men return and desire to resume their studies under the rehabilitation schemeThe board of managers considers that a first priority should be given to the additions required at Petone and for which sites are available and that immediate steps should be taken to erect a new college.