"A QUIBBLE"

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1929, Page 14

"A QUIBBLE"

DISPOSAL OF TECHNICAL COLLEGE BUILDINGS

BOARD DISAPPOINTED

"I need not say that'it is a bitter disappointment to stafi and pupils alike to find that some difficulty has arisen regarding the disposal of the Mercer■VVakefield streets property to the City Council, although the council has accepted the Government terms. I trust that the board will leave no stone unturned to secure the authority to proceed with the work of the erection of the new buildings. It is of the greatest importance to the college that this should be put in hand without delay for it must be remembered that the conditions under which many of our students have to work are deplorable and prevent both efficiency and the proper development of college life. If the staff and students can do anything to remove the obstacle that has been placed in the way of finalising the arrangements, the board can count upon them to do it; although, in view of the money that has been found to make extensions to other schools that are not nearly so pressed as we are, it should not be necessary."

MINISTER TO BE APPEOACHED.

The chairman (Councillor W. H. Bennett) said that the failure to finalise the purchase had been a great disappointment to the Board of Governors and to the Education Board. The Minister of Education (the Hon. H. Atmore) had objected—he did not knowwhy—to the City Council not paying interest on -the unpaid balance of the purchase-money. But the Department would have had the interest on the £20,000 deposit, which was to be paid by the council, for at least eighteen months; and that' interest would pretty ivell counterbalance the interest the Department might have got on the rest of tho money, which the City Council proposed to pay at the rale of £10,000 a year. A clause empowering the City Council to raise the money, might have been included in the Washing-up Billbut for some reason or another, the Minister had omitted to have the clause inserted, and, in consequence, the whole matter hung lire. The Board of Education had csked tho Minister to make such financial arrangements that tho work could be proceeded with forthwith. But he did not know whether the Minister would give effect to the suggestion. The question was whether the board should back up the suggestion made by the Education Board: and, if so, how. It would be very deplorable if the starting of the work to provide the required additional accommodation had to be put off till after next session of Parliament.

"UNSATISFACTORY QUIBBLE."

Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P., said that he had endeavoured to see the Minister about . the matter last week, but the Minister was in Eotorua, with the Education Committee which was touring the country, and he was not expected back in Wellington for about a month: and that meant that, if they waited till then, they would not be able to get anything done till after the Christmas holidays. It looked to him as if there must be some adverse influence in the Department to cause the« raising of what was practically a quibble in regard to the completion of the purchasebecause the Minister had hitherto been quite in accord with what was done and the price for the property had been practically agreed upon all round. And now they had that unsatisfactory quibble—because it was nothing less— that a certain amount of the purchasemoney should carry interest. The period of three years for the payment of the balance was not a lengthy one; and he thought that the board had been let down in the matter. He felt that at the very earliest moment the board should take steps to see the Minister and get things settled. The chairman and the director should be able to draft a telegram to the Minister asking for a favourable reply as soon as possible to the request of the Education Board On the motion of Mr. G. L. Stewart it was decided that such a letter should be sent, and, on the motion of Mr. J Eead, it was resolved that, in the event of the reply not being favourable a deputation to the Minister should be arranged at the earliest possible moment. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and the director.

The following telegram to the Minister was dispatched after the meeting of the board:— °

The Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, Kotorua: Board of Managers Technical College at their meeting to-night unanimously resolved to urge strongly that, pending completion of sale of Education Board premises/ you should approve to have advanced sufficient to enable them to proceed without further delay with completion of the west wing and the erection of the Arts School.. This work is long overdue and should in no sense be dependent on'the completion of the above transaction, though / the Education Board will gladly have the proportion ?hift Prv Cc\ dS agreed u P°n devoted to this work when available. Will you s™ *Vw ir£ "ecessary authority.Signed (W.H. Bennett, chairman of the Manager Wellington Technical CoilGge. . ...