MANGAPAPA SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2075, 30 December 1907, Page 1

MANGAPAPA SCHOOL.

TWEETING OF COAIAiITTEE

Tho committee'set up on Friday

night, to go into, the question of accommodation. fat the Alangapapa School mot mi Saturday morning at the Farmers’ Union Club rooms. ■

Mr. AlcLeod spoke in favor of tho circular letter proposed by Air. Rees. Ho asked Air. Roes to draw up something. Air. Roes said ho was quite willing’ to do this with tho assistance of tho others, stating the full facts of the case.

Tho following is tho statement drawn up, and a. copy lias been forwarded to the Premier:—

To tho Hon. Sir J. G. AVnrd, Premier, Sir, —As Chairman of tlio Alangapapa School Committee and as chairman of a public meeting of the householders of the Alangapapa district held last evening, 1 have been requested to set before you certain facts connected with the Alangapapa School, and to request your assistance as tho Premier of tho Dominion in relation thereto.

Tho Alangapapa School was opened in Alarch 1903 with a total roll of 90 scholars. Since that time until now tho numbers liavo been steadily increasing and there are at present on the books of the school 106 scholars. The rate of increase is becoming more and more rapid, although tho insufficient accommodation of the school sends many children, who would otherwise attend tho Mangapapa, to more distant schools. In October 1905, Air. Hill, tho Inspector for the district, reported that extra accommodation - was necessary, which report was adopted by the Education Board, and an application was made by the Board to the Department in, accordance therewith. To that application tho Department replied that large schools were being built, in Gisborne and Kaiti which wouEil provide ample accommodation for the children of this district. The Gisborne school is more than a. mile from the Alangapapa school, and’ tho majority of the children attending Alangapapa would have to travel a greatly increased distance to get to Gisborne. Tho Ivaiti school is about three miles from tho Aianagapapa school and it is practically impossible for the Alangapapa children to get to Kaiti.

Since October 1905, tho Board has on several occasions applied for increased accommodation lor tho Alangapapa School, but tho Department lias steadily refused to grant it, alleging that tho space in Gisborne and Kaiti affords sufficient accommodation for tho children. Tho necessity for increased accommodation steadily growing with increased population, continual representations being made to tlio Department and to tho Hon. J. Carroll, tlio member for tho district, Air. Carroll requested me as Chairman of the committeo to give him iutll particulars of tho matter, which I did m writing at an interview with Mr. Carroll about the end of October 1906, and that that gentleman, after reading the memorandum drawn up by me, promised to forward it to the Aliuister of Education, and give it his earnest support, adding that ho was certain we should obtain what we asked for as it was reasonable and expedient. The Department replied to the committee on the 15th November, 1906, to tho effect that it could not deal with the committee, but only with tho Board, for which tho Board again made application to tho Department, only to receive another refusal on the grounds before alleged. About tho middle of the present year, just before the sitting of Parliament, a deputation of tho liouse.holkiers of tlio district waited upon the Hon. J. Carroll and again asked his assistance, when Air. Carroll assured the deputation that ho recognised the necessity which existed for increased accommodation, and again promised to use all his influence on our behalf.

In July last I waited on the Aliuister for Education in . Wellington, and lie. promised that if the statements made concerning the situation of these schools were verified ho would inquire’into tho matter, and ho assured me that the Alangapapa School would have tho additional accommodation provided. In August or September Hast, the Board again applied to tho Department and received as a reply the oftrepeated assertion that there was more floor space in the three schools —Kaiti, Gisborne, and Alangapapa—than was required, and therefore no additions would bo made till the total attendance warranted them.

In answer to another application from tlie Board, dated October Id, the Department stated that the Minister himself would at the dose of the session personally inquire into tho needs of the Mangapapa district. After the session ended, there being no word of the advent here of the Minister of Education, in the beginning of the present month, the Hon. Captain Tucker, M. L. C., and the Mayor of Gisborne, Mr. John Townley, with other gentlemen visited tho school and saw tho conditions under which it was carried on, and they immediately wired to the Hon. J. Carroll that the necessity for increased accommodation was absolute and

urgent, to which Mr. Carroll replied that the Minister for Education had promiseed to visit the district and 6ec for himself. One schoolroom which had floor space for 52 children had to find accommodation for 99, and the space of air which, is available for each child and the teacher In the room is about 60 cubic feet, a quantity entirety inadequate to healthy conditions, contrasting strongly with the 500 cubic feet demanded under the Factories Act and in hoarding-houses, and in the bye-laws of all corporate bodies for each individual employed in or living upon such premises. It is impossible for the teachers successfully to impart tuition to children crowded together as they are in this school, and it is equally impossible for the children with advantage to themselves to receive education, while tho insanitary conditions which exist are a perpetual mcnaco to tho health of the teachers and children.

At the end of last term, many of tho children had to obtain medical advice for sickness brought on bv the conditions under which they had been working, and one of the teachers, Miss Morgan, had to resign her position for tlie same reason. Tho committee, the parents, and the public consider that great discourtesy has been shown l<> them by the Education Department, and that tho Minister for Education has not

only failed in. his promises, but has failed in tlio performance of the first duty that he owes to tlio children of this district in regard to their hoallth and comfort. It is with great regret that the committeo and the public of this_ district are compelled to bring those matters to your notice as Premier of the Dominion, but they are acting in the interests of tho children, who cannot escape from school, and who aro unable to modify tho conditions of their education. Aloreover, tho population ir rapidfy increasing, and in all probability when the school re-opens on tho 3rd February next, tho number of scholars will have increased and the danger and discomfort of tho school 1 , will bo intensified. I liavo tho honor to ho, Your obedient servant, Alalcolm AlcLeod, Chairman. Gisborne, Dec. 28, 1907.