MEMORIAL FOR NGATEA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4391, 17 March 1922, Page 2

MEMORIAL FOR NGATEA.

QUESTION OF FORMHIGH SCHOOL SUGGESTED. For tlie purpose of discussing the form of a memorial to the fallen, and returned soldiers, a public meeting was held in the Ngatea Public Half on Wednesday evening. Mr W. G. Hayward was elected to the chair. Tlie secretary, Mr E. Walton, reported that an amount of £470 was in hand. He said that at first a stone was proposed, but later it had been decided td» collect money for a memorial and to decide its form later on. A maternity home had been suggested and an offer made to the Thames Hospital Board to put the money into a maternity home. Mr McDuff moved that the offer to the Thames- Hospital Board be rescinded. Mr Davidson seconded, and the motion was carried. TECHNICAL OR HIGH SCHOOL. Mr Hayward said there had been a proposal to put the money to enlarge ing the school. The Education Department, however,, was obliged to enlarge the school and the money could profitably be used for a recreation ground. Mr McDuff failed to see that more would be gained from a recreation ground, than from a school. Mr Hayward thought that algo, but the Department was obliged, to enlarge the school. Mr McDuff said the Department should do the enlarging, but it may be a long time before it moved in the matter. He thought the money might be utilised for a district, high hcho'ol or technical school- If 25 pupils were obtained the district would be entitled to a high school- He thought 25 could be obtained..

Mr R. E. Jamieson (headmaster of the local school) said that as Ngatea was 16 miles from Paeroa and communication witlh Thames not very good, he thought tlie possibility of a -high school was l practicable- A technical school, he thought, would be the better pf the two. The Board , wo-.fld probably equip a technical school if it were built and a subsidy gained. Mr Walton said that if the Hon. C. J.. Parr’s proposition oLterminating the primary education at 11 years was brought into effect, it might possible to have an intermediate. school at Ngatea. He asked if the time was ripe for a memorial technical school at Ngatea. Mr Clare was in favour oif a tech-, nical school, but questioned whether the Department would grant it. Mr Walton suggested submitting tho proposal to the Department and find out all information., Mr McDuff thought the feeling of a lot of people was that money could not be put to a bettor purpose than a high or technical school. He did not like the idea of a slab of marble and a niece of concrete as a memorial. LIBRARY SUGGESTED. Mr McClean thought a library would be a suitable memorial for the district. He thought it would be of more use to returned soldiers than a school. Mr McDuff tlhought education would be of mojje benefit to the chit dfen than a library. Mr Walton s.aid that when the post office was removed to another budding the present one could be used for a library. Mr Davidson thought the returned men would rather see their children get the benefit than themselves. Mr Walton thought . £lOO would start a library providing, the build- ' ing was obtainable. Socials could be held from time to time to buy new book!?. SEEKING INFORMATION. Mr McDuff moved “That! the secretary inform the Minister of Education that we have approximately £470 in hand, for a memorial to returned soldiers, and that it has been suggested that tlie money shpuld be used for a memorial technical school or district high school; also that the committee would like the views of the Department on the subject, and in addition would like to know .whether the Department would give a subsidy towards the erection a memorial technical school or district high school, and if so of what amount, Furthei], what are tlie requirements In such a matter/’ Mr Davidson seconded, and the motion was carried. It was pointed out that were a high, or technical school erected it could be used immediately to relieve the congestion of the primary school.