MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4435, 3 July 1922, Page 2

MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

« KEREPEEHI’S INTERVENTION. RESENTMENT AT NGATEA. Tn ere was a considerable amount of comment at the Ngatea School Committee meeting on Saturday evening regarding the Kerepeehi School Committee’s attitude as contained in a letter, from the latter to the Auckland Education Board in connection with the proposed erection of a high school at Ngatea. A copy of the letter was recently published in the “Gazette.” It was suggested (jhat the discussion regarding the high school proposal be carried on in committee,' but it. was decided to resume it in the opnn meeting. Mr. E. Walton proposed “That tjhis committee records its displeasure al tb.e lack of taste shown by the Kerepeehi School Committee in opposing the memorial to fallen and returned soldiers taking the form of; a (high school, which would be a benefit to the whole of the Hauraki Plains.” Mr. W. McDuff seconded. In speaking to the motion Mr. Wal-i ton said he did not think the motive for the decision that the memorial should take the form of a high school was purely in favour of Ngatea. Those who gave to the memorial fund gave as an appreciation of what the soldiers had done, and they wished the memorial to take the most suitable form. By deciding in favour of a high school, which would, be a benefit to the future generation, and asking for it be erected at Ngatea, they had been moved by the fact that Ngatea was the centre, and would be tihe centre of the Plains for many years to come. The memorial subscribers did not have Kerepeehi in mind at the time the decision was made and did not move with the intention of (hurting the feelings oj Kerepeehi. It had left quite an unpleasant feeling in the minds o? many of- the settlers on the Plains that the Kerepeehi School Committee should take that altitude in opposing some additional building at Ngatea. Quite a number of settlers had spoken to him regarding the matter, and from the opinions he had gathered, if there was one step Kerepeehi could take to alienate feelings of sympathy towards them Kerepeehi (had taken it. Mr. McDuff was quite in accord with what Mr. Walton had said. Thte memorial subscribers had been out to benefit the whole district, and when the high school is established that object would have been achieved. They had the sympathy >f the Kerepeehi men wiho were capable of taking a broad view. Most of the Kerepeehi School Committee did not even have any children of their own attending the school; Mr. W. J. Clare wondered why Kerepeehi had rushed into the matter as it had done. If Kerepeehi had taken that stand when the matter ofa high sqhool was first mooted he would not have taken much exception, but he thought it unreasonable under fee circumstances. Mr. Walton’s motion was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously.