THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1923. TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4527, 14 February 1923, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1923. TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

It is a curious yet undeniable fact that, for some reason which is not always too clear, the most urgent needs are not infrequently the last to receive attention. A strong case in point is l the repeated requests for the establishment of a manual and technical school here. In fact, in this case -the Department’s neglect to recognise the absolute urgency of' the request is' difficult to understand, especially as it is well known that the Minister, the Department, and the Auckland Education Board have repeatedly given assurances that they looked upon the application as one that was entitled to the most favourable consideration. Two years ago, as a matter of fact, the Minister, when visiting Paeroa, agreed that, a grant should be made. This, however, was subsequently shelved, the excuse given being “financial stringency.” In view of the fact that “financial stringency” has not hindered the establishment of similar schools in other parts, the excuse is a weak one, especially as the people of Paeroa. on the suggestion of the Education Board, some time ago subscribed £Bl in order to enable the Government to sell bonds at par to provide moneys to build the school. The .fact that the residents of' Paeroa have been agitating for the school for upwards of fifteen years should not. be overlooked. It is not as though the department lacked evidence ; n support of the request. On the contrary. all possible details' have been supplied, and the materia] evidence as to tlie necessity for the school is overwhelmingly convincing. Apart from the fact that Paeroa is so geographically centred as to be particularly suited for the establishment of a manual and technical school to benefit other districts, theie are a host of reasons why the department should be asked to give a sound reason for shelving the matter. The disabilities under which Paeroa pupils are placed by having to attend at Thames for their technical (raining should alone be sufficient to convince the Minister of Education of the desirability of immediately' acceding to the request. The reasons underlying the oift-repeated requests made bv tlie Paeroa District Higa School Committee should be too well known by the department to need reiteration. These include. the wearisome journey of 40 miles (to and from Thames) once a ifortnight; the risks of accidents to pupils (one boy lost his leg some years ago) ; the

fact that during winter months children frequently dp not get back to Paeroa before dark, and then have to walk to their homes (in some cases two miles distant) ; that every fortnight teachers have to accompany the children to Thames ; that the Education Department at present pays the Railways Department upwards cf £250 a year for the conveyance of children (an ainount that would pay the interest on a goodly sum for- the establishment of a school at Paeroa) , that whereas other towns of a similar s'ize have manual schools provided, over 120 Paeroa children are asked to travel 40 miles to acquire technical instruction. It has been suggested that the pupils should be given extra tuition during the summer and autumn months, but this would obviously so seriously interfere with the ordinary school work that it is difficult to imagine that the department honestly intended to urge such a cpnr»e in lieu of .establishing a school. The continual excuses made by the department are becoming ridiculous. To acknowledge ths necessity for a school, postpone fulfilment of the acknowledgement on account of “financial stringency,” and then suggest. unworkable propositions as a remedy, is not reasonable. Logically, it is absurd. The residents of Paeroa are not asking for something to look at. If they had been they would have dropped the request fifteen years ago. They are asking for something to which they are justly entitled—an establishment that must be provided if the children here are to enter life as fully equipped as the children in other districts of similar importance. It is to be hoped that the Minister will realise this, and at once recognise that the School Committee has adopted the only logical course in. declining to allow the children to travel to Thames for manual and technical instruction during tire coming wintei. A request based on such substantial grounds should receive only one reply, namely, the immediate establishment of a manual and technical school in Paeroa.