MANUAL TRAINING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4615, 17 October 1923, Page 2

MANUAL TRAINING.

PROPOSED PAEROA SCHOOL. VISIT OF MINISTER. When His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) was in. Wellington recently on municipal business he tooK the opportunity pf interviewing the Minister for Education and placing before him the urgent necessity for the establishment of a manual training school in Paeroa. At the invitation of the chairman, the Mayor attended a meeting of the Paeroa High School Committee on Saturday evening last-and briefly explained . the result of his interview with the Hon. C. J. Parr. The Mayor stated that in .addition to impressing upon the Minister the. need of a manual school, and the disabilities suffered by the children through lack of proper facilities for. obtaining their full education, he stressed the point that Paeroa was a .natural centre for a very large area of rapidly developing country, and the need for a manual training school was being keenly felt. He also suggested to Mr Parr that the Education Department had been responsible for the killing of the former proposal by over-estimating the cost of buildings and equipment. The Mayor said that he received a definite promise from the Minister to visit Paeroa at an early date and confer with a delegation and go thoroughly into the matter. It would be necessary to present a strong case to the Minister on his arrival in Paeroa, and Mr Marshall said he would be pleased to give the committee every assistance to bring the matter to fruition. He realised the amount of time and energy the Committee had expended, and hoped that its efforts to obtain the school would he successful. He had also discussed the. possibility of utilising the old post office buildings as soon as they were vacated for temporary woodwork and cookery classes, and the Minister had promised to consider the suggestion.

Mr Marshall was heartily thanked by the chairman on behalf of the Committee for his efforts and the manner in which he had brought matters directly before the Minister. A sub-committee, comprising the chairman, Mr Gillman, and the secretary, was set up tp arrange details and collect data to place before the Minister, it was also decided to invite delegates from the Netherton, N t -atea, Kerepeehi, Komata. Tirohia, aPd Karangahake school committees to join with the Paeroa delegation. Information is to be obtained from each of the schools mentioned as to the probable number of children who w< uld attend manual classes in Paeroa, in the event of a school being established. Owing to the short notice given Mr Gillman offered the use of diis ear to visit each school in the district to secure the desired Information.