SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 450, 23 March 1912, Page 5

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

. j Special Correspondent. An instance of how money h fool- j ishly expended by the Education Board is exhibited in the case of a school in the Rangitoto. For some time the school iiad huddled together in a dilapidated bushtnan's tent until the congestion threatened to extinguish both teacher and scholars and so application was made to the beard for better premises. It was suggested that the board provide timber, and one of the settlers would erect., free of cost, a permanent whare large enough to accommodate the schools for some time to come. The estimated coat for timber would be about £lO. However, the board displayed its superiority and sent along a small marquee, which mast have cost about £25. This structure has been pitched as well as possible but already shows signs of a premature "breaking up of the constitution." The late rough spell has been very trying to not only the tent, but also to both teacher and scholars. The damp earth floor is subject to miniature floods and is therefore a serious menace to the children's health. The matter became so had that lately the teacher undertook a visit, to the board in Auckland, and applied for timber to put in a floor- the settlers to build it. However, the product of the interview was nothing more than the serio comic recommendation that as the board could not see its way to supply timber, it advised the settlers to put down sawdust! This is interesting intensely when one realises that the settlement is practically roadless, and fifteen miles from anywhere amid fern country where there is not, | sufficient timber to the mile to make ! a bucket of sawdust, even if the whole settlement turned out to make it. In fact the settlers are inclined to think they could make more out of some members of the hoard that what the whole district would yield.