IE ARO SCHOOL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10611, 9 June 1920, Page 5

IE ARO SCHOOL

TERRACE GAOL SITE DEADLOCK ENDED; SITE FOR INFANT SCHOOL SECURED. The Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, announced to a “Times” representative yesterday that tho deadlock with regard to tho erection ou tho Terrace Gaol site of an Infants’ Department for the To Aro School is now, happily, at an end.

At a conference with tho Minister in Charge of Prisons (tho Hon. E. P. Lee), Mr Parr had arranged that tho Wellington Education Board should secure two houses (for which the Education Department would pay rent), to replace those at present occupied by officers of the Prisons Department on tho Terraco Gaol reserve. But the board found itself unable to rent any premises whatever. It, therefore, considered the matter of purchasing two houses, and asked the authority of the ’department to buy the properties, No. 28, Thompson street, Wellington City, and No. 109, Overtoun terrace, Kilbirnic. The purchase price in each ease is £1650. The proposals of the board were: —(1) That these places, over which the board had obtained options for a day or two, be handed over to the Prisons Department for the use of the officers who are at present in occupation of tho two homes to bo removed from tho gaol reserve; (2) that tho department pay the board interest at the rate of. 6 per cent, per annum on the cost (including legal expenses) as from date of purchase; and (3) that the board dispose of tho properties- to tho best advantage when they are no longer required for the purpose for which they - are being obtained, and that any lotn incurred by the board be met by the department, or. in the event of a profit being made, that it be placed as an offset against the interest to bo provided by the department. A SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENT. The Controller-General of Prisons had intimated that he was quite satisfied to make use of the properties mentioned; and he undertook that his department would vacate tho houses on the gaol reserve immediately the others were ready for the occupation of his officers'; and, further, that no time would be lost in demolishing the present cottages and ■ removing the material from tho site. Tho Minister stated that he had given the desired authority for the purchase of the two houses, and was v’erv pleased that the' difficulty had been thus satisfactorily overcome. The arrangement meant that his department would have- to find interest on the purchase price of the two houses for the next two or Three years when it was hoped that the gaol would bo removed and the houses would no longer be required by the Prisons Department. The, Education Department would also make good any small loss there might bo on tho re-salc of tho houses; but, as tho houses had been well bought, he did not anticipate any less. The school committee, which had been very energetic in the matter, was to bo congratulated on the ending of the deadlock which had hitherto prevented the Te Aro children from setting decent accommodation. There was no reason why an infant school should not now be erected on tb e site thus -obtained, Ito accommodate the 200 infants at present housed. in ot. Peter’s Church School, . Ghuznee street, the lease of which runs I out at the end of the year.