COOK COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1314, 9 June 1883, Page 2

COOK COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

Yestebday afternoon a deputation appointed by the Gisborne School Committee waited upon Mr Allan McDonald and Mr C. A. DeLautour, M.H.R’s. M. J. W. Nolan, in the absence of Mr D, John.on Jun., explained the object’ sought by the disputation viz., : The establishment of a High School for Cook County. He then entered at length into what had been proposed in previous sessions in reference to the same matter, and complimented Mr McDonald for his advocacy of the cause in the past. He mentioned that a small district like VVhangarei had succeeded in having a Bill passed in which valuable endowments had been granted, and that though such favor® were shown in this instance, the more urgent requirement of Gisborne were altogether ignored. He also quoted figures showing that the average attendance of scholars in the five schools of Cook County, amounting to 1000, that of Gisborne School alone being over 400. Mr Nolan next touched upon the injustice by all the revenues from education endowments in Cook County noing to the Auckland Board, without this district being benefited, by the expenditure in return of a single penny. Mr A, McDonald quite concurred in what had been urged by Mr Nolan, and would again endeavor to introduce a Gisborne High School Bill. However, he feared that objection would be taken to giving endowments, and being a private Bill, proposing to deal with portions of Crown Lands, the necessary notice of its introduction would have to be given. Mr DeLantour also approved of the object of the Bill, and suggested that if it was impossible to get the required endowments with the Bill, they should both confer with the northern members with the view of introducing a measure granting sufficient endowments to the North Island for the purnoses of secondary education, so that it smiuld be put on an equal footing with the South, which had long possessed such advantages. He did not believe it would be judicious to enter into the question of diverting the revenue accruing to the Auckland Board from endowments situated in this district. Although he admitted it to be an injustice it had the sanction of the Legislature and on the whole he thought it would be preferable to deal with the question of endowment by secondary schools in a general way father than introducing Bills applying to any particular locality. He would consider it his duty to support Mr McDonald in all matters tmding to promote the welfare of this district. The deputation, after thanking Messrs McDonald and DeLautour withdrew.