A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 147, 26 August 1926, Page 5

A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR.

FROM ASHBURTON. Mr. G. W. Andrews, a wonderfully preserved veteran of 78 years, paid a visit to Putaruru last week, being a guest of the Methodist manse. Mr. Andrews takes a very keen interest in public affairs, and has served the public of Ashburton and district in some public capacity since 1880. In that year Mr. Andrews became a member of the school committee and has served the cause of education ever since, being now a member of the governing board of the Ashburton Technical School. Speaking to a representative of the Press, Mr. Andrews whole-heartedly espoused the case for technical schools, which he considered did not get sufficient support from ” either the public or the Government.

While recognising that Junior High Schools had their place, Mr. Andrews strongly deprecated any attempt to foster such institutions at the expense of technical schools, on which he thought our future prosperity to a large extent depended. While in Putaruru, Mr. Andrews took the opportunity to visit the Putaruru school; where he addressed the elder scholars.

On hearing of the early likelihood of a town board being formed in Putaruru, Mr. Andrews showed a keen interest, and volunteered the information that in his experience, one of the most common mistakes of such bodies was to make their loan policies too small. Mr. Andrew’s made it clear that he did not advise huge loans, but that everything tackled should be done well, so tha£ costly upkeep was practically done away with. Vv ellmanaged town hoards were regarded as wonderful assets to any community, but no haste Should be made when a township grew- somewhat, to spire to the higher status of a borough council. Amongst other public bodies on which Mr. Andrews has sat are Wakanui Road Board, Hospital Board, Ashburton County Council, PEampstead Town Board, and Ashburton Borough Council. Mr. Andrews is a member of the two last-mentioned bodies at present time.