A SCHOOL REFUSED.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 116, 5 August 1913, Page 2

A SCHOOL REFUSED.

Between Pukekohe and Patumahoe. " Against Departmental Policy." For some consid=rahl3 time thera has been an agitation fcr the erection of a schccl about half way between Pukekohe and Patumahoe. On two occasions Mr R. F. Bollard, M.P. for that cart of the district, visited the site, and the last time he was accompanied by Mr Garlar.d, chairman of the Educaticn Board, Mr Barriball, member of the Board, and Mr E. K. Mulgan, chief Inspector. Although no promise was made, the big deputation that waited upon the educational representatives were sent to their homes very hapry in the expectation that before long the children of the locality would not have such a heart-breaking distance to walk to school. At last night's meeting of tne Pukekohe District High School, however, the visions of the new s:bcol were rudely dispelled bv a letter from Mr R. Crowe, secretary cf the Auckland Education Bohid, which stattd that having considered Mr Mulgan's report, the Boaid had resolved to decline for the present the request for the establishment of a school. MR MULGAN'S REPORT.

Mr Mulgan's report read aa follows—

"On WednesiJadr, the 18th, I accompanied the chairman and Mr Barriball in their visit to tnis d.etrict and with th?m met a number of the settlers who are interested in the establishment of a school, and from ona of tnem received the li;t of nanus herewith enclosed.

"Of the sixty-one children whose names appear on this list, and who, I understand, have expressed their willingness to attend a school between Pukekche and Patumahoe; thirty six are attending soma school, and sixt en are below Echonl aae, so that there are only nine ol school age whose names are not already on the roll of one or other of the schools in the neighbourhood. These, moreover, have only just reached Bchool age and will no doubt be attending some school before long, In other words, practically the whole of these purils are receiving instruction.

"The site in question is about 2J miles distant from the Pukekoha school, with which it is connected by a metalled rad, open at all times of the year. Iwo other schools, Patumahoe and Puni, are less than three milca distant, the one towards the West and the other further north.

"To establish a school on the Bite in question, within such a short distance ol Pukekohe and the other schools named, would not be in keeping with the Board's previous policy, ar.d, moreover, would tend to set up a precedent which at any tima might become a source of considerable embarrassment.

"Under the circumstances I would recommend that tfco application be declined."