TENNIS COURTS FOR GIRLS’ SCHOOL

Southland Times, Issue 24236, 20 September 1940, Page 4

TENNIS COURTS FOR GIRLS’ SCHOOL

REQUEST TO MINISTER

A request that a grant should be made for the construction of three tennis courts at the site selected for the new Southland Girls’ High School building was made by Miss A. Eastwood, lady principal of the school, and Mrs J. Gibbs, secretary of the Parents’ Association, when they waited on the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) after his arrival in Invercargill last evening. The deputation was introduced by Mr W. M. C. Denham, M:P.

Miss Eastwood said that the Parents Association had collected about £9O during the past 12 or 18 months, and they thought that the wisest way to expend the money would be by extending the playing area. There were 300 girls at the school and at least 180 of them wished to play basketball and a larger number wished to play tennis. At present they had only two tennis courts, which in winter were used for basketball, though they were not adequate to provide two basketball courts of the right size. The board had a site on which the new school would eventually be built and the proposal of the deputation was that a portion of this should be utilized now for three tennis courts which would give sufficient space for two full-sized basketball courts. These courts would be only a few minutes walk from the school. Mr H. T. Thompson, secretary of the Southland Education Board, said that an estimate had been prepared of the cost of making the three tennis courts, including the necessary excavation. It was proposed to use the spoil from the excavation to build up a hockey ground. Mr Mason asked whether there was any room for the tennis courts at the school.

Mr Denham: No, none at all. Mr Thompson said that the site of the proposed new school had been secured many years ago. The Southland Education Board had bought the land out of its own funds. Mr Mason: That shows a great deal of foresight to purchase land so far ahead of the actual need. After asking a number of other questions, the Minister promised to inquire into the matter.