WAS PROMISE GIVEN?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 306, 17 March 1928, Page 1

WAS PROMISE GIVEN?

REBUILDING AUCKLAND SCHOOLS ONE EVERY YEAR did. the former’ Minister of Education, the Hon. Sir James Parr, promise that each year an old school in Auckland would be rebuilt? This is a question which was not settled when a deputation from the Auckland Education Board and the Richmond Road School Committee waited on the present Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, this morning. “T DO not believe this promise was given,” the Minister said, when the members of the deputation failed to produce documentary proof of the statement. “It is the first I have heard of it.” The secretary of the board, Mr. E. C. Purdy, said Sir James Parr had promised the rebuilding of one school here each year, and the Richmond School had been named by the board. The Minister: He promised that one school in one of the four centres should be rebuilt each year. Mr. Purdy: No; one school in each centre. Mr. Wright: When was that? Mr. T. U. Wells, a member of the board: It was understood that the replacement would take place two years ago, but we have been put off from year to year. Mr. R. A. Rew, chairman of the Richmond Road School Committee, protested against the continual shelving of what’he described as a most urgent matter. The school was out-of-date and insanitary. Mr. Thomas Aitken said the building at Richmond Road never had been a new school, but was “a conglomeration of tatters and patches.” The previous Minister had promised the school. Mr. Wright: I do not believe he ever said that. Mr. Aitken: It Is the general opinion, and is what we were given to understand. Mr. Wright: But I can find no trace of it. Mr. Purdy: It is recorded that we wrote to the committee in 1925 stating that the Minister had made the definite promise. That is the only record I have with me. Mr. Wright: I do not think that is right. Mr. Brownlee, a member of the committee, said that there were so many old schools in the Auckland district that it would be a good thing for the department to carry this policy out. Mr. Wright: Do you know how many old schools there are in the Dominion that require rebuilding? Mr. Brownlee: Yes, I know. Mr. Wright: Well, where are we going to get the money from to rebuild them? Are we going to assess more income-tax? Mr. Brownlee: I do not know, but I wanted you to know the position. Mr. Wright: I know the position, and if that promise were made I would be glad to see it. It would be interesting to find it. Mr. Purdy promised to investigate the general file of the board and ascertain if there was a record of the promise. The Minister added that if the people wanted the schools re-built and found the money for it, he would have it done: but he could not undertake the work with the finance at its pres-

ent available figure. He acknowledged that he knew of no more urgent work on the list than the Richmond Road, but beyond this and the assurance that he would investigate, he would not promise the committee and the board anything.