MINISTER AT OTAHUHU

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 588, 14 February 1929, Page 16

MINISTER AT OTAHUHU

VISITS PUBLIC SCHOOL ANOTHER BUILDING WANTED The Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, and Mr. D. Dunlop, secretary of the Auckland Education Board, visited the Otahuhu Public School yesterday afternoon. They were met on arrival by Mr. A. W. Hall, M.P. for Hauraki, Mr. R. B. Todd, Mayor of Otahuhu, Mr. C. R. Petrie, chairman of the school committee, Mr. A. Murdoch, headmaster, Mr. R. W. IP. Wood, town clerk, and Mr. H. Wills, mem her of the school committee. After the party had made a round of visits to the various class-rooms, Mr. R. B. Todd expressed his pleasure at receiving a visit from the Minister. Mr. C. R. Petrie endorsed the Mayor’s remarks, and stated that he did not intend to make any requests, as he considered that the Otahuhu School had been very well treated, and at present was well off. There was, however, need for an additional school on account of the overcrowding, which was becoming serious. The population of the borougn was at present 6,-00, and growing very fast. The average attendance for the past year was 722, and this year 40 names had been added to the rolls. During the past six years <£ 3,000 had been spent in improving the school ground, and of this sum £1,500 had been collected locally.

Mr. Atmore thanked the members of the deputation for their cordial welcome, and said that he intended to keep in touch with the teachers and members of the committees. It was very satisfactory to find that the system of the development of each boy and girl along the lines of their own individuality was working satisfactorily.

j The general trend of scholars leav- : \ ing school was to follow the clerical j ! occupations, which, in his opinion, was \ i a pity, as New Zealand wanted the : j production of its primary and second- j ! ary industries increased, and the only j I way that this could be done was to ! i put more people on the land. That the j j New Zealander was the most suitable ! ! for the work was proved by statistics j ! taken of children leaving school, over I ! the whole of the civilised world. The ; i New Zealand boys and girls held the j ; record of being the tallest and heavi- ! ! est children in the world. The Minister and Mr. Dunlop then left to inspect proposed sites for ! j schools in the surrounding districts. i