"PEGGING AWAY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 826, 21 November 1929, Page 6

"PEGGING AWAY”

CRITICISM OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL PROTEST more than two years to obtain a site lor a new Grammar School in tho eastern suburbs and now we have not got one.’* So said Mr. Ward Baker at yeatorliay’s meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board, whin dissatisfaction was expressed with the Education Department’s attitude. The chairman* Professor A. I*. W. Thomas, that the board was continually up against the evils of centralisation. The department advised That owing to financial reasons it could not see its way clear to purchase the site recoin mended by the board, but negotiations were practically concluded for a site about three-quarters of a mile distant. It was not certain for what purpose The sire would be used. The board had first applied to the department in June. 1D27, said Professor Thomas, and protracted negotiations followed. The site selected by rhe board was good and almost level, while the other site was off the main mad. away from the railway and subject to flooding. It was decided to write the department asking what provision would now be possible to relieve overcrowdH ,j | tha oUm r (. ram mar s< bools. The chairman said the site if was intended to purchase could not be regarded as one specifically for a Grammar School. Eater in the meeting Professor Thomas read correspondence relating to the supply of wall maps to Grammar Schools. He read a letter to the department complaining of confusion in sending the maps, which had gone to the wrong schools. The department had replied stating that the mistake was due to the carelessness of one of its own officers. “We could manage our own affairs better/* said the chairman. “We would like to control our own affairs andl not have so much centralisation. The present system is a bad one.’*