THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1918, Page 2

THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.

QUESTION OF .REBUILDING. Considerable discussion tool; place at the last meeting of the Taranaki Edneation Board regarding the present building polity of tile Board. The matter wart opened up by a letter received from ilr. h'red A. Coleman, lion, secretary to the New Plymouth Centra! School Committee, who stated that he was directed to briny before the notice of the Board the pres.ring need for a more modern and up-to-date structure to replace the present Central School building, which has long since passed the period when it could be considered satisfactory or sanitary.. Mr. Trimble moved, That whilst the Board recognises the necessity of replacing the present Central School with a modern and up-to-date building, it coneiders the present time inopportune. In support of the motion, Mr. Trimble said that the present was not the time to undertake the rebuilding of schools if it could be possibly avoided. lie considered that the Central school was in sufficiently good order to last three or four years yet without re-buildiug. The chairman seconded the motion. ■ Mr. Smith said that Mr. Trimble had made the samo remarks seven years ago, when there was no war. The parents, staff and committee were convinced that a new school was necessary, and that they were entitled to it, but they were not asking the Board to undertake the erection. of a new school at the present time. They would like the Board to consider the question of preparing suitable plans for a modern structure so that when the time was opportune they would be prepared to go ahead. Ho moved accordingly in that direction. Mr. Wilkinson seconded the amendment pro forma. 'Mr. Dixon favored calling for compete >-:e designs when rebuilding schools of such importance as the Central. Mr. White was not in accord with the principle that they should not obtain Votes for educational purposes during the war. Countries like England and America wp-re considering educational votes as war measures and he favored this. Now was the time when educational matters should be more pressing than ever. He thought the Education Department should be advised of the many vital requirements 'of the district for educational purposes, and it was time they pressed on the Legislation that they must have a much higher vote for educational purposes. It could not be said that the:country was in an impoverished condition, for money 'was being spent in all directions. Mr. Trimble considered. it would be absurd to prepare plans for a building' that might not be erected for ten years, by which time the plans would be out-of-date.

Mr. Smith said th:.t it' they thought the people of New Plymouth wore going to wait ten years for the school to be rebuilt, they made a big mistake. The school whieh was built to accommodate 250 jiow accommodated '*lo and they now had to refuse to take more pupils. The records showed that the school had been built ill 18S4, and he thought a portion had been built some time licfore that. He was totally opposed to any additions to the present structure. He also pointed out that the infant department at Courtenay street, which had been built to Accommodate 100 to 125 children now had tu accommodate 175. Mr. Wilkinson sympathised with (he people of New Plymouth, but pointed out that .the schools could not all be built at once, as funds were limited. He expressed surprise that-the claims of the Central had not been advanced some time ago when the Board decided that the two South Taranaki schools were the most urgent and should be undertaken lirst. It-was too, late now to p!o,ce the Central on an equality with them for priority. * Mr. Smith held that the £2OOO to be received from Wanganui had already been over spent in South Taranaki. The chairman also sympathised with the Central Committee. lie recognised that the school should be replaced, but felt that if Mr. Smith had seen Xormaj;by and Okaiawa he would not suggest that the Board had done any town an injustice in urging the Department to rebuild them. He hoped to see competitive designs invited but not at present, when tliey did not know the proposed plans, material or attendance. Mr. Smith withdrew his amendment, and the motion was carried.