MINISTER OF EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1920, Page 4

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

TARANAKI VISIT THIS WEEK. > TWO BUSY DAYS. The Minister of Education (the Hon. C. .1. Parr) will visit Taranaki this week —his first visit to the province since his elevation to the Cabinet, Mr. Parr will reach Hawera from Wanganui by the mail train to-morrow evening, and will remain at Hawera until Wednesday morning- He will then motor to Eltham, where he will spend an hour. Stratford will be reached in time, for lunch, and the Minister wishes to leave Stratford in time to reach New Plymouth at 4.30 p.m. at the latest. On arrival at New Plymouth the Minister will visit the Boys' High School and the Girls' High School, after which he will receive a deputation from th» High School Board. The Minister requests that Wednesday evening Bhould be left free.

On Thursday morning the primary 6chools will be visited from 9 a.m. to i p.m., and in the afternoon the Minister will visit Waitara. In the evening the Minister will hold a conference with the Education Board, returning to Wellington on Friday morning. HAWERA'S REQUIREMENTS. A special meeting of the Hawera Technical School Committee was held on Friday relative to the matters to be placed before the Minister on his visit to Hawera, Mr Sage presiding.

Mr. Bnckeridge said the Minister was meeting the Education Board at Stratford on Thursday to discuss what should be put before him. Mr. Hooker said he could see what It would be. Stratford would get all they wanted, and Hawera would be left. The members of the Board and tlie whole ' kit and bunch" would meet the Minister at Stratford, which would get all it required before Hawera woke up. At Naiper, where the authorities were given an opportunity of pointing out their whole position to the Minister, they got what they asked for. A hostel had also been granted for Feilding. It should be pointed out that the local Technical High School was taking the place of the Boys' and Girls' High Schools at Now Plymouth, and that they wanted money to Complete it. It would tako the Board several nights to go fully into the matter, which was of concern to the whole of their children, before approaching the Minister. Mr. Lynskey said he understood they had the offer of a. place as a temporary hostel. How many, he asked, would it accommodate V

The director: From 12 to 20. They could only deal with boys. Mr- Mtannard: If we get one hostel we will soon get the other. There would have to be two later on; there wag no doubt about that.

The director said that it would be inadvisable to have both boys and girl* under one roof, though this was not unknown in England and Australia. Hie idea was to obtain some place now, and if they could fill it with boys theywould have a strong claim on the Department for a hostel. The place could I hen be used for girlsMr. Bnckeridge moved that" the whole committee,, the members of the Education Board, and the four members for Paranaki meet the Minister at Hawera.

Mr. Hooker- seconded the motion, which was carried.

It wns pointed out that the chairman of tiic Education Board liad committed himself to a promise to assist Ha wera nil he could in obtaining hostels, and the support of Mr. Smith, M.P., and most of the members of the Education Hoard wan assured.

Mr. Hooker said they wanted to emphasise when waiting upon the Minister that both New Plymouth and Wanganui were well provided for, and that there were no hostels between those places in connection with secondary education. It was decided to hold a meeting at n.no in the Technical School on Tuesday afternoon, and to invite Mr. 0. J. Hawken, M P., and Mr. W. D, Powdrell, M.P, to meet them and assist in the discussion.—Star.