HIGHER EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1920, Page 4

HIGHER EDUCATION.

THE WANTS OF HAWERA. HIGH SCHOOL HOSTELS. PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE. (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) Hawera, Last Night. A deputation from the Hawera Technical High School Com'faitttee and the Hawera Public School Committee waited on the Minister of Education hero tonight, particularly in regard to the establishment of hostels in connection . with .the Hawera Technical High School. The Mayor said the Horough had piven five acres of its best land free for educational purposes without anything In return, and on this a Technical High School wag in course of erection. The matter of hostels was very Important, as it was a very difficult position to find homes that will take in children who wish to attend technical high schools. The Department might object to build- . a hostel on this five' acres, but he considered there was ample room for both. Mr. Sage, chairman of the Technical High School, «aid they would cater for, a district with a population of 20,000, extending from Opunake on the one side, to Patca on the other- They wished to have accommodation for children who;

were now seeking education at New Plymouth, Wanganui, Nelson, and el«ewhere, because it was tlldught that Hawera had not the necesasry educational facilities. They now. Had a Technical ■ High School which he hoped w«uld soon equal any sim'rlnr institution in the Dominion, and they therefore asked for a grant to establish a 'boys' hostel pn the site of the school. Thl» wouM obviate the purchase of land. He understood the Education Board opposed thin nn the ground* that it wooia tajte nrny n playing area, but he considered the adjacent land was available for playing fields. As an alternative proposal lie suggested that a large house capable of accommodating thirty-boys with four ncrcs should be purchased for £4500. This could be renovated within two or three months for an additional £IOOO, as against six or eight months which would be necessary to ereot a concrete hostel. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. Tim Minister said he was pleased there was a desire for higher education in Hawera, It wan a healthy sign and showed that they were alive to the new era that had dawned as a result of the war. There could be no better' investment made than by seeing that boya and girls were equipped for, the battle of life with the best education we could ftlve them. , The Minister said the matter of hostels was a matter of funds. He. had already had applications for 41 hostels, which cost at least .€20,000 each. He was merely calling attention to the fact that education cost money. They liad fortunately a CovernrrtMit that fcadallowed him a liberal amount to spend on education, but it would be rasn to day that it would allow him all he could spend. There was the demand for, n i vigorous Public Works policy, the call for a larger subsidy to the navy, and* the demands from every branch of the Civil Service for more pay, etc. His first duty was to see that the primary schools were established. In the large cities there were cases of overcrowding that were (discreditable. This was his first worry ant! responsibility, and he was endeavoring to meet it. After iha primary wants, hostel* (should come close ,np' T |or consideration. and their ease for a must «tand on its merit*. Ho would he very glad to help, and he felt that sooner or later proper hoarding accommodation must be found in a place of this aim. A» soon as the plans were submitted he would give it sympathetic consideration. He expected similar applications from other parts of Taranaki, and must therefore not prejudge. In the proposal to buy a house the sum involved was moderate, and ho would look at the noil's* nnd give the matter consideration at once. Out of the 41 hostels apnllef for, he had asked the Director of Eda* cation to select the six most urgent eases and proceed with their erection at once, afterwards proceeding <with thenext six. ' AN INFANT SCHOOL Mr. Sage said that the Commission* of Crown Lands was about to cut Up a 20 acre reserve alongside the Hawera main school, and he thought it advisable that an area of three acres should be reserved for an infant school. They* had fifteen acres now for a school site. The matter had been referred to the Lands Department. Others centres were fighting for school sites. In New Plvmouth they were bavin? "a good old i?o" with the Borough Council for a site for the West End School, and they could not get it. He thought that in view of the probable growth of the town he was wise in looking further than the end of his nose. The site would also be mi it-able for a girls' hostel. The householders had passed a resolution asking that the whole of the reserve should be set aside for educational purposes. Mr. Dixon said that in the past the Department had lacked vißion _regardinjf the development of parts of tho Dominion, and he thought the wisdom of their request would be recognised later. The Minister said the children of Hawera were fortunate in the nm l :ber.of schools they had. They shouh l , however, look to the future and sue that ; ; th 6 portion of land mentioned was tot dealt with by the Commissioner for commercial purposes. Ho would make strong representations to the Minister of Lands, regarding the matter. He considered it a good policy to look ahead, and keep land for educational purposes, especially in view of future developments.