WAITARA'S WANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 May 1920, Page 6

WAITARA'S WANTS.

VISIT OP MINISTER OF EDUCATION. DEPUTATIONS ON VARIOUS MATTERS. At the instance of Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, wad prevailed upon to include a visit to Waitara in his Taranaki itinerary, and accordingly, in company with Mr. Jennings, Mr. R. Masters, M.P. (chairman of the Education Board), and Messrs. S. G. Smith, M.P., P. J. H. White, H. Trimble, A. Lees, and H. 11. Grayling (members of the Board), the Minister motored to Waitara yesterday afternoon. Mr. Spencer, of the Education Department, also accompanied the Minister, and Mr. F. Hoskin, another member of the Board, joined the party at Waitara.

On arrival, the party went to the Bovough Council Chambers, where, after being introduced by Mr. Jennings, who remarked that visits of Cabinet Ministers to Waitara were rare events, the Mayor (Mr. R. Morgan) extended a welcome on behalf of the people of the Borough, he also expressing pleasure at Mr. Parr's presence in the town. DISTRICT NEEDS. Several matters affecting the welfare of the town were then brought under the Minister's notice, the first being mentioned by the Mayor, who made representations in the direction of having a portion of tne domain, known as the Camp Reserve, set apart for the purpose of laying down a tennis court for a local club. The Mayor also repeated previous requests for a new post office. Mr. R. H. Pigatt, chairman of the Clifton County Council, who reiterated, on behalf of the County residents, the pleasure felt at the Minister's visit, stressed principally the matter of improving the North Road, which was in a particularly bad state about Awakino. and also the urgent necessity of bridging the Mokau River, from the point of view of the settlers in the south part of the Auckland Province, as well as those in Taranaki.

Mr. Jennings supported both requests, urging that the bridging of the Mokau was of the utmost importance. Mr. Jennings then dealt with some educational matters in connection with the needs of schools in both Auckland and Taranaki Education Districts, which lay witlim the boundaries of his electorate, In one particular case the difficulty was said to be in the matter of getting timber (though with a mill a few miles distant he confessed he could not understand that), and in the other the delay in getting a school at Wairere seemed to be on account of the title to the site, which was Native land. He hoped the Minister and the Boards concerned would endeavor to expedite matters in the inter--1 ests of the education of the children of the back-blocks.

The Hon. Mr. Parr acknowledged the cordiality of the welcome extended to him, and said that, Waitara was not included in his original programme, he had felt unable to decline Mr. Jennings' importunate invitation, and he was pleased to meet the people of the district. In regard to the Mokau river bridge, he recalled coming over that stream by means of a punt some twentyfour years ago, and expressed surprise that as yet no bridge bad been erected. He said he would be pleased to place the matter before the Minister of the Department concerned.

MAIN ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Coming to the question of the main road, Mr. Parr said the time was coming when the Government should consider some system of road work in which the Government should „ take a hand. The cost of upkeep was too heavy for local bodies, and he hoped the time was not far distant when some such scheme would come into operation. As a matter of fact it had been discussed, but ho was not at liberty to say just what had taken place. Mr. Parr said there was some question as to which way the main road to Auckland should go, and he strongly urged consideration of the Mokau route. Personally, as an Aucklander, he wished to see rail and road communication between these two provinces established at as early a date as possible. He did not think the Auckland people fully realised the commercial value to themselves of the establishment of this through communication, and he hoped, when they were placing their needs before Parliament, they would not forget the line bstween Stratford and the Main Trunk. He undertook to place the representations of the deputation before the Minister concerned. SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS. Mr. R. Ford, chairman of the School Committee, then brought before ths Minister the need for improvement of the present school, which he described as old, out-of-date, and lacking in space for the number of scholars attending, according to the regulation amount of floor spa:e per scholar. Tie place was badly lighted and ventilated, and thoroughly antiquated. An application for a grant towards improvements had been under consideration for some time.

Mr. Masters, who was asked by Mr. Parr if he had anything to say on any of the matters referred to, replied to Mr Jennings that the difficulty with regard to the site at the Ohura junction was gradually being overcome. Being Maori land had made the process a slow one, but the Board was now assured of a title to the site, and the timber for the building had been sent out. In regard to the Waitara school, some improvements were essential, and he supported the committee's appeal for assistance. What the Board had asked for was two new rooms to be built, these to form the beginning of an entirely new school. He pointed out 'the extent to which the Waitara people had helped themselves in connection with building a manual and technical building, and in the construction of a school swimming bath with very little Government assistance. He was sure, however, that the Board had the sympathy of the Department in their endeavor to improve the conditions at this isciiool.

Mr. Jennings said representatives from Mimi had intended being present, but they had asked him to see if something could not be done to relieve the overcrowded state of the Mimi school.

' Mr. White explained the position with regard to the increase in the roll number of the school, and said he intended going out there with the Board's architect, immediately to tee what could bs

MINISTER'S REriA*. In the course of his reply, the Hon. Mr. Parr said he recognised that it would hi part of his job to gradually get the old schools rebuilt. That would take time and a great deal of money. Many of them were quite out of date. He hud instructed the Board . to prepare schemes of their work for throe years ahead, and he would be guided by the Boards as to which were the most urgent of thos,; works. He recognised the present was no time to go in for extensive building. Never in this country had there been such a serious time in the matter of the cost of building. In spite of that, however, the life of the children and people in the back-blocks must be made as attractive as possible. Coming to the work of the local Education Board, the Minister said it was one of the best boards in the Dominion, and he commended the members warmly for the amount of work which they did through the medium of their own workshop. There was one matter upon which he had his mind made up, and that was to do away with unnecessary delays in dealing with applications to his Department for grants and for the approval of plans .submitted to the officers. He was not going to have, the men who gave their services gratui,tously on school committees and Education Boards humbugged by departmental delays. One of the things he thought of doing was to appoint an experienced architect in order to bring about a more business-like way of dealing with tha matter of plans for buildings. In regard to the particular cases brought under his notice, he would look into them, and would visit the Waitara school and see the premises for himself. Mr. Jennings thanked the Minister for coming to Waitara and meeting the deputations, an.', at his suggestion a warm vote of thanks was passed to the Minister with acclamation. Subsequently Mr. Parr visited the ''imp Reserve, and also the Waitara school, after inspecting which he said he would have to look into the proposals of the Board, which bad been put before the Department.