NEW SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1920, Page 4

NEW SCHOOLS.

DIFFICULTY TO GET MATERIAL. MOST URGENT WORKS HIRST. By Teleur.iph.~-P-ess Associstlua. Wellington, Last Night. In the course of his statement in the House to-night, the Minister of Public Works said the expenditure out of the Public Works Fund on education buildings during the financial year was £193,300, an increase of £711,844 over that for the previous year. The commitments for new buildings at the end ofi the year amounted to £360,051, but had increased to about £850,000 at the end of July.

He proceeded: "As explained last year, it is proposed to charge only £250,000 of the expenditure for the current year to the Public Works Fund, and to provide* whatever funds are required for education buildings in accordance with the Education Piirpasos Loans Act, 1(119. This Act provides for loans aggregating £3,300,000 during the current and the next three years for education buildings and sites, a sv.m that should under ordinary conditions be ample for all reasonable requirements. The Education Boards, Secondary School Boards, and other controlling authorities are, however, finding it increasingly difficult to arrange by contract or otherwise .for the erection of buildings.

"'The Government's oft'orU to meet the insistent demand /for better school accommodation are therefore limited not by its financial resources, but by the difficulties experienced in obtaining supplies of timber, cement, hardware, and other building material, and in securing workmen to erect the buildings. Embarrassing delays are thus caused in the erection of many school buildings, the need for which is most Urgent in tilt interest, of all concerned The Government is endeavoring to relieve the position as mncli as possible by giving preference to the most urgent works in the matter of supplies of material, and by postponing the making of grants for those buildings which, though necessary, are not absolutely essential."