'Flags must be flown'

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 5, 3 July 1984, Page 4

'Flags must be flown'

Following continued reports of school flagpoles being chopped down — we approached the principals of some of the schools in the Waimarino at the end of last term about their reaction to the instruction from the present Minister of Education, Mr Merv Wellington, that all New Zealand schools will have to fly theNew Zealand flag to promote a feeling of national pfide next year. Here is what they said: Ruapehu College Mr Ian Meredith, acting principal in Mr Michael Warbrick's absence through ill health, said that the College has previously flown the flag on certain occasions since 1981 ... until it got stolen last year! "We Would be quite happy to fly one again though not because we were instructed to do so — that sort of compulsion is not, necessary — but we would have to buy one." Asked what he thought a new flag would cost he said he wasn't sure but "between $35-$70." Ohakune Primary School Principal Bill Taylor said that "while the idea was intrinsically admirable I wonder whether or not over regulation would bring disrespect for the very

There 's no flag on the Ruapehu College flagpole as. it was stolen last year. meaning of the act. Moreover the constant flying of a flag in this climate can be a very expensive business and I'm not sure yet where the funds for flag replacements are going to come from." Waiouru Primary School Principal Maurice Traill said that his school has been flying a flag for several years ... "we don't seem to offend anyone in Waiouru by doing it but then we are a little bit different over here because

the school is in a military establishment area. " "But our flag is hardly indentifiable as a New Zealand flag at the moment" because we've been using the same one for the last 4-5 years." Asked how much a replacement would cost these days Mr Traill said that $29-$39 would probably be a very minimal price. Raetihi Primary School Principal Ken Holmes said that he thought the Minister of Education "had got his priorities entirely back to front." "I am incredulous that the Minister of Education should think that the raising and lowering of a flag each day is so vital that it is at the expense of other and much more important things related to education ... staffing, equipment, materials and such like." "We do fly the flag on special occasions of course but certainly not every day." National Park School Principal David Macrae says that while he likes the idea he's not so sure how popular the idea will be in National Park's winter climate. "We already fly the flag on special occasions but the weather is the biggest problem ... and the halyardc tend to go missing if left up overnight!" "To replace the halyards means finding a 20ft ladder and getting someone to climb it to rethread a new halyard through the sheave at the top of the flagpole ... fortunately my son has a head for heights!" Rangataua Primary School Principal John Breen says that while he cannot see the justification for the expense involved he would have no objection to flying the flag everyday if instructed to do so ... "provided it did not waste too much time." "Of course we do fly it from time to time on special occasions but the flag will probably have to be replaced every six months if flown." Asked how much a new flag would cost Mr Breen says that he had to buy one recently and it cost $47. ★ ★ ★ The Bulletin contacted the Army Museum at Waiouru to find out how often their flag has to be replaced. Depending on weather conditions we were told between 3-5 flag replacements a year were necessary. We estimate that at $47 per flag to equip each one of the 3000 primary and 350 secondary schools with only one flag will cost the schools a total of $157,450 each'" year.