OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1942, Page 3

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

LANSDOWNE SCHOOL PROTEST (To the Editor.) Sir—l think the public of Masterton generally will undoubtedly appreciate your excellent leading article in yesterday’s paper on the question of buildings for emergency hospital purposes, and your suggestion of ample justification for the protest made y the Lansdowne School Committee. The points raised by you should appeal to the thinking public and certainly should bring about a strong demand that the whole question of emergency hospitals be put on a definite footing. Taking a purely local view _of the Hospital Board’s move to acquire this particular building as one of its emergency hospitals, why was 1 Lansdowne School selected when we have similar schools with greater bed accommodation? Is there any other reason than that it is conveniently situated to the Hospital and its administration would be comfortable for the hospital stair. Many people would like the war to be just a comfortable one and I feel that, if we have to meet the requirements of a lot of sickness, particularly among our men in camp, our hospital author ities would like everything to be as handy and as comfortable as possible. Had the old Lansdowne School still been in evidence I venture to say its existence would not ever have been threatened for such a purpose. The emergency for which this school is being prepared was supposed to be at our very door nearly two months ago and it will be nearer another two months before it is ready in that time an emergency wing could have been built alongside the hospital and the educational needs of the district not disturbed at all. Do any of the authorities realise the disorganisation already obtaining at the Lansdowne School owing to the uncertainty existing as to what will become of the children in the event of their school being taken away? It is only natural that the greatest difficulty of the staff will be to instruct the pupils or even retain interest themselves in view of such a position. All the vague statements that the school will not be occupied except in an emergency only tend to further complicate the position.

Everyone would be glad to think that our men in camp would receive the best hospital treatment that could be given, in the event of an epidemic of sickness, but I do not imagine they would consider that the only way to deal with such an event would be to empty their brothers and sisters out of their schools to provide the necessary beds. I think our educational authorities have been hasty in agreeing to hand over this building to the Hospital Board and I fully endorse your remarks that the proposal should be vetoed unless it can be shown that no practicable and satisfactory alternative is available, and in this district that will be a very difficult matter—l am, etc., INTERESTED. Masterton, February 27. THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN (To the Editor.) Sir,—lt was with surprise and gratification that I read your leader on the question of the Lansdowne School protest. Coming from you, a neutral, on the question that exercising the minds of Lansdowne School parents like myself, your splendid analysis of the position shows us parents to have ample justification on our side. Here we in Lansdowne, a more or

less isolated suburb, are expected to send our children should they be in either standards 4,5, 6, all the way down to Wairarapa College. Coming as they do now from many homes scattered from Opaki to Te Ore Ore, this will constitute a real hardship, with the usual severe Masterton winter to come. No doubt our Hospital Board authorities will say “There is a war on,” but why should the children be made to suffer? We are fighting this war for the future generation and many of us have already relations fighting in different parts of the world and well know that “there is a war on.” Why are the Hospital Board authorities so anxious to proceed with the, building of an annexe on to the school when they have not so far bothered proceeding with the new wooden building to be erected on the hospital grounds? Again why did they turn down the offer of the Wairarapa College Board for them to take over the College Hostel that is already outfitted in nearly every way to suit as an emergency ward? These and many other questions will no doubt be fully thrashed out at the protest meeting of Lansdowne parents and residents on Tuesday night. Again thanking you, Mr Editor, for your valuable leader. —I am, etc., “OPAKI ROAD PARENT.” Masterton, February 27.