COLLEGE HALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1943, Page 3

COLLEGE HALL

BAN ON USE BY OUTSIDE BODIES RESCINDING MOTION LOST. LIVELY BOARD DISCUSSION. .Lively exchanges took place, at last night ’s meet ingot' the Wairarapa College Board ot Governors, between the chairman, Air A. Owen Jones, and Iwo members, Messrs AV. R. Nicol and L. 'l'. Daniell, when a motion to rescind a resolution previously passed by the board which 'denies organisations outside of the College the use of the Assembly Hall was lost. At the: previous meeting of the board Mr Nicol gave notice that he would move a rescinding motion. At last night's meeting Mr Nicol said that on account of the standing motion, organisations like the Red Cross Society were forbidden the use of the hall for their gatherings. The gathering for which the Junior Red Cross organisation wanted the hall was a day function from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 18. He would be sorry to see the board as an educational body turn the application down. Mr L. T. Daniell seconded the motion. On a division being taken Messrs Nicol, L. T. Daniell and F. C. Daniell voted for the motion and Messrs Jones. A. J. Towns, J. G. McFarlane. J. D. O’Connor and W. L. Hunter voted against the motion. Mrs J. L. Hair was absent from the meeting. Further reference to the use of the Assembly Hall followed when the Act-ing-Principal. Mr F. J. Gair, stated in his report that it had been suggested that members of the College branch of the Junior Red Cross organisation should act as hostesses on the 21st' anniversary of the Junior Red Cross on September 18. Members of the primary schools from Whakataki to Carterton would be present. Mr Gair said that normally it would meet with his immediate approval, but as the function would involve the use of the Assembly Hall he preferred to consult the board. Mr Jones said the gathering would be a school activity and the board would be justified in granting the application. SIDESTEPPING ALLEGED. “If that is not sidestepping I have not been to a good many football matches,” said Mr Nicol. Mr Jones: "You should withdraw that.” Mr Nicol said the application from the college was the same as that from the Red Cross, only it was camouflaged. Mr Jones said it was entirely different. It was a school application and the school would run it under the jurisdiction of Mr Gair. “Had you wished to be frank with us you could have brought the application up when the notice of motion was being considered,” said Mr L. T. Daniell to Mr Jones. "I heartily endorse the strictures passed on you by Mr Nicol regarding camouflage and sidestepping.” Mr Jones ordered Mr Daniell to moderate his language, to which Mr Daniell objected. Mr Daniell said he could realise how Mr Jones felt, trying to grant the application without losing "face.” He added that he did not have much faith in him.

“If that is an insinuation I-won't have it,” said Mr Jones. Mr Towns said it was a school affair. Mr Daniell replied that it was being made a school affair. Mr McFarlane said if the matter was looked at from the interests of J ‘'the College it would be seen that no organisations had made any move to get the Borough Council to provide a suitable hall.

Mr Gair said the gathering would be run by Mr Coddington, headmaster of the Central School. There would be about 40 college pupils and about 400 primary school pupils taking part.

Mr McFarlane moved that the paragraph in the Acting-Principal’s report relating to the use of the hall for the College Junior Red Cross members, as hostesses, be given the full co-operation of the board. Mr Nicol moved as an amendment that the use of the hall be refused to an outside organisation. Mr L. T. Daniell seconded the amendment. Mr McFarlane pointed out that in previous discussions it had been objected that primary school children were forbidden the use of the hall. The amendment was put to the meeting and was declared lost, and the motion was carried. NO HALL FOR PREMIER. Mr J. Robertson, M.P., wrote enquiring if the College Assembly Hall would be available during the election campaign. He stated that the Prime Minister would be visiting Masterton early next month, and as the assembly hall was the only hall suitable in the district, he was anxious to know if the hall would be available. “The notice of motion answers that.” said Mr Jones. Mr Nicol said that, as the member for Masterton had indicated, there were no halls available of suitable size in Masterton. While he was Minister of Education, Mr Fraser had been made a prefect of the College. Mr Fraser had practically decided that the College should be a composite one, and the College had been named on his suggestion. A lot was owed to Mr Fraser for the facilities at the College. It was quite wrong that he should be refused the use of the hall. Mr Jones said if the hall were let to one it would have to be let to all.

Mr Towns said it was a year since the earthquake, and nothing had been done to provide the district with a town hall. The mattei’ then lapsed.