SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2383, 26 August 1886, Page 2

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION.

From New Zealand Times. At yesterday's meeting of the'Educa*. tlon Board, the following Jetter,-tt'sted August" SJUt; was received froa .the) Secretary of the Masterton School Committee:— "Sir,—lam directed by tbo committee to acknowledge receipt of tha Board's memo, of tho 3&h ult., re tha site for a second school iu Masterton, and in reply thereto I am to convey the following resolution:—' That tho committee regret the unjußt and'evapive refusal of the Board to discuss a' question of vital importance to a large number of children in Masterteu.' aro also directed by the Chairman (Mr Soddington) ko advise tho .Board, that be desires his vote to be recorded against the above resolution." Mr Pfitersoi said be did not. thinly that ho was s very niea resolution to send to the Board Mi Blair, said it was not in accordance with the facts, Mr Butiuy Wd;.'thir same, thing would be found in an aaws in one- • of the Masterton papers of lastrwe'ek—a verv strong and unfairly-written article. Mr Buchanan supposed .thore was a cer- , tain amount of excuse to .be uial'e .for : trjo committee, only that they had overlooked tho fact that the Board had othof important necessities to consider. Mr Bunny said should not be^surErised if, presently, the fr local odios had to lind sites and build•ings too. Dr Newman . thought; the request of the committee .was a fairJona, since they offored to find ,a site : That I was more than the town schools did. Mr , Bunny pointed out that the Board wag already renting a building for a secoud school in the centre of Masterton. * Mr Beotham would bo only too glad if ha could recommend the Board to do this j but they had not got £7BO to spend on it. Mr Blair had not the least hesitation in saying that the Wellington district was worse off for sohools than any other district in the colony. He pointed to the necessity for increased accommodation in the city. Mr Young said it would not bo at all a bad idea to appoint a committee to inquire what accommodation they conld get in the city. It waa, becoming a vory serious nmfeaivmora serious every day. Mr B)iSpnarked that the great difficulty wasTs to tho funds. : Dr Newman said the. Premier announced to the House of Representatives lately that a certain quantity- of the education grant was to be kept over, for districts where the population was growing rapidly. He thought the Board could show that this district was growing rapidly, and in that way get a gmt. Ha thought they should an extra%llowance if they put statistics before the Government. Mr Buohanan agreed with this, and suggested bringing it before the Government at once. Mr Blair understood, then, that the Board disagreed with the sense of the Committee's resolution—they had not repudiated tha mat- •- - tor, and would bo glad to go on with it. V; if they had the funds. Mr Buchanan - suggested that the attention of the Committee should be directed to the very simple faob of the imposaibilily. of tho Board.supplying other moro urgent needa • in consequence of' want of- funds. Mr . Blair' replied that that would be eiv/; pressed. - : . -, later on It was decided on tho motion:; of Dr Newman that a deputation, con-"; aisting ef ther Chairman, '"■' and the merer, interview, thbjflmster of.'':' Education with a. view of buil- . ; ; ding grant in consequwioe of the great ; increase of the schools and 'scholars in the - 'district;- ..' '- ■' • ;' i ;' 1