The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1889. School Buildings.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3242, 28 June 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1889. School Buildings.

Formerly, when the annual vote for school buildings was taken out of id loan, ample meaus were available for constructing all necessary school „ houses and teachers'residences, but 3 ' now that it has been decided that provision for these structures must cpme out of the ordinary revenue of ][ the colony, there ie a serious contraoB ; tion m the annual grant, and ij Education Boards' are in many instances placed in a dilemma. Last year a sum of L 30.000 was voted for these buildings throughout the whole id colony, but the entire vote was not expended, and.. this year it is .cut down to L 25.000. This may seem a m large sum, but divided between the various Boards it amounts to very "> little, The share of the Wairarapa district, for example, would be con- ■ sid'erably less than a thousand pounds, and such an amount is altogether E insufficient for complying with the demands made by new .outlying districts for school accommodation, " as well as for the requirements - incidental to rapidly growing populations in some 'of our larger centres. ' In the supply of school accommodation 11 the colony is very imequally served.In some districts Education Bpffds inherited from wealthy provincial jj predecessors valuable structures, built .„ with permanent materials, whereas n in others the unfortunate Boards n merely took over a few rough shelter 10 sheds, which were all but-worthless. (1 Under a'central, system the present 0 proposed parliamentary y.qte of, ■ L 26.000 would, go a long way in supplying really urgent needs in those ; parts of .the colony which, are most i deficient jn. B.ohopl buildings, but ; ,_ upder Jhe Board system thp grant is : iO parcelled out amongst fiph and poor, ■ the consepopce being, that much pf : ■ it is wasted, However, tlie. chance-j of a central or national system of D education being established is a. poor , . one. Local,feeling, especially in the ) Middle' Island, is against a system ' . under" which a single Board might j , intelligently and impartially adiniuis- , \ tertheElnflationActandputßohools ] ,t and teachers throiigho.ut the. colony •■ it on one common, 'footing, . ( y system would undoubtedly be attended j f by increased effiqiency.and e'conomyi i * butpubftooninionisasyetunripefor j such a change,' Th}s>ping;^e;,c> : se, j .-, the Wellington Edupatiofißbfedjs -, to'dfiyjsecheap biddings' ;

*o tliat its share of the L25,00(J ma) to go as far as possible. : Oi in putting :up buildings .on a amallei scale: and with inferior materials, bui tbe Board haa -no - alternative; but tc adopt the ■;" clidap and nasty' prinoiplo in its future arobitoctufai efforts. It is quite understood tha the Education Act, which really does need revision, is not- to be. touoliet this sessiom Boards and solioo committees will in: many instance! oarry out their raajf onsibi lilies undei somewhat .unsatisfactory conditions but the dissatisfaction which, thei. irapecuniosity will generate may servi a good purpose if ; it: awakens tin publio mind; to the fact that a bette: and more economical system is praoticable.