LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 127, 11 March 1936, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE. (From the “Guardian,, Mar. 11, 1886). School Committee Meets.—The Ashburton Borough School Committee met laslt evening. Present were Messrs R. Friedlander (chairman), E. Dimant, A. Craighead, J. C. Duncan and W. J. Silcock. Mr W. J. Steward wrote resigning his seat on the committee as he had moved outside the school district.. Some discussion took, place with reference to filling the vacancy and it was ultimately decided to ask Mr William Craighead to consent to become a member of the committee. Mr Silcock moved that the Board of Education be recommended to dismiss any teacher who did not bring his pupils, who had attended school for a certain number of times up to a standard of 75 per cent. Mr Silcock expressed his conviction that the teachers in the Ashburton School were less efficient than elsewhere in Canterbury. He considered that it should be made compulsory for teachers to obtain a certain percentage of passes, failing which they should be dismissed. With two exceptions it had been - nearly two years since any pupils had passed the sixth standard. After discussion the motion was put to the .meeting and lost. Dawn of Peace Lodge.—The weekly meeting of the Dawn of Peace Lodge, 1.0iG.T., was held in the club room, Oddfellows Hall, on Tuesday. There was a very large attendance of members and visitors. Mr G. W. Andrews read a paper on “Depression” which was listened to with interest. The discussion on the paper was -postponed till the next ordinary meeting of the lodge. It was resolved to take steps to restore the Unity of Degree Temple, and a committee was appointed to fix time and plaeg for the opening of the Temple. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. (From the “Guardian,” Mar. 11, 1911). Banquet to Mr John Grigg.—The banquet tendered to Mr John Grigg, who leaves at the end of the month for an extended trip to England and the Continent, was held last night at the. Commercial Hotel, and was one of the most representative gatherings ever held in Ashburton. The chair was taken by Mr John Lambie (chairman of the County Council) and the vicechair by his Worship the Mayor (Mr H. Davis). Mr Grigg occupied a seat on the right of the chairman, and on the chairman’s left was the Hon. T. Mackenzie (Minister for Agriculture). Sitting at the guests’ table were also Mr W. Nosworthy, M.P., Mr C. A. C.

Hardy, M.P., Mr 0. J. Harper (actingchairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board) and- Mr Hugo Friedlander (chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board). Greenstreet Post Office.—For several years Mr W. W. White, Registrar, has been endeavouring to induce the Postal Department to improve the postal facilities in the Greenstreet and surrounding districts,, mainly in view of the alteration in the electoral boundaries. Under date March 9, Mr White has received a letter from the Chief Postmaster, Christchurch, advising him that a post office is to be opened at Digby’s Bridge under the name of Ouihi at an early, date, and that Mr John Mclntyre is to be .appointed postmaster. The opening of this post office will certainly prove very convenient for the residents in the locality, and Mr White’s efforts in inducing the head office to improve postal facilities will be appreciated by the people interested.