Condensed Correspondence.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 98, 26 April 1895, Page 4

Condensed Correspondence.

"Ratepayer" considers the purchase of the Hobßon-Btreet property would be a gross waste of pnblio money. He approves of a recreation ground, but wants a good one. The Hobson-street property iB too small and ba9 no view. The price also is too high. A better site, not only for Thorndon but for the whole city, wonld be Upland Farm, of 130 aoros, which could be obtained for little more than the three acres in Hobson-street. Part could be sold for building pnrpoßos. Easily approaohed, and with good view of harbour and Heads, it would be a splendid recreation ground, and it is almost a duty for the City Council to buy it. "A Resident" complains that no report or statement of accounts was prepared by the retiring school committee at Khandallah. Mcmberß who wero present at the annnal meeting oould give no information, as tho whole business has been managed by one or two. Some of the members refnsed reelection on this ground, and only consented to stand again because no one else would do so. During the year a minstrel troupe gave an entertainment, said to have realised £14, but householders have not been informed how this was spent The annual meeting was carried out in an unsatisfactory and unbusinesslike manner. " Eyes Right sends us a v;>ry long letter objecting to Mr. JJe Hoy's services being dispensed with as teacher of calisthenics. If the Education Board wishes to retrench it should do so in other directions. When a new sohool is asked for, a deputation of the Board and tho arohiteot go to the place, at considerable) cost, to fix tho t-ito. Then special plans are prepared in each case. The fees paid to the architeot are very heavy. When Mr. Fisher was Minister of Education he found the architects' fees in Wellington were £700 or £800 a year, and similar charges elsewhere. He suggested that the Public Works Department should preparo a set of standard plans for schools of different sizes, instead of having separate plans for every school. Unfortunately Mr. Fisher went out of office before this was done. It is as unreasonable to expect the teachers to give instruction in calisthenics as it would be to ask them to teach religion "Freetrader" objects to uniform school books. Vnriety is desirable It is not desirable that all children in the Government schools should have the same circle of knowledge, so that they ennnot loam anything from each other. This produces a dull monotony of character, snch as Dickens observed produced by a like cause in the United States. Sir Robert Stout, himßolf an old teacher, remarked this also, after a tonr of inspection of onr schools some years ago. Tho evil would be intensified by insisting that all shall be turned out of the same machine. " Sumpter " admits the importanoe of the frozen meat trade and Mr. Nathan's and Mr. Orbell's schemes, but what about meat for our own consumption ? Iho quality of meat supplied to local consumers is veiy bad, and the nocossity for rigid inspection was proved by recent Court proceedings. Health and hni.au life are of at least as much importance as the profits of freezing.