Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1915, Page 6

At the meeting of Island Bay householders last night the sum of £2 15s was raised towards the cost of a new flagpole "to honour our boys at the front by flying the school flag on special occasions." Saturday half-holiday advocates, through the executive of their association, met, last evening. It was unanimously resolved to resist to the utmost any attempt to introduce legislation to deprive the people of the right to decide by public vote the day to be observed for the statutory half-holiday, seeing that the burgesses of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin had decided by public vote to observe -a half-holiday 'on Saturday. There was a. marked contrast between this year's and last year's meetings of householders in the Te Aro and Mitchelltown district. Last year bo many attended that St. Peter's Schoolroom was hardly large enough to accommodate them, and it -was just on midnight before the result of the election, in which there were over twenty candidates, was announced. The attendance at last night's meeting, which was held in the Willis-street Schoolroom, was compara. tively small, about forty people being present, and there were only seven candidates for seats on the committee. As nine were required, the Education Board will have to appoint two' householders to make up the full number. A satisfactory report and balancesheet is to be presented to members of the Wairarapa and East Coast P. and A Association. It is admitted that "the critical period through which the Empire was passing, and which has confronted it since last August, was > in some measure responsible for the falling off of receipts, though the reduced expenditure has assisted in maintaining the past satisfactory position of the society." The ploughing match held at Martinborough was a great success, but the committee questions the' advisableness of holding a match during this year. The question of a contribution to the Allies and Belgian Funds will be considered at the annual meeting of the society. > Amendments to the Noxious Weeds Act during the coming session of Parliament aro awaited by farmers with interest, particularly as regards the Californian thistle. At the provincial conference of the Farmers' Union to be held at Pahiatua on 19th May remits will be ■ considered bearing on the subject. One reads that' "the Act, so far as Californian thistle is concerned, should be suspended in regard to grazing land, and that in agricultural districts i the Act should be administered with discretion, the council being of opinion that the Act should be strictly enforced with regard to blackberry, sweetbriar, and rag' wort, especially with regard to blackberry growing in town and country gardens." Another, " That the compulsory clause in the Noxious Weeds Act to the cutting of the Californian thistle be deleted," and a third, "That the Government be asked to have the Noxious Weeds Act fully enforced over the whole district." Keen and lengthy discussion followed the reading of a letter from the Pahiatua District High School Committee at the meeting at Northland last night. The Pahiatua Committee considered that the present method of medical examination of school children was in some way* unsatisfactory, and ideas for improvement were sought. The discussion was finally closed by the carrying of the following motion :— "This meeting, while being strongly in favour of medical ex animation of school children, protests against the present unsatisfactory manner of carrying out such examinations, and demands that the Education Department should see that examinations in future should be carried out in privato with a lady teacher, or mother, present at the examinations of girls." According to many who spoke, one of the most unsatisfactory features , of the present method is that those children who are not physically sound are liable to the taunts of those who "pass the doctor." Interesting side-lights on campaigning expenees were thrown by Mr H. Seaton, chairman of the Wednesday Half-holiday League, Which met last evening. Three canvassers and a secretaryiwerc employed in the Wednesday half-holiday interests; 20,000 small bills had. been distributed to shopkeepers,, and in addition 400 cards, 1000 placards, and 10,000 large bills had been sent out, and £60 or £70 had been spent in ' advertising in the newspapers. By an examination of the polling figures, it had been indicated that the working man, instead of being agajnst the Wednesday half-holiday, had voted for it in nearly all cases where the locality was a working man's district. At wharfshrd "U,"' for instance, the voting for Wednesday had been very much in the preponderance. Where the other side had polled heavily was at Wadestown, Karori, and Hataitai. 'Excepting the committee, the apathy of the shopkeepers had been astonishing. The legality of Saturday , advocates in distributing cards on the day of the poll was called into question, and the Chairman stated that the opinion of Mr T. F , Martin, the well-known authority on municipal law, was to the effect that distributing c.irds showing how to vote on the day of the poll rendered those who did so liable to a fine of £20, but he did not think that this would upset the poll. " There is a growing feeling that the school is too much cut off from the everyday life of the community," 6aid Mr H. * A. Parkinson, headmaster of Newtown School, when speaking last night of the Education Act, and tho provision for subsidising £ for £ donations towards school work. There was a growing feeling, he continued, that the school should be made an integral part of everyday life. The school should be the local centre 'of intellectual and social activity; a place where, not only were children educated, but the young men and women met in bheir respective clubs, where farmers and citizens generally met to discuss various questions. This development had 'been advocated by the late Inspector-General, and to his mind was a fine ideal. With the encouragement of donations and local effort by subsidy they might make considerable advances towards the attainment of this ideal. For instance, the new provision brought within view, if not within the range of practical politics, the possibility of having a swimming, ' bath at the school, not, of course, for the use of scholars exclusively. The school grounds might be used as courts for local tennis clubs, or for drill grounds for the senior cadets. This centralising of local activities in the school was no new thing. It was done in other parts of the world, and should be possible here. They might moke the grounds very attractive at Newtown when an opportune time came for handing round the hat. The object of education vras training for good citizenship, but a great many young people •had very little interest tiiken i» them from the time they left school till they became entitled to vote, when some of them were not very well fitted for that task. By extending tho usefulness of the school they would do something to benefit both citizens and school. To-morrow is Remnant Day at Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. The firm announces\ it as happening but once a month, co ladies will do well to turn to the announcement and profit by it.— Advt. W«irra shirting keeps colds away. Ceylonese, from 2s lid up ; wool and cotton, from 2s 6d to 8s 6dj pure wool at 10s 6d. George Fowlds, Ltd,, Man-aer6-»treet.— Advt.