NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 11, 13 July 1931, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Rotorua Blue Batlis. Tlio Mayor of Hotor.ua, Mr. T. Jackson, who has just returned to ltotorua from Wellington, states■ thathe interviewed Uio Hon. P. A. dc la Pcrrotlu, Minister in Charge- of Tourist llesorts. who assured him that it was tho iutoiition of tlio Cabiuot to complotu tho construction of tlio BJuo Baths accordins; to -the original plan (states n local correspondent). The juvenile portion will bo completed first, and tho larger bath will bo built and completed as funds aro available. Attendance now "Requested." An ■effect of the-eluuigc in tho constitution of tho territorial force from compulsory tto volunteer is tho altered tomi of llio parade -.notices (statoa tho "Now Zealand Herald"). Previously the soldier was '-'warned", to attend a pnvado'and nine out of• ten had n.postscript intimating that absoneo would entail' prosocution. Nowadays, the trainco.is "informod" that a parade will bo hold and the postscript is "a full attendance is requested." . . Course for Brigade Majors. , Brigade majors representing the Northern, Cojitral, und Southern Commands tire attending a course of instruction which commenced at Trontham to-day and will concludo on Friday. This is the first occasion, on which brigade majors have met for such a purpose. Those in attendance are Majors E. Puttick (Auckland Infantry Brigade), H. Bell (Auckland Mounted Brigade), L. Potter (Wellington Mounted Brigade), A. E. Conway (Wellington. Infantry Brigade), D. E. Bremnor, M.C. (Southern Command Mounted Brigade), O. H. Moad, D.5.0.. (Southern Command - Infantry Brigade). ■ Captains L. W. -Andrews} V.0., and W. Q. Gentry, both of.the Central Command,''arc also present. Maoris to Co-operate. . Tho Maoris are to co-operate in tho beautifying schemes ■■ at Itotorua, ~Thc secretary of ■'. .the Beautifying, Society, Mr. L. G. Asliton, attended.by invita-: tion a meetingof tho. ciders o"f'the Whakarowardwa. Native village to explain the objects' of the society and invite tho co-operation of tho people of Whakarewarowa, Mr. Ashton's. .ad-' dress, ; ,whjch! was interpreted, ,;was listened r t6\vith Sympathetic attention by Mita Taupopoki.aud othoi* representative; members ;of' tho community.' The cliiof oxjtrossGjl:-his pooplo's'-.apprecia-tion, of the society's invitation to do'operate,'.'ancl asked for a few days in ,'which to select tho personnel of the committoe which will represent Whakarejvarowa/'.o'a; tho society's- executive.1/ Students in,'"Training. ''■ .: , ; .Tho report,,of the- principal' of the Training Collqgoi \vliich ispublislind in tho; Education. Board's annual report, states/that.tho number of students in training for-the year 1930 was 247; which was made up as follows:—First year student's, 122; second year) 117; and third year, 4. There were. 192 women in training and 51 men. In 1929 tliero wero JB7 women aud 50 men on tho college roll. "The figures ■ submittedshow a similar small proportion'of men to women to that of last year1, an unfortunate situation which has been developing in the • college for some time, "says .tho : report. "The'disadvantages of such an undue prcpondoraneo of women lias been'pointed out in tho last two annual loports, but it seems impossible to make suggestions wheieby the Situation can bo impiovcd." Oral Expression in Schools. "Our.system is still dominated and cursed by preparation for a written oxaminati6n which lies, perhaps years ahead,"'states'tho report of inspectors of schools in tko^ Education Board's annual roport for 1930: The report stated that oral expression had not advanced to any appreciable degree in* the schools.. In only a few schools were consistent efforts made to induce the pupils to talk frcoly on 'any matter under discussion. Tho progress 'made in this respect in many infant departments was not continued in tho standard classes. There appeared too great a tendency to get tho .pupils to write rather than to speak. Yet in life, for which education ought to prepare, clear and correct oral expression was demanded ■infinitely oflcnor than written expression. Thero could bo no doubt that progress in uoarly every subject was griovously hampered by tho inability or unwillingness of tho pupils to discuss the subject niattor with" tho teacher. In fact, says-' the report, .it mightbo said that discussion as a factor in education hardly .exists in tho schools. Native Flora, for Auckland. Domain. A prize-winning collection of native trees and, shrubs-will bo planted by tho Auckland City Council within the next week.or two-near the Domain Drivo (states'tho. "Auckland Star"). Three years ago this collection ■ was awarded the Sir Gerald W. Loder Cup for {he best collection of New Zealand plants grown under garden conditions. The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture bought tho collection from tho New Plymouth firm which had raised it, and gave it to the Auckland City Council. Because o£ its variety the collection was ro.; cognised as one of great value, especially in view of tho scarcity of many of; tho trees around Auckland. • Since tho gift- was brought to Auckland it has been .kept in the glasshouses in the Domain, and some of tlio more advanced trees have reached the stage where it is'impossible to remain in pots any loiigci. A certain number of shrubby plants, including koromikos, have been 'set out in various parts of the Domain, but about- 300 plants remain; and an area about three chains long and a half chain wide has been prepared for them. To make room for the planting programme, two trees, an oak, 24"in in diameter,, and a macrocarpa with a trunk 20in through, as well as several phoenix palms, have been removed. Ambulance Service Appreciated. Tho superintendent of the Wellington Free Ambulance, Mr. I\ Bo'ffc, has received from the secretary of the Wellington. Trades and Labour Council (Mr. P. Cornwell) a letter convoying the following .resolution of appreciation,'of the ambulance service, carried at a. meeting of the Trades and Labour Council:—"That a letter be scut to the Free Ambulance Board expressing the very high appreciation of the Wellington Tl-adcs and Labour Council at the splendid, ambulanco service provided the citizens of this hospital district by the board, the able.and efficient manner in which the staff carries out its duties is' very gratifying to pur council, and we congratulate the board and the staff upon the remarkably successful progress accomplished by tho Wellington Freo Ambulance, and we fainccroly trust tlio work of the board will be fully maintained, and, if necessary, extended." • ' . Quarter of a Million Miles. At half past 8 this morning, the mileage entry of a machine returning to the Fko Ambulance station brought the total mileago covcrod since the service was inaugurafcedvoh 9th November, 1927, to 250,000 miles, an average of over oo'OO miles each month. The mileage during the fii'st years of service was well below this average, for the fleet \wis then nuii-li smaller than it, is today, and several classes of eases which aro now dealt with as p'.ut of the usual day's woik, for instance, maternity c.'ihcs, could not then bo liunhpoiled, •though the need jva-j full^ iccuyuised.