COUNTRY TOUR.

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1922, Page 2

COUNTRY TOUR.

OF MINISTERIAL PARTY. WESTPORT, June 2. The Minister of Health and Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, and his private secretary, Mr P. S. Dcavoll, left Westport by ear al 5.30 on Thursday morning on an official visit to the schools in the country districts, and also the Denniston Hospital. They were accompanied by Mr 11. E. Holland, M.P., Hon. W. Mclntyre, M.L.C., Mr Caldwell (chairman Buller Hospital aud Charitable Aid Board), Secretary Maitland, Mi - s C. Patterson (lady member 11. and C.A. Board), Mr W. E. Spencer, officer iu charge school buildings), Mr F. W. O. Smith (chairman Nelson Education Board), Mr Pitcaithly (Inspector of Schools), Mr A. 11. Leypcr (: rchiteet), Air A. J. Thornton (secretary Nelson Education Board), ami the correspondent of the “Grey River .Argus. ’ ’ The party arrived at Grauity at 10.30 and made an inspection of the school. A deputation from the School Committee asking the Minister for a grant to extend and improve the playground. He released it was necessary and promised to assist. On completing the visit to Grauity the party proceeded up the hill to Millerton. The scenery en route was greatly admired by the visitors. Arriving at the school ground the party proceeded to make an inspection of the building, during the course of which the Minister, speaking to the children, told them how fortunate they were in having such a lot of beautiful fresh air! ■He was pleased to find them living in such a tine healthy place. In large cities the schools were overcrowded and stuffy, ami the children in some cases were packed like sardines. There they hail a nice ojien playground, 1000 feet above sea level, with a beautiful view of Hie great Pacific Ocean. It should be inspiring and produce a poetic turn of mind. He reminded them that a smaller school than theirs had jiroduced one of the world’s greatest scientists ■ —S : r Ernest Rutherford. They should try to emulate his example. If they | wished for good things, I hey should re.main at school and gain all tho knowledge thoy possibly could. The Minister granted the school a holiday on account of the King’s Birthday. He jocularly asked all those who were in favour of the King’s Birthday being kept up on the Monday to hold up their right hand. Needless to state the decision was a unanimous one, ami called forth expressions of delight, on th(' countenances of the little children. At theconclusion of the Minister’s address, the party were served with a most enjoyable morning; tea provided by Airs Gapper ami others associated with {school work on the hill. Members of Hi'. 1 School ('omni it tee interviewed the lion. Mr Parr aud made a request for, the establishment of a manual training school at Alillcrton. They pointe'! to the isolation of the locality ami the .disabilities the- school children were luIbouring under. The Coal Company w: s j willing to subscribe £2OO ami Stockton lalso would help. The Minister promised to look into the plans that had already been drawn up, ami possibly with a niodilivation of same, something might be done. On Icax’ing ATilierton for Stockton, the school children assembled in the play ground, ami as the p’ rly rode off gave three cheers for the Minister and sang ‘‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’’ At Stockton School, a depiitatiou interviewed the Minister aud asked him to make an extension to the | school. There was only one room ami I the number on the roll Was .>•>. Tin 4 | population from now on would be a I stable one. Two years ago there were ’ only five pupils, and tho attendance | from now on would increase, it was , j impossible for the children 1o transfer J Ito the Alillcrton School on account of J the climatic conditions —fog ami rain. iThe distance also militated against it. In reply to a question put by the Minister an underviewer in the Stockton Mine said that there was 50 years of coal in sight. A note of the require i moots w: s taken for further considcraitlon on return to the Empire City. | Before leaving to partake of luiicli’bon ; the Hon. Air Parr addressed the chil[dren, and in the course of his speech reminded them that without education la boy <>(’ n girl could get nowhere. I He urged them to obtain all the knowledge they could to fit themselves for | good work when they left school. He (reminded them of the fact that the King’s Birthday fell on a Saturday and wondered how the holiday difficulty was to be got over. At this juncture a hand shot up into the air. Impiiring j from the young boy as to how he had J solved the problem, the reply came’ (“Have it on Monday!’’ “That’s a 'smart boy,’’ said the Alinistcr. “He ll rise to great heights’ Y'ou want to watch him, teacher!’’ After the laughter at this little bit of irony lied subsided, the party moved on to luncheon. About 1 p.m. they left for Denniston and while on the assent greatly admired the magnificent sea view from the mouii tain side. On reaching the summit the party drove through to Burnett’s Face School where the children were lined up outside waiting to receive \the Afblister. On entering the school room one of the senior pupils read the following little address of welcome:— • “On behalf of the school children of Burnett’s Face I give you a hearty welcome to our school. i “We feel honoured by having a Alia- I ister of the Crown pay a visit to us. “We hope your visit will prove profitable to us and to you. We are only children but we honour those who are doing their best to make the schools happier and brighter places and the lessons more suitable and profitable. “We think you for your interest in us and hope that you will not forget the boys and girls of Burnett’s Face.”

The Minister replied making a similar speech to those delivered at Alillerton and Stockton. From here the party left to make an inspection of the Denniston School. Deputations from tho foregoing schools were received and requirements obviously urgent, were granted, Denniston School is to receive further heating apparatus, and get a grant towards tho improvement of the playground. Tho deputation promised the Alinistcr to form a working bee ami turn the grant to good purpose. Air Thomas, wlio was spokesman for the committee, pointed to the isolation of Denniston and asked the Minister to consider making a concession in the car fare for children going in to attend the Westport School. He quoted the expense of travelling and the cost of lodging, and said it was quite beyond the working man’s pocket. He thought Denniston children should have the same facilities as those living on tho flat. In reply to the Minister he said it would cost the department 3, G per day car fare for each child. The Minister said ]»resent finance would not. stand it. Air Thomas asked : s an ‘alternative that a qualified teacher be sent to Deuniston to teach the higher subject. The Alinistcr said this could only be done if then- were 18 or 20 pupils requiring it. Air Holland said the solution of the problem for all the country districts in this respect, was the establishment of a State hostel at Westport. This was desirable and necessary now that the Technical High School had been established. The Minister concurred. On the withdrawal of the deputation the party motored to the Denniston. Hospital where a dainty afternoon tea. awaited them. Following upon this an inspection of the building was m:u!.\ after which the Ministerial p'rfy and; Dr 'Wylie received a deputation from | the Denniston Hospital Committee. In j the first place the dejuitation wished to ascertain the status of the Denniston Hospital. Dr Wylie explained that it was a “cottage’’ hospital. The deputation then said their trouble w: s finance. Last year the hospital found it- ; self three or four hundred pounds in I debt. Th? deputation gave a full and] detailed account of how the institu i tion was run, the lexica and taxes they paid to support it, and told how chang' ing conditions had : dversely affected the efficient control of tho institution. The Minister was sympathetic, and promised the men if they would forward their balance-sheet along with other j statements required he would go care fully into the matter with Dr Wylie aud see if some relief could not be given, lie was of tin 1 opinion that for the size of the institution the staff was not numerically strong enough. He also suggested that, the Denniston Committee should purch: se its medi'-al requirements from the district hospital or defence medical stores to save expense, they were 20 or 30 per cent, cheaper, than from the retail places. He could not entertain the suggestion that they should go in for a district hospital of their own; if they did, they would go bankrupt. Other phases of hospital upkeep, niaiiaguiiiont and control, vital to both the Denniston institution and th-? Buller District Hospital were discussed aud to these the lion. Mr Parr would give no expression of opinion until going further into them with Dr Wylie. All- Caldwell ami Mrs Patteison stood to the interests of the Westport Hospital, and their explanation of the situation as it affected local administration, should bear weight when the final issue of the whole subject comes from headquarters in Wellington. Mr 11. E. Ilollaml stressed the advisability of na tional control of the medical profession. This to obviate all difficulties, ami serve the most efficient ends. Air Caldwell asked the Minister to supply the district with a motor ambulance. The one already in possession was obsolete. The Minister said ho would see they got an ambulance that would climb up Denniston Hill! This should serve the needs of the district. The subject of the retention of the district nurse at Westport was also discussed. Th-e Hon. Air Parr said the Government could not continue to pay the services of a nurse where the district already had facilities for maternity cases. 11c thought Westport was lacking in this respect and promised to subsidise the nurse’s .-alary up to approximately 10/- in the £. Under these conditions, the district I nurse would come under the control of the Buller Hospital. Board. Business at Denniston having been complet-| ed, the party left the bill on return journev to Westport, reaching town at about 5.15 p.m. It was a long ami! somewhat strenuous day for the party, ' and the day was not as pleasant as it might have been on. account of the hurricane wind that blew ami the snowy chilliness of the atmosphere on ' the mountain tops. Everywhere, how- i ever, warm bright tires were in the i hearth, and this helped to make the i short stays at the various schools much more pleasant than they otherwise I would have been. The country tour at an end, the lion. Mr Parr and Dr Wylie attended 1 lie annual meeting of the Pluuket Society, held in the Town Hall at Westport., and afterwards proceeded to the W.E.A. English literature lecture, given by the Uev. Alee Miller, M.A., in the local Library. At both places the Minister delighted his audience with interesting and appropriate addresses. The party left on the return journey for Wellington on Friday morning at 6 a.m., via Nelson.