Householders Of Hora Hora Protest At Biennial Meetings

Northern Advocate, 13 April 1944, Page 7

Householders Of Hora Hora Protest At Biennial Meetings

Resolving that meetings for the election of school committees should be held annually, a gathering of householders in the Hora Hora School, last night strongly protested against the holding of biennial meetings and decided to refer the question to the school committee.

The Mayor (Mr W. Jones) who presided stated that far more interest would be displayed in the school provided meetings were held annually. The question arose when Mrs W. Jones said that she was sorry to see that, more parents had not attended to hear the excellent reports which had been presented.

Expressing appreciation of the services of the headmaster (Mr W. D. Teesdale) and staff, the committee’s report, congratulated them on the capable and efficient manner in which the work of the school had bv;en carried out, and referred to the willing co-operation existing between the staff and the committee.

In connection with the grounds and buildings, the report stated that they had been kept in excellent condition, all necessary repairs having been made. The assembly- area and paths had recently been resurfaced. The Whangarei Borough Council,' the report stated, proposed to plant alternate pohutukawa and kowhai trees along the Te Mai boundary of Hora Hora park and the committee had arranged for the planting to be extended along the whole of the school frontage.

Warmest thanks were again title to the committee responsible for the administration of the dental service which continued to function smoothly, and efficiently.

Following a temporary discontinuance, the supply of free milk to the schools had been recommenced hi November of last year, and was much appreciated. The committee responsible was to lie congratulated on successfully re-establishing the scheme at the earliest possible opportunity. The Government had again arranged for a free supply of apples for a period of three months. Successful School Functions Successful functions had been bold in December of each year. Deservedly popular, the events continued to be well supported by parents. Thanks were also due to the women’s committee, .which bad made itself responsible for the afternoon arrangements. At the end of the financial period, the balance sheet revealed that the school was in credit to the extent of £ GO, while nearly £2O stood in the dental fund of the school. Finances of the social committee .showed that the social fund, which had been inactive for the past two years, stood at £7l : . A vote of thanks was accorded ihe president (Mrs. H. B. Bees ton; for supervising tlie activities of the social committee during parents' days. The school committee’s representative on the Whangarei Schools Dental Committee (Mr. R. W. Parker) stated that the Government had now decided to provide new clinics for schools. Applications from the three main Whangarei schools had already been lodged, although the present system of setting aside a room within the school itself for use as a clinic had proved quite satisfactory even if it did not find favour with the Health Department. Milk in Schools At present 2040 half-pints of milk were being consumed by Whangarei school children each day, stated the committee's delegate to the Milk-in-Schools Committee (Mr. .1. G. Draper). Borough schools were now taking a greater quantity of milk each day than previously, when the scheme had been in operation. The service by the contractors and the quality of miik was all that could he desired. Since the last biennial meeting, the roll, hac! remained steady at about 220 to 230, stated the headmaster. The present roll of 255 was well-above the number required to maintain the existing grade of the school. The health of the children, as reflected in the good attendance, had generally been high. Digging for Victory Mr. Teesdale thanked the committee for the interest it had always displayed in all questions relating to the grounds and buildings. As a section of the "Dig for Victory” campaign instituted by the Auckland Education Board, the school had cultivated about 'one-fifth of an acre of the unused portion of the playground. The output had been sold to the Whangarei Hospital and local residents, the net proceeds, amounting to £2l, being handed to the school committee to augment funds.

The school was much indebted to the Borough Council for the free use of the swimming baths and domain, the headmaster said. It was hard to estimate the value of a public domain such as that now in use, and adjoining the school grounds. Recommending householders to give the local schools’ dental clinic service their careful attention and support, he emphasised the fact that the regular care of children’s teeth was a very urgent question. He would like to see the service extended to secondary and intermediate schools.

The school banking service, inaugurated six to eight years ago, was still being used by a large number of scholars, between £IOO and £l5O being banked for the children each year.

Congratulatory speeches on the headmaster’s report,- together with expressions of appreciation of his find the staff’s services were made by several speakers, and a vote of thanks was carried unanimously. Election of a committee resulted: Chairman, Mr. J. G. Draper: secretary-treas-urer, Mr. E. Mogford; committee, Messrs. R. Harris, R. D. Lawrence R. W. Parker, F. Cameron, and A. Dickens; delegate to Milk-in-Schools Committee, Mr. J. G. Draper; delegates to Central Clinic Committee, Messrs. R. W. Parker and R. D. Lawrence. With the exception of Mr. Harris, who replaces Mr. ,T. A. Leatherby, at present on active service, the committee comprises sitting members.

Shot.—A German, Otto Riep, and a Corsican lieutenant,. Xavier Santucci, and two internment camp officials, sentenced to death at the recent torture trial at Algiers, were shot at dawn yesterday, reports Reuter’s Algierr’s correspondent.