LOCAL GOSSIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16823, 13 April 1918, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP

BT 11ERCCTIO.

That the Education Department has granted nearly £1500 for the erection of two additional class-rooms to the Maungawhan school seems at first thought a matter of congratulation to (.lie residents of Mount Eden Borough. Rut when ouo reflects that there is not in Auckland a single primary school that fulfils the ideal requirements of a school building, lie is Jed to wonder whether, after a 1, it is wise to spend such larcp sums of money in making additions to buildings that even now are- admitted to be unsuitable. All intimately connected with educational matters complain that the classes in our primary schools are so large as to bo oppressive and unhygienic to teacher and taught, that so many children are massed together under one teacher that effective and healthy tuition is impossible. This being so, it necessarily follows, as a selfeTident corollary, that any expenditure that caters for such educationally u.iscund i and unsatisfactory conditions is really a | waste of public money. .

There ran be no doubt that in the near future the people will secure f>r their young children tuition and accommodation st least as satisfactory and sufficient as is now most inconsistently provided in the State secondary schools. The Education Act allows one teacher tor every 25 secondary pupils, while it permit* and requires one treble woman in a primary ichool, with the doubtful assistance of a pupil teacher, to receive in her class as many as 110 children; and this when it is indisputable that the younger the child the more individual attention it requires. It, therefore, seems morn than a pity that our Education, Board should continue to erect expensive buildings that wi.l soon be condemned a? unsuitable because the inevitable trend is towards smaller and open-air class-rooms. In the Auckland Province, at least, the open-air class-room is the only hygienic one, and it has the additional merit of being comparatively inexpensive. It is to be hoped that the authorities will make future additions to existing school buildings of as temporary and economical a nature as possible, so that when tho Education .Act provides full teaching power for our young children the expenditure necessary to provide small open-air classrooms will not be beyond the resources of the State. I

There was an impressive and touching scene at the King's College prize-giving gathering at the Town Hall concert chamber on Tuesday evening, which brought home with hideous reality what this war means to this one little community. Mr. Major, the headmaster, after presenting his report dealing with the work of the school during last year, proceeded to read a list of old King's College boys who have given their lives for their country. Alas, how long a list it proved to bel Nameafter name, many being of some of the oldest families in the city, came sadly from the lips of the speaker. He could scarcely utter them for the emotion that well-nigh robbed him of his self-control. And, while he read these names from the roll of honoured dead, men and women in his audience stood silent, and with heads bowed low, their eves dim with moisture. It was a reading, the solemnnity of which was borne in upon all who listened. And among those present were not a few who heard ottered in that list Jjje names of their own beloved sons. ]

_ It is difficult to find any practical value in tie proposals :nade by the Carpenters' Society regarding the question of increaaing the Dominions forces in the field, this body has se/ionslv advised the Goveminent to resign in "order to ascertain the wishes" of the electors regarding the war, New Zealand's part In it, the terms of peace, and various other matters following the ordinary course this resolution will probably go the rounds of kindred organisations, with a request for endorsement. With the greatest possible despatch, the " wishes" of the electors might be ascertained by the proposed method ill about two months, and in tho meantime what will Germany be doing! Are not the " wishes " of the electors "already known! With regard to the war, their tmly possible answer can be that it must be won, and that the terras of peace must preserve the liberty of action and freedom of thought which Germany seeks to destroy. If that aim is to be attained greater efforts must be made. Would the electors of New Zealand refuse to sanction measures for increasing the Dominion's efforts and reby for their own protection upon the sacrifices (of others?

The attitude of the electors upon questions relating to the conduct of the war to far as New Zealand is Concerned is not a matter for decision by the secret vote of the ballot-box. In this time of crisis it. is the duty of every person to proclaim his loyalty publicly. Organised bodies, such as the Society of Carpenters, offer an opportunity for such a fctraiphtforward expression of the " wishes " if the electors. Instead of passing resolutions, which have no real meaning, _ each of them might frankly set forth in positive terms its own attitude to the war. Will any of them affirm a weakening of resolution, a reading to accept a German peace, a willingness to deny to the armies .so sorelypressed the greatest help we- can give them!

The lot of the fruit-grower, although improving steadily with tho growth of cooperation and orgausation, is not yet as happy as it might be. that is, if" it is judged by tie position he hold* under the law. Recently a man who failed to spray three pear trees v.-as fined £7, whilst almost at the same time orchard looters, who rtolo £3 worth of peaches wero fined each.

{' all hotels were conducted on the same principles as one in the northern districts of Auckland, there would he less outcry than we bear from the prohibitionists about the enormities of the liquor traffic' This house has bc-n carried on for nearly forty years by a b?novelent eld gentleman, who constitutes himself the guardian of the good behaviour of the men of the district. He refuses to allow any person to We more than a limited quantity of nqnor, and has been known, when someone has surreptitiously been able to obtain ttor* than was good for his steadiness, » close his bar fur the rest of the day, V way of warning to other drinkers that *oey were vicariously responsible for the Km 1 ° f their "'"V' 111011 - !n another oackblocks place the licensee happen* to n »va been for many years on the commis £I °n of the peace. Hero again the publican makes himself a censor over the mcnls of his customers, bat in a rather a 'Berent way: Should any of them find ?wans to overstep the bounds of sobriety I! 18 nothing unusual for him to confine ™« offender in one of his outhouses, hand " Im over to the local constable, and when {" conies up for magisterial treatment, •0 sit on the bench and administer a "Uging fine.

There probably are many people in Auckland 'Tho do not fully appreciate tho W&rm of the view to be obtained from the summit of Mount Eden. The walk to ho top of the mountain is still a favourito .' one with many, but it is astonishing how "fcnv persons admit that they have never jNaei'Uken this quarter-hour feat during we past ten years or more. Soiuj, indeed, T he found who have not even onco •."■■■■; •Wveyed the beauties of the citv and liarsj»Wr from the edge of the eld crater. The ; wjrarban view has been greatly improved Curing recent years, that to the westward, Si comprising the fiat portion of tho exten--1.-■"?• Mount Eden borough and Edendale, Hffi «i!- Mount Albert and surroundings in }™ background, being now a specially fine ip-WMna, A few moro seats on the Bgpwwij especial*/ at the summit, wguld «W » its attractions.