LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23222, 16 December 1938, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Caretaker of Baths A total of 20 applications for the position of caretaker at the Hobson Street tepid swimming baths was received by the City Council at a special meeting yesterday. The applications were referred to the Health Committee for consideration and a report. Civil Court Crowded An unusual number of members of the legal profession in Auckland was found in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. For an hour after the Court was opened the courtroom was crowded with solicitors, who largely outnumbered witnesses. The reason for this was the fact that it was to have been the last day of tlie year for defended civil actions. Altogether 212 cases wero called and only 10 were heard, so that further fixtures were made for Tuesday. The Court will then close until January 23. Mails from Britain

Heavy shipments of Christmas mails from Britain by air and sea routes will arrive at Auckland next week. In addition to a fairly small quantity of second-class mail and parcels which will reach Wellington to-day from London by the Rangitane, further shipments will arrive hero from Liverpool by the Durham on Thursday and from San Pedro by the Monterey next Friday, that by the Monterey totalling 1000 bags. Empire air mails are expected hero by the Awatea on Monday and the Orford next Friday.

School Holidays Begin All children attending primary, district high, technical and secondary schools will be on holiday as from this afternoon. Some of the secondary and technical schools have already broken up for the year and the others will hold their final ceremonies to-day. Children attending Stato primary and district high schools will not assemble again until February 1, while those going to the secondary schools under the control of tlio Auckland Grammar School Board will resume work on February 7. King's College boarders go back on this date and studies resume on February 8. Other schools commence again in the first week of February. Crippled Children

"It is my hope that the Takapuna Grammar School will increasingly bo able to provide some active help to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in the Wilson Home," said Mr. Iv. J. Dellow, headmaster of the Takapuna Grammar School, during the presentation of his report at the annual prizegiving last night. Mr. Dellow took the opportunity to thank the girls of his school for the valuable help they had given the matron of the Wilson Home during the year, and also thanked the boys who had responded readily to all appeals made to them. "It is an increasing joy to us to be able to do these tilings for the crippled children," Mr. Dellow added.

City Accounts The balance-sheet and statement of accounts of tho City of Auckland for tho j-ear ended March 31, 1938, duly audited by the Controller and AuditorGeneral and certified to bo correct, were submitted by the city treasurer, Mr. T. W. M. Ash by, at a special meeting of the City Council yesterday. The documents were submitted for consideration and final settlement as required by regulations under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1933. Tho Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, said that it was a matter for congratulation of the treasury department that tlup balance-sheet had been returned without tags. The balance-sheet and statement of accounts were adopted.

Expediting Toll Calls In answer to inquiries made by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce at the request of the To Aroha chamber, tho Post and Telegraph Department has stated that next year better telephone communication will bo available between To Aroha and Auckland. While there will not be a direct line to obviate tho delay in calls, which have to go through either Morrinsville or Paeroa, the provision of additional highgrade carrier circuits between Hamilton and Auckland and a direct ThamesAuckland line will result in a better service. It w'as decided at a meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce yesterday to thank the department for the prompt investigations made.

Memories of Sir Algernon Thomas Many references to the death of the former chairman of the Grammar School Board, Sir Algernon Thomas, were made at the prize-giving yesterday. Special mention was made by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, at the Auckland Grammar School ceremony, of tho fact that he was present at tho Takapuna function last year when Sir Algernon stumbled and fell, causing a strain which was believed to have hastened his death. At that ceremony ho was discussing with Sir Algernon a new lily which being grown at Government House, His Excellency said. Sir Algernon, while still not really well, came to seo it next day, and he understood the last entry in his dairy recorded his visit to Government House and his interest in tho new lily. Lack of Reasoning Power

"If tho quality of work on the academic sido of tho school is to bo maintained, it is considered that tho standard of preparation of newentrants should be at a higher level," stated the headmistress, Miss A. L. Loudon, at tho annual prize-giving of the Epsom Girls' Grammar School last night. Far too many pupils, sho said, lacked not only the power of reasoning, but also the ability and the desire to work. This was due, undoubtedly, to the increasing tendency to make everything too easy and too entertaining for tho child. It was almost too late at the secondary stago to begin to inculcate habits of industry and concentration. Lack of powers of memory and concentration was appallingly evident to-day, and was largely responsible for a definite fall in the standard of attainment in tho schools and universities.

Effect of Epidemics The effect upon school life of the epidemics of measles and influenza which had been noticeable during tho year was described last night by tho headmaster of the Mount Albert Boys' Grammar School, Mr. F. W. Gamble, during tho prize-giving ceremony. Ho said that the year had been' remarkable for tho difficulties brought about by a particularly low average of attendance. In other years epidemics of sickness had been severe, but reasonably concentrated in point of time; once the affected period was over, it was possible to make up tho leeway of lost work with classes of normal strength, This year, however, the epidemics of measles and influenza had been spread well over two terms, and the continuously changing personnel of tho forms over so long a period had seriously hampered uniform progress in class studies.