FROM HASTINGS TO HASTINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19271, 8 September 1924, Page 8

FROM HASTINGS TO HASTINGS

A NEW ZEALAND FLAG. VISIT OF AIR J. R. KIRK. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON. July 30. At Hastings, a well-known seaside place on the Sussex Coast, a luncheon was tendered recently to Mr .J. R. Kirk in th? Town Hall. The chairman of the Education Council (Alderman R. W. Mitchell, M.A.,. J.P., and ex-Mayor of Hastings) presided, and aldermen and councillors. with leading educationists of the district, ■ attended to do honour to their guest from New Zealand. The Chairman explained that Mr Firk was a member of the body which controlled education In Hastings, New Zealand, and they had tendered him the luncheon with a view to marking how greatly they appreciated the flag which had been, sent to them from Hastings, and which, he declared, was the best attendance officer they had. The flag was competed for quarterly, and so great was the competition that the percentage of attendance at the 40 odd schools of Hastings was a very hig one indeed Coupled with the toast of the health of the guest of honour was tfye health of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board and pf Hastings, and in a most interesting address, punctuated with a number .of appropriate and witty stories, Mr Kirk gave gome interesting details of education and life generally in New Zealand, a-nd a picture of Hastings in •nartioulax. From what he had seen he was satisfied that the chairman’s description of the Uag was correct. It was wonderful, and had he Dot_ himself examined the percentages and visited the schools and spoken to the children about it he oould not possibly have imagined the striking and valuable work the flag was doing and the enthusiasm of the puyjls in regard to it. He promised to report upon the matter fully to the authorities in New Zealand.