GENERAL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19803, 31 May 1926, Page 11

GENERAL NEWS.

The John M’Glashan College Board , o Governors met on Friday afternoon in Firs 1 Church Hall. The Rev. J. Kilpatrick wai in the chair and welcomed to the meeting the Rev. John Walker,, of _ Ballarat, wm is at present visiting Dunedin. Mr Walk® has promised to visit the school when i re-opens on Tuesday next. Mr Garay (tin principal), reported that school broke ui for term holidays_ on Wednesday, May as and on that evening Mrs F. R. Riley hat presented the sports prizes to the boys whc had been successful at the annual sporti meeting, T. C. Sutherland winning th« senior challenge cup (presented by Mr C G. White), and Stevenson and Neato (ty ing for the junior cup (presented by Mr A M. Sidey). During the. evening the schdo choir, trained by Mr Holme, sang thret folk-songs, and Sir R S. M. Sinclair ren dercd several ’ songs accompanied by Di Galway at’ the piano. During the term I Debating "Society was formed at the school, in which the boys were keenly interested A barracks was held at the school front May 5 to May 7 inclusive, and good worl was done at it. The Old Collegians Association. will hold its annual reunion or June 3 and 4, commencing with a footbal match against the school fifteen on Bishops court grounds on the afternoon of the King’s Birthday. / The weekly meeting of the Hope ol Dunedin Lodge, 1.0.G.T. was held in the Labour Party’s club. room. Princes street last Wednesday, Brother E. Wilson, 0, Templar, presiding. , One new member wai initiated into the order. _ The ■ following officers were .elected for this termU.T., Bro Wilson; V.T., Sister Tall; Cfcm Sister M‘Kay; P.C.T., Brother ' South] D. Marsh, Sister Winton; F Secretary, Bro. Wintdn; Treasurer, Bro. Gore; Secretary. Bro. Williams; Sent, Bro. Churchill Guard, Bro C. South. ■ . The monthly executive meeting of tin Roslyn and Kaikorai Ratepayers’ Associa tion, which was held at the week-end. wai attended by Messrs P. L. Ritchie (presi dent), J. Hunter, J. Wilson, J. Hood, P MTntyre, W. Sinclair, R. S. M. Sipclan (hon'solicitor), and R. C. Haigh ffion secre tary). Several letters were received front the town clerk in Answer to representation made by the association. Satisfaction wai expressed at the receipt of information tha provision had been made in the presen' year’s allocations for the construction .o kerbing and channelling for a length o 27 chains on the Kaikorai Valley road This amounted to about half the' distano between Falcon street and Stone' street. I was the council’s intention to provide i further substantial sum in next- year’s osti mates to complete the work. A request, wai forwarded to the City Council Wk improyet channelling, kerbing, and footpath in High gate between the Roslyn Post , Offici and- the' Maori Hill boundary. The Execu tive was awaiting the receipt of a copyjp: the present years allocations for the,-dis trict, and it was anticipated that substantia improvements would be provided tor, -.A letter from the district engineer of tiie.Posi and Telegraph Department expressed regrc that the establishment of a. public tele phone box at Wakari could not be reoom mended,' ai such a service could be , only at a loss of 10s per week to the de pertinent. It was considered tbat an anopi aly existed in regard to the-matter.- Wakar residents being called*on to pay a fee' con siderablv in advance of that charged-ai the public telephones in the Kaikorai. Th< Tramways Committee of the City Connci granted authority to arrange for a trial ,rm service on three day? a week from -th< Octagon to Wakari. -'■■■ “ GOD ONLY KNOWS WHERE I” TO THE EDITOR.S«,—Your interesting article with its wall timed optimism on the trend of educator is more t atisfying. than the unfortunate ae deration made by Mr J. A. Colquhoun that “Wo are going somewhere, but VxOd pmj knows where,” It is ragrettable that a hjosi remark such as that should go forth tron the official head of a Teachers’ Association at a time when we have only jnsfc parted witx perhaps the most energetic and progessiyi Minister of Education New Zealand has avei had. There was no wavering or doubt abow Sir C. J. Parr. He knew what hie objertivi was, and had the driving force to reaSh tw desired goal. , ’ Unfortunately, while the teachers cower ences were being held in Wellington, tlw Director of Education was absent. _ 1« Assistant Director of' Education (Dr Manden) was apparently somewhat diffident aboul committing the department to any drfwt* policy, and he, showed lamentable weafcneei in dealing with the subject of jumor higt schools. -Nor did thePrimeMmirter die play any but a superficial knowledge os educational matters. ' ,• Mr R. A. Wright, in his first public epaecl as Minister of Education, showed rather ar excess of caution and'modesty. We look foi a lead from tho Minister of Education, and from the acting bead of the _. Mr J. A. Colquhoun s address shows that his opening remarks did ' not Jo justice, t< Kim. He has very clear and definite views as to the trpnd of education, and agrees thal —(1) The children of this country should begin their post-primary education at ar earlier age; and that (2) the curricula of ow secondary schools should be widened. Furthermore, he says, “I, am ajstrongbeliever in manual training; for boys-thoM going to professions as well as thoae B oll *® for trades, but I think the problem ol -‘white collar’ education is an economic problem and not an educational one. In this country the prizes are at the selling end, and so long as we have this we shall have a large percentage of our boys prepanng toi this end, whatever our education system. There is a greater chance of economic success in selling ‘rags’ or motor cars ttian in manufacturing kitchen ranges or making butter • This problem, then, is one for tm statesman and is outside my , Again, he said: “I believe in education, and think that it is a good training not only for the prospective but also for the commercial man seemg that so much of our commerce deals, with oui primary products; but every improvement u machinery for agriculture means that lew labourers are required on the land, Ibi« improvement in machinery has far out distanced the greater subdivision of land w that it follows as a corollary, that Iheiv will be a drift - towards the cities as civilisation advances. Those who are trying tt stop this by educational means are trying tt make the water of Niagara, run up hill b] praying on the shore.” , , . Mr Colquhoun is therefore a good deal il accord with the trend of education, though like myself, he has his doubts as whethei parents can bo induced to put Aheir childm to trades while there is a better chance os economic success in business and in ,tni professions. I am, etc., TBACHJta .