GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1778, 19 December 1885, Page 14

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.

The breaking up ceremony in connection with the Giris' High School took place on Wednesday afternoon, when there was a large gathering of parents and friends of the scholars. Among the visitors present were the Hon. R. Stout, Hon. Captain Fraser, Hon. J. Bathgate, Hon. W. H. Reynolds, Mr J. Barnes (mayor), Revs. Dr Stuart, M'Kenzie Gibson, W. Bannerman, B. Lichtenstein, Sutherland (Kaikorai), R. Waddell, Professors Macgregor, Parker, and Mainwaring Brown, Messrs K. Ramsay, Murray, G. Bell, J. T. Maakerras, W. P. Street," and T. Moodie. The following is the prize-list : — ' SPECIAL.

G.H.S. Dux Association prize for arithmetic (open to the whole school) : Elizabeth X Gellatly. Mrs Thomson's prize for best herbarium : Jjillie M Lawson. Mrs Stout's prize : Barbara Watt. Mr M Moss' prize for progress in Sixth Form : I Lillie Macrae.

Mr James Wilkie's prize for progress: Amelia Massey. Shakespeare Club prize for reading : Elizabeth J Anderson and Florence E Baird (equal). Miss Dalrymple's "Victoria" prizes for punctuality, order, and diligence t Ethel Benjamin, Helen M'Neill, Mabel Salmond, Jennie Henderson, and Maggie J Chisholm, Miss Bathgate's house prizes forexcellent conduct. —Alice M, Borrie, Margaret W, Morton. ' music.

„ White's prizes. — Marion J. M'Kellar, 1 ; w"« A Granfc, 2 j Raohel Stewart, 3. Frances A. -kosere C. Begg and Co.'s prize: JeSe r Mo P r"on.-Dre^ a Wlto* V** . Lizsie Hewat.

ATHLETICS. , „ ,» .. Tennis.— Violet A. Turton, 1 : Mabel *»' mftlc " land, 2. Fives. — First and Second Forms : Flora Campbell, 1 ; Mabel Kempthore, 2. Third and Fourth Forms : Lucy Howlinson, 1; Euph. B. Inglis, 2. Fifth Lower, Fifth Upper, and Sixth Forms : Katherine Moss, 1 ; Florence Muir, 2. Gymnastics. — Form I : Lily M. Shand. Form II: Edith Shand. Form III: Minnie Street (boys' silver medal), Ethel Roberts. Form IV: Annie Marks. Form V (lower) : Milly Wise. Forms V (upper) and Vl,' Katherine Moss (boys' gold medal). LOWER SCHOOL.

Form I.— English t Hilda Salmond, Mary Macgregor. Arithmetic : Hilda Salmond, Lucy Barron. Writing : Janet G Brodrick. Drawing : Hilda Salmond (Miss Burnside's prize). Sewing,- J/njefc Brodrick.

Form II. — English : Rachel Stewart, Mabel Kemp- i thorne. French : Mabel Kempthorne, Rachel ■ Stewart, H Muret. Arithmetic: Mabel Kempthorne, Elizabeth J Greenelade (equal). Writing: Ellen Greenslade. Drawing: Ellen Greeuslaile. Sewing : Ellen Greenslade. Form lll.— English ; Elizabeth Anderson (Messrs Wise, Caffln, and Co's prize), Eva Orkney. French : Helen Olemison, Elizabeth Aiiderson. Arithmetic : Helen Copland, Elizabeth Anderson. Writing: Janet Tidey. Drawing •. Catherine Csmeron. Sewing: Catherine Cameron. Dux of the Lower School (Board of Governor^' silver medal). — Helen R Clemiaon and Elizabeth J Anderson (equal).

UPPER .SCHOOL, Form IV.— English : Alice Gibson (Mrs Burn's prize), Annie Marks. French : Alice Gibson, Catherine Barr, Margaret Muret (equal). Mafche-

matics: Sarah M'Kellar, Elizabeth M'Queen (equal). Writing : Jane Chisholm. Drawing : Florence Boot. Sewing : Alice Gibson (Mrs Haynes' prize). Lower Form V. — English : Minnie Clemison (Mrs Street's prize), Helen Longford. French ; Upper Division — Nellie Statham ; Lower Division — Margaret Thomson (Mrs Bulau's prize), Helen Learv French, dictation : Helen Longford (Mrs Mure., j prize). Mathematics : Margaret Gellatly, Margaret Siinyth. Science: Jessie Moodie, Minnie Clemison (equal). Drawing : Mabel M Maitlaud. Sewing : Anna M'Neill, Florence Irwin (equal, Mrs Holmes' prizes). Upper Form V. — English : Flora Macrae. French : Florence Muir, Elizabeth Gellatly (equal). French Dictation: Flora Macrae (Mrs Muret's prize). Latin: Florence Muir (Mr D. Brent's prize). Mathematics : Florence Muir (Dr Stuart's prize) ; Lower Division — Emma Raintorth (Messrs Wise, Caffin.and Co.'s prize). Science : Edith Pearce. Drawing : Florence Muir. Sewing : JI Emily Ash (Mrs Haynes' prize). Form VI. — English : Sylvia Gifford (Mr Livingston's prize). French: Sylvia Gifllord. French Dictation : Nellie M Campbell (Mrs Muret's prize). German : Nellie M Campbell. Latin : Upper Division—Ella Farnie (Mrs Bulau's prize), Barbara Watt. Lower Division— Sylvia Gifford (Mrs Bulau's prize), Elizabeth Platts. Mathematics : Jane Kinder (Messrs Brown, Ewing, and Co.'s silver medal). Science : Sylvia Gifford. Dux of the School (Board of Governors' gold medal)— Catherine Moss.

CERTIFICATES OF MERIT.

Form I. — Maggie Thomson, English; Janet Q Brodrick, arithmetic; X Dreaver, writing; Mary M'Gregor, writing. Form II. — Ethel Benjamin, English and French ; Elizabeth Greenslade, English and French ; Flora Campbell, English and arithmetic ; Rachel Stewart, arithmetic ; !Nora Barron; English. Form 111. — Florence Baird, English and French ; Mabel Salmond, English ; Helen Copland, French ; Eva Orkney, arithmetic ; Janet Tidey, arithmetic. Form IV. — Norah Gilkison, English and French ; Jeilnie Henderson, English and French; Sarah. M'Kellar, English ; Mabel Morley, French ; Annie Marks, Jane Ohisholm, and Edith Williams, arithmetic.

Form V. — Upper : Anna M'Nelll, English, mathematics, French ; Effie Gilkison, English and French ; Nellie Statham, English aud science; Helen Leary, English ; Jessie Hoodie and Helen Scoular, French ; Amy Roseby, Mary Hutchison, Alice Barron, and Eliza Wright, mathematics ; Margaret Thomson, Latin. Upper: Elizabeth Gellatly, English and mathematics ; Joannu Ptiterson, English, Latin, and science; Flora Macrae, French, mathematics, and science; Anna Copland, iinglish; Edith Pearce, French ; Helena .Baxter, Lacin ; H Emily Ash, mathematics; Emma Raintorth, science; Alice Borne, science.

Form VI. — Barbara Watt, English, French, and mathematics ; Li Hie Macrae, English, French, and science ; Ella Farnie, English aud mathematics ; S^ lvia Gifford, mathematics ; Marie Bulau, Latin ; Nellie Campbell, French ; Emilia Moore, science.

The Rev. Mr Gibson, in presenting the Shakespeare Club's reading prize, remarked that the reading was excellent, and the competition so keen that it was found impossible to decide which of the two best readers was the best, and consequently the prize had been divided. It should be understood that a first and second prize were not given, but that the one prize was divided.

The Working of the Charitable Aid Act.

The United Board for the Auckland district obtained an opinion from Messrs Hesketh and Richmond i in regard to their position undei the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act. The following (says the Auckland Herald) is the letter of the Mayor transmitting tha opinion, with the answer of the Govern" ment : —

To the Hon. the Premier, "Wellington. — The Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Auckland, 20th November, 1885 : Sir, — I do myself the honour to forward for your information a copy of a resolution of the united board of the North Auckland and Auckland districts, and a copy ot the legal opinion on which that resolution was founded. If the opinion of Messrs Hesketh and Richmond is correct, the sections of the act relating to united boards would appear to be unworkable, and need not further be considered, as the entire power to obtain contributions for hospitals and charitable aid would rest with the separate boards. But it any meaning is to be given to the plain words in the 34th and 35th sections, the contribution for charitable aid would have to be fixed by the united board. I am requested by the united and separate boards respectively to ask you to be bo good as to bring the construction put upon the act by Messrs Hesketh and Richmond under the immediate notice of the Hon. the Attorney-general, with the view of obtaining his opinion thereon, for the authoritative guidance of the board, for at present they are at a loss to know what powers they respectively possess. I am also to assure you that the respective boards are desirous of doing all in their power to assist the Government in. bringing the act into working order; bub If the Government decline to give through their law officers an authoritative interpretation of the act, I consider it my duty to intimate to you that the boards are not disposed to place themselves in a false position by fixing a contribution which they may be powerless to enforce. The act would then be virtually inoperative, and the present law must remain intorce. The delay in fixing the amount of contribution from " contributing local authorities," arising solely from the obscure and contradictory wording of the act, renders it necessary lor me to require, in the interests of the public, that the present arrangements for the payment of hospital expenses and other charitable outgoings be continued until at least the end of this year. — W. 11. Wahdel, Chairman.

Premier's office. Wellington, 4th December 1885. — I have the honour, by direction of the Premier, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ulfc., forwarding with remarks copy of a resolution passed by the board of the United Auokland district on the 20th, and of the opinion of Messrs Hesketh and Richmond, upon which that resolution was founded. , In reply, I nm. to inform you that the law officers of the Crown do not in the main agree with Messrs Hesketh and Richmond In their interpretation of the act. Still, as those gentlemen have some grounds for their opinion, his Excellency the Governor will be advised to exercise the power given him by section 99, and make regulations providing that a separate " charitable aid fund " shall be Kept in united districts ; that united boards may make separate calls on local bodies under section 22, as regards charitable aid ; that united boards shall have a name by which they may be distinguished, &c. By this means it is hoped that any difficulties which may have been felt in working the act will all be removed. — I have, &c, R. H. Govett. — To W. R. J v addel, Esq., ohairman of United Board, Auckland.