LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 22

LAKE WANAKA.

Albertown, June 19.— The weather is still mild, but we had a slight shoer on Saturday morning, and a change seems imminent, though the glass is higb. Band Concert. — The Hawea Brass Band gave a performance in the schoolhouse in aid of the band fund on Friday night. I cannot go into details because on this occasion the committee withheld the usual courtesy to the press. In distant centres, under any circumstances, the privileges of the press are always accorded to your correspondent with a hearty goodwill and votes of thanks as well. At an odd time the attendance would be small owing to a thinly populated centre, when the committee would all pay for their tickets, and the singers and actors would do the same, and of course a reasonable pressman would at once cheerfully waive all press customs and privileges. In this instance the committee's decision was not unanimous, and many of the residents did not approve of it. However, in justice to the singerß and actors I may say that the entertainment was very good, and the concluding item was one of Lacy"3 up-to-date farces, which is an interesting study in human nature, very deep, difficult to perform, full of tender and refined sentiments, and bristling with wit aud humour, and it was rendered in a creditable manner. Mr Henry J Lister was chairman, and he asked the audience not to whistle when applauding—a fact which should bo specially Doted, because in nearly all cases, even in neighbouring centres, neither the chairman nor the committee ever take any steps to stop anything objectionable. [A very nice account of this affair has been forwarded to us, but under the circumstances we cannot see our way to insert it.— Ed. O. W.] Cardrona. — On the same night the Cardrona School Committee held a very enjoyable entertainment in their schoolhouse. Unfortunately I was unable to obtain particulars, but everything passed off without a hitch. There was a crowded house, and the residents accorded a hearty welcome to visitors, who therefore felt at home at once. The eatable 3 were both excellent and in great abundance, and everyone was delighted. The new teacher, Mr Stockwell, is a Eon of Dr Stockwell, of Mataura. Miss Stockwell is at the schoolhouse also, and I understand she is a decided acquisition to the musical talent of the district. The former teacher, Mr J. F Sutherland, who held high academical honours in Scotland, is now in Wellington. Settlement at Makarora. — Makarora seems to be much in evidence just now. I notice that the Otago Education Board has an application in for a school for that place. It is incorrectly stated that Makarora is 20 miles above the head of Lake Wanaka, whereas it is only about six. There is every reason why a school should be opened there, and I think there must be nearly 20 scholars of school age in the district, and there are quite a number under five ye»r_s of age. Near the post office there are the families of Messrs Pipson, M'Kce, and Gaudin ; whilst at Mr W. G. Stewart's place, across the Makarora, there is Mr Templeton's family, and Mr Humphrey's family lives higher up the river on the same side. At Mr Calwell's saw-mill there is Mr Davis's family, but as they are about eight miles away I suppose they could not be counted on. Even if the board were unable to obtain the services of a certificated lady teacher, which is unlikely, there are now grown-up women acting as pupil teachers in the service, with and without certificates, who would be likely to apply for this vacancy, and would be fully able to overtake all the work for years to come. The fact of grown-up women working as pupil teachers while waiting for a suitable app.jiatment shows how the profession is now overdone. A lady teacher is always sure of a hearty welcome in country places, but sometimes it

happens that th. r knowledge of the world is' too limited to appreciate this— in which case the residents are not blamable should the ladies feel lonely or neglected. At the Makarora the children would be very easy to control, and that bugbear of the schoolma'am's life, the rude and uncouth boy of 12 to 14 years of age, who will disorganise a whole school, is altogether absent. If the residents get up a petition giving particulars, and get it signed by 10 or more householders, and are prepared to temporarily provide a schoolroom and board the teacher, then the Education Board has the power to provide a school at once, and this should have been done years ago. A school in these outlying places tends to promote settlement and open up the country. Dray Road.— Makarora has another grievance of a substantial nature. An application was sent in to the Vincent County Council for a sum of money for repairs to the dray road, and the engineer recommended that £10 be spent. A writer in the Argus reviews this at some length declaring that £60 even is insufficient, and that the flax-mill trade broke up the road a good deal. Doubtless this is true, but in the county's present poverty-stricken and debt-laden condition it will be unable to spend £60 on this road. A similar case was well threshed out at one of the county meetings, when Mr Naylor unsuccessfully endeavoured to obtain £70 for a much more frequented road below Clyde. The county's heavy overdraft, on which the banks lately piled on an extra 10s per cent, interest, is a standing menace to all works that are not actually self-supporting. Without a doubt, when the new farms there are in good working order a large amount of gravelling and road making will bo necessary. The soil is nearly all alluvial, and the climate is very wet in the winter time, and it then would not take many loaded drays to break up the surface and make wheel ruts deep enough to let the dray down to the axle, and the roads would soon become impassable. Then the member for the riding is blamed, but it is not his fault. When the treasury is empty it is impossible to procure supplies.