ROUND ABOUT WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 32

ROUND ABOUT WELLINGTON.

Br

Pencarrow.

(Special for the Otago Witness.) January 30. In an old wooden building in Wellington terrace there is a school which lias over 700 scholars on its roll. They have never seen their teachers, though they are not blind. They are the children of people who live- in remote districts—in lighthouses and the backblocks, on isolated farms, down on the lonely beaches not yet reached by roads, up the i ivers, across the lakes, far from the primary schools. They receive their education through the post, and are in regular communication with the correspondence school which was established by the Government in 1922. _ Associated with the director are highly-trained teachers specially selected for this particular work. The lessons are carefully chosen and arranged. Pupils can begin at the very beginning, which in these happy days is not the ABC. They pass from the infant department through the various standards, and are given the same opportunities as other children. They receive the lessons every fortnight, and post back the work a fortnight later. The postage both ways is free. Everything is free except the books.

I have visited the correspondence school, met some of .the teachers, and have seen the work of many pupils, some of whom joined the school several years ago. Their progress is extraordin ary—and so, I imagine, is that of their parents or guardians, for it would be impossible to read those interesting lessons without being interested, and equally impossible to watch children at their work without giving some sympathetic encouragement and practical assistance. The most inexperienced mother could help her child if she deliberatelv set her mind to the task and followed the direction- which are given by the specialists who set them. I came away from the school filled with admiration for the work it does, and rather envious of the teachers who play the part of fairy godparents. Later I found time for reflection. Boys will be boys. The day is gone when they went creeping like snails unwillingly to school, but their tongues are not exactly hanging out for knowledge even yet—and little girls are much the same. I would give much to peep inside those distant homes, where probably at the very last possible moment the son of the house sits down to do his lessons. I am wondering if it is as pleasant to correct the work as to set it. However, here are the facts. The school exists, it supplies a great need, it secures excellent results, and is the only school of its kind in the Dominion. A secondary department is now being established. Every parent whose home is not conveniently situated near a school has the right to enrol his children on the books of the correspondence school. The department gives the opportunity. The rest is in the hands of the pupils and their people.

There are registry offices in Wellington. Employers sometimes wonder how they manage to exist, for domestic workers are dying out. Those now out of work appear to be combining some pleasure with a little work. They are picking fruit or hops in the South Island—a very sensible idea, which is shared by women in other businesses or professions, including the married state. It has become a habit with some wives and mothers to take this annual holiday out of doors.

Our navigator, Mr Barwell, did not reach tire South Island Tn his collapsible canoe. When not very far from land he realised that discretion is the better part of valour, and he retreated, just in time, landing safely near Tetahi Bay. The essay was too hard, the sea too rough. A local swhnimr, who has already had a severe attack of cramp, proposes to swim from Oriental Bay to Petone on Sunday.

Three times last night the electric power failed, and the lights of the city went out. We are told the cause was “ surges ” on the Wanganui section. I do not know what surges are, or why they happen, but I agree that the Wellington Gas Company has reason for purring. In any case a gas fire is more cheerv.

New Zealand manufacturers are meeting here in conference. Five of our master builders have been down at Mount Cook to the builders’ conference. Medical men have just finished their discussions, and the legal profession are pulling themselves together for their effort, which is to become an annual habit, unless, of course, the Government pushes the practising lawyer off the face of the earth by means of the Public Trust Office, which is not regarded with favour by members of a profession which does not care to advertise itself with its clients’ funds. The privileged and powerful rival may absorb the young law clerks who swarm here. Otherwise their future looks by no means rosy. It seems there might be more prospects in felt slippers, for tlie manufacture of which a factory is starting here. * 4: *

There has been an annual meeting of the Citizens’ Day Nursery Committee.

The public should be interested to hear that 6000 children have been in that nursery during the year, the average daily attendance being 26 during part of the time. In making his presidential address, the Mayor (Mr Troup) paid a compliment to the women of Welling-: ton, whose work is wonderfully well or? ganised and makes him very proud. From the various women’s societies the Mayor confidently stated that he could secure a hundred women at very short notice in any sudden emergency.

After long residence in England, Misq Mary Richmond, founder of the kindergarten movement here, is again livingin Wellington. She was present yesterday, when the new .kindergarten building at Berhainpore’was opened by Mrs David Peacock, president of the Kindergarten Council, and one of Wellington’s most kind and public-spirited citizens. Mrs Peacock s interest in the free kindergartens is practical and deep. She de-, votes a great deal of time to the move-: meut, and is generous in supporting it.

An interesting visitor to New Zealand is Mr Arthur Hirst, musician and lec-: turer, who left here 21 years ago, and has made his mark in Europe. Since the Great War, during which lie was attached to the navy and saw service on mine-sweepers, he has been lecturing in connection with the London University scheme. He will be lecturing in both islands of New Zealand, and has the happy knack of interesting people whq ilescribe themselves as “ unmusical.” He has many friends out here, and hopes to visit them in May before returning to London. When war broke out, Mr Hirst was attached to the staff of the Stern Conservatorium in Berlin, but fort tunately was then enjoying a holiday in Norway. He was given a special commission in the British Navy because of his knowledge of foreign languages. Other visitors here just now are the 500 black swans which Mr R. White, of Sydney, is sending to the London Zoo. At present they are on a vegetarian diet in our own zoo—getting into training for the voyage. Swans are not like guinea pigs, so there is really nothing to be nervous about; hut it is rumoured that a leading London journal the gift as an embarras des richesses. If is rude to look a gift horse in the mouth, but only prudent to analyse the habits of a swan.