MATAWAI SCHOOL GROUNDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16378, 11 March 1924, Page 4

MATAWAI SCHOOL GROUNDS.

OFFICIAL OPENING

Quite* » little cvrvwd galhevod at the new' jMatawai school grounds on Satuii day, tho occasion being the official opening of the recently-acquired play groundand the Matawai school annual picnic. Messrs J. R- Kirk and W. OateS. members of the H.B. Education Board, wore present. The function _ commenced wffih, a, speech by the chairman of tho school committee, Mr. Goldsmith. tic apologised for the albseftSO of JMessii.. Tucker, Tunnicliffe, -Strachan, and Crawshaw. He gave- a. detailed account of the cost of acqumqg; and improving- the new beautiful ■'grounds, which,. taking in a road-dosed, by the Waikohii County Council, comprises an area, of nearly 21. acres. The initial cost, of the land was £3lO 12s 6d. while slumping, clearing, levelling, ploughing, divi'kung, sowing and fencing brought- the expenditure up to close on £BOO. Inwards this amount, the. Education Department granted £297. while the locin mill donated timber valued at £45, and tno sum of £414 was raised loealL, b\ a well-ovennised Queen Carnival Inst-yenv. L\lr. J. K. Kirk said that he was greatly interested in Matawai, and was struck with the healthy conditions'of the place. What- had been done by the acquisition and improvement of the new grounds was evidence- of strength and denoted confidence in the district. It was evidence of progress and vision. He congratulated tho people on. the grit and determination with which the work had been tackled. (Applause.) Mr. W. Oates spoke in similar terms, and said he was proud -to be present. He was taken with the healthy, appearance of the children. He explained hovfunds usually drifted to the more thicklypopulated areas, hut- he assured those present that tho Board was encouraged by what a done in Muta-wai,' and he advocated the country schools getting a- fair share of the department’s funds. lie- had often met. Mi*. Tucker when lie-was chairman of ilie committce. and he (Mr. Tucker) amazed him .when lie told him of the amount- of money t hey were, raising 4 in Matawai. Mr. Oates complimented Mr. Mcßae, the headmaster, on his excellent little, plot- of trees raised by the school. In concluding he advised tho .committee to keep the ground in its present good order, arid if possible stilt further improve it

(Applause.) ■Mr. J. B. Clark said he was pleased to be present at the official opening of the ground. Tie remembered when the school site was first selected many year* ago, '"and the appearance of the locality at that lime was vastly different from what it- now is. During his time the roll number had gone, up from 9to 110. He thanked the members of the. Education Board present for coming up to assist at-the opening function. s The Rev. Mr. Ward then presented t,c Mr. Mcißa-e .a, beautiful silver, cup donated by Air. E. CVrcen for the highesl marks in the, children’s section at the Matawai nnnpal show; open to all schools in Waikohn, and von this year by the MatSAvai school.' Mr. Ward referred to tho impending departure of Mr. McRae., who i-s leaving next month to take charge of the Otann school. He expressed the community’s regret at losing so good a teacher. With reference to the new playground, lie declared it was thei finest ground of any country jmblic school he had ever seen. iMr. Mcßae thanked the. Rev. Ward for tho Cup, and he, said he lioped that Matawai would continue to win it year after year. He thanked also the mem bers of the Board who had corye up to tho opening of the ground, and called for three cheers, which were heartily given. ‘ Air. J.. R. Kirk, -on bi-half of the- E-Ju -nation Board, 'then formally -declared the ground ‘open, and the rest of the day was deVoted to -1 he children’s sports which were capably carried out by the committee, comprising Messrs Goldsmith, Christensen, F. Korte, R. Flem-ing.'-and N. DeLantouiv Tho lastmamcd deserves special mention'.for his services also Air. Mcßae.