Mataura THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Southland Times, Issue 22999, 19 September 1936, Page 18

Mataura THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

REPAIRS REQUIRED

At the monthly meeting of the Mataura School Committee, there were present:—Messrs W. Buchanan (chairman), T. G. Boyd, A. E. Barnes, D. Russell and C. H. Hargest (secretary). The Southland Education Board advised that Mr N. T. Hamilton and Miss J. J. Nicol had been appointed relieving assistants during the absence, I on sick leave, of Messrs F. N. R. Downard and Kirk. Miss Speden, who is acting head teacher in place ol Mr Downard, who is indisposed, reported that the school had re-opened with a roll number of 340. Four new pupils from . other schools and nine new entrants, infants, had been enrolled, and it was anticipated that a further four infants would begin shortly. She asked for eight new desks for the infant department, where there was not sufficient accommodation for those attending. The chairman stated several urgent works in repairing various portions of .the buildings were needed, and it was decided to write to the board, pointing out the necessity of the works being carried out.

MAORI RAID AT TUTURAU At a meeting of the Tuturau Maori Raid Centenary Committee, the Mayor (Mr John Buchanan) presided. Reports were given by Messrs Clark and Hesselin, the former stating that the Southland County Council’s engineers had visited the reserve, where members of the committee had met them. Favourable comment was made on the work done so far and many useful suggestions were made for future plans for the work. The engineers had begun a survey of the land, which was originally cut up about 1880, and the boundaries were determined for the information of the committee.

The Mayor said that he had approached the president of the Mataura Drama Club (Mr G. Robson) with a request that the play, “I’ll leave it to you,” be repeated in aid of the committee’s funds. Mr Robson, who was present, said that the members of the cast were quite prepared to repeat the play and he thought, with proper organization, a good house could be assured. Mrs J. P. O’Sullivan, the producer, would undertake the staging of the play. Messrs W. N. Dunnage, J. H. Clark and A. Bradley were appointed a subcommittee to act with the Drama Club to make necessary arrangements. The Works Committee brought forward the following recommendations, all of which were adopted: That a settling tank be installed in the bed of the spring above the culvert over the road to the motor camp and that a pipe be put in to supply water for campers and picnickers; that the monument be erected on the hill overlooking the recreation ground, as in the engineer’s recommendation; that a culvert be put in over the Pipiriki stream, according to the engineers’ recommendation; that an Bft. track be cut from the motor camp to the recreation ground; that a concrete fireplace be installed on the south side of the old gravel pit, close to the motor camp, and that representations be made to the Automobile Association to provide direction signs; that a 3ft. track be cut from the motor camp up the south bank of the Pipiriki stream to the birch bush, thus connecting with the old track round the face of the cemetery hill and that a track be made from the recreation ground to the monument site; that access for a lorry be given to the monument site from the top road bounding Mr F. F. Hesselin’s property.