FITZROY SCHOOL GALA DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1929, Page 11

FITZROY SCHOOL GALA DAY

LARGE ATTENDANCE OF PUBLIC. A successful gala day, originally intended to coincide with the opening by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, of the new infant department of the Fitzroy school, was held at the school on Saturday afternoon and evening. Owing to the unavoidable absence of the Minister, the opening of the infant department was postponed to a more suitable date. The purpose of the gala was to raise funds for the payment of the school committee’s quota of the cost of the dental clinic to be erected at the Central school, and to provide funds for ground improvements at the Fitzroy school. There was a large attendance of r-holars, parents and. friends which kept the stall-holders busy all the afternoon. The gala was opened by Mr. S, G. Smith, M.P., who was given a warm welcome by the scholars, a party of the schoolboys in Maori costume performing a haka under the leadership of Atua, who exhorted them t remember they were New Zealanders, and to be proud of the land they lived in. The haka was creditably given, considering the boys had had only a few minutes’ instruction and practice, and excited keen applause from the spectators. Mr. Smith was introduced, after the haka of welcome, by the chairman of the school committee, Mr. J. A. Burr, who thanKcd him for his efforts in obtaining additional classroom accommodation for the school. Mr. Smith had fulfilled his promise of having three rooms added, and had Worked hard for the school during the first year of his term in Parliament. Mr. Burr congratulated Mr. Smith on tko able vay in which he had filled the position of Chairman of Committees in Parliament. By so doing he had brought credit to Taranaki and to the town which was his birthplace. In declaring the gala day open, Mr. Smith said he deemed it an honour to have been asked to officiate. He had had the opportunity of doing a little to secure for the school accommodation suitable and ample for the requirements of the district. For many years it had been difficult to secure in Wellington recognition of the claims and possibilities of the suburb of Fitzroy, but the growth of the district and the increased attendance had made the Department realise that it could not longer withhold the increased accommodation. When the new fresh air classroom was completed, and their children had been taught in it for a while, parents would realise the value of this class of building, which all teachers with experience of the type said were free from draughts. Mr. Smith congratulated the school on the progress it was making, and said he was glad tb see that in a few weeksit would no longer be necessary to use the gymnasium as a classroom. He hoped the committee would resist its ever’ being vised as one again. The school committee had always worked hard to raise funds for the school, but he hoped the time was not far distant when it would not be necessary to make such frequent calls on parents. He thanked Atua and his “tribe” for their warm welcome. The stall-holders and competition helpers were: —Sweets, Mrs. and Miss Lyall; produce, Mesdames Chivers and King; jumble, Mesdames Burr and Stephens; tea rooms, Mesdames Yardley, Hunter, Hawkins, Florence, Buttimore, Hawkins (senr.), Simpson and Rogers, and Misses F. and E. Combes; bran-tub, Misses Whitten and Hawes; hoop-la, Messrs. O’Donnell and Kibby; basket tumbling, Mr. G. A. Lyall; ring the bottle, Mr. H. Lester; box ball, Messrs. Hawkins and Quickfall; dart board, Master Prestidge; high hat, Messrs. Hall and Hunter; putting, Mr.. A. L. Kid-’ son; stepping the chain, Mr. J. Buttimore. 1

Atua’s haka team consisted of W. Harvey, N. Prestidgc, R. Goodin, J. Tanner, S. Humphries, B. Johnstone, H. Bell, J. Short, B. O’Reilly, H. Crawford, R. Reilly and N. Bint. In the evening the haka was repeated and the effort so pleased the large attendance that the items was given three encores. At the conclusion Atua called upon Mr. G. A. Lyall to the receive a mere on behalf of the school. This was merely following out an old Maori custom said Atua, when the person who officiated at any ceremony of sufficient importance made some presentation to the rangitera. He included in his presentation all the headmasters of prim-, ary schools in New Zealand, because they were training- the young people who now owned New Zealand. The mere was valued as a family possession. and he trusted that as such it would, .be' guarded by the Fitzroy School for all time. Mr. Lyall thanked Atua- for his training of the boys for the haka at such short notice, and expressed appreciation of the valuable mere he had passed on to the school. He felt highly honoured in being called upon to accept this present from the Maoris, and he assured him that ’ the mere would be treasured among the school possessions and kept in a glass case. Addressing the children, Mr. Lyall explained that the Maoris invariably car-

ried out such customs. He called for cheers for Atua' for training the boys and making the presentation. The winner of the dressed doll competition was Mr. J. Eaddy (No. D 96). Miss Phylis Hancock, a pupil of the school, won the first prize for the cross; word puzzle after a tie with Mr. R. Day and Mrs. W. Ferry. Other results of competitions were: —Duchess set (correct No. 284), T. Wyatt, 288; hearth rug (correct number 153), Mrs. Schmidt 150; cushion (correct number 124), Mrs. E. Burgess 124; kettle and teapot (cotrect number 197), Mrs. J. S. Smith 196 (after a draw); fat ducks (length of string 76in), Mrs. H. Beslop 76in; fountain pen (length of string 144>lin), Mr. C. Maclean loffin; chain-stepping, Mr. J. Buttimore; cake basket (correct number 9), Mrs. T. Florence 9; ta'blecloth (correct number 121), Mrs. C. Colson 121; ham (correct number 170), Sid Higgs. 169; Hygienic:cake (correct number .22), E. Mackie 22. An enjoyable dance took place in the new schoolroom, about 80 couples being present. Martin’s Orchestra supplied the music and everyone was only too sorry when twelve o’clock came except the committee, some of which had been working since -5.30 a.m. Mr. J. A. Burr, the chairman, thanked all those who had assisted the committee to make the gala day such a success. He said it was a pleasure to canvass in the Fitzroy school district as refusals were seldom met with. He especially thanked the committee of ladies who so willingly gave their services to the school; ■ also the members of the committee for their whole-heart-ed co-operation and ! assistance; Mr.. G._ :A. Lyall and his staff for their much appreciated help. The total takings for the day had been about £9O. Mr. Burr announced that on Saturday night the committee would hold ono of its popular old-time benefit dances in the Fitzroy Hall. Martin’s Orchestra had offered to provide the music free of charge. The supper was to be supplied by the school staff and committee, and he hoped that the whole of the takings would be clear of expense. ' t. ’I vU ."