SCHOOL HOSTEL TO CLOSE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1931, Page 8

SCHOOL HOSTEL TO CLOSE

LOSS OF £340 SHOWN LAST YEAR STRATFORD BOARD’S DECISION. A decision to close the girls’ hostel at the Stratford Technical High School at the end of the first term, was made by the board of governors last night. The- principal, Mr. A. H. R. Amess, reported the hostel had not met with very great success. He had endeavoured to enrol a few more pupils but it had been evident the country people did not require the facilities the board had provided. The. receipts from all sources had been £435 3s 9d, the expenditure £774 19s lid, and the loss on the year’s working £339, IGs 2d. There were assets amounting to £650 if they could be realised. It seemed a pity that the hostel would not pay, said Mr. E. S. Rutherfurd. The place was roomy and comfortable and he could not see why more pupils did not patronise it. The chairman (Mr. H. Trimble) said the hostel could draw boarders only from the country and farmers could not afford at the" present time to send their children to a high school. Mr. Amess stated there were about 12 country pupils boarding elsewhere in Stratford. By closing the hostel at the end of the term the board would be penalising those pupils who were supporting the institution, was the opinion of several members. “The board cannot justify a recurring loss such as that of last year and in a time when economy is essential we. should take steps to eliminate the loss,” said Mr. W. J. Polson. It was decided to close the hostel at the end of the first term and the hostel committee will investigate the possibilities of disposing of the lease and the assets. HIGH SCHOOL RE-OPENED. BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETS. The Stratford Technical High School re-opened with a total roll of 306. There was a preponderance of boys, only 130 of the total number being girls, stated the principal, Mr. A. H. R. Amess in hi> report to the meeting last night of the board of governors. The school, Mr. Amess continued, had very fair success in the external examinations as a Taranaki Scholarship and a Senior National Scholarship were won. Ten pupils passed the Public Service Examination, thirteen were successful in the matriculation and accountants’ examinations; two passed the shorthand typists’ examination, and 58 obtained Senior Free Places. It was interesting to note that in the matriculation the passes practically agreed with the list sent to the department prior to the tests. Mr. Amess was pleased to be able to report development in connection with the use of the Stratford demonstration farm. The committee ■•as working with the school and this year the pupils should be able to make good use of the practical instruction the. farm had to offer. The Education Department asked for an expression of opinion on the suggestion of Sir Thomas K. Sidey that consideration should be given to the question of the suitability of commencing the summer holidays in February instead of in December. The department will be notified thatthe board does not approve of the scheme. In reply to a query from the Education Department the board will advise that it could employ at the school one of the teachers of the Napier Technical School. The school was given a holiday on Thursday, the date of the primary school picnic. Congratulations were extended to the staff on the examination results and to Thomas K. Taylor for winning a Taranaki Scholarship. MAT AU NEWS. A EARTHQUAKE RELIEF DANCE The long-night dance in aid of the earthquake relief fund was held on Tuesday. The night was fine and the roads in excellent condition, so a large j crowd attended. Visitors were present from Purangi and Ngatimaru. The hall was decorated with mamuka ferns and the carnival hats worn by the dancers struck a gay note against the greenery. Several novelty dances were held. They were won by Mrs. Edgecombe and partner (lucky spot), Mrs. A. Smith and partner (Monte Carlo). The carnival hat prizes were annexed by Miss Coulter and Mr. T. Cosma and a competition for a box of chocolates was won by Mr. S. Rosewam. Mr. Horsup stated that the receipts from the dance amounted to £6 Is 3d, which would be forwarded to the Mayor of Stratford at an early date. TXe organisers of the dance, Mrs. R. Horsup and Miss G. Chapman, were congratulated on the result of their efforts. The music for the dance was supplied by Messrs S. Edgecombe, Wilson and A. Smellie. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Horsup. Mrs. H. Chapman is the guest of her daughter, Mrs. E. McCoard. Mins J. Jensen, who has been staying with Mr. and Mrs. G. Jensen, has returned home. i ■ Misses H. Ayers and D. Rawlinson are visiting New Plymouth. KING’S THEATRE TALKIES. REALISTIC, TUNEFUL COMEDY. Excellent humour and a realistic story with an O. Henry twist at the end combine with first-class acting and several good tunes to make “Nix on Dames” a thoroughly pleasing talking picture. The Fox Movietone production which opens this afternoon at the King’s Theatre, is a. vivid and colourful study of two woman-haters and their respective feminine captivators, with the happy-go-lucky life of an actor’s boarding house as the background. The story is fine to begin with, and has been given a delightfully sympathetic interpretation by the director, Donald Gallagher, and by the unusual cast. All the players were selected with an eye to their past vaudeville experience, and the result is that they are completely at home in thir parts.