GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14355, 30 January 1911, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS.

CATHOLICS AMD THE SCHOOLS. A Press Association message from Wellington states tliat opening the pew 3larist School at Te Aro yesterday afternoon, Archbishop Redivood made a strong plea on tiie lines of Ills speech at St. Patrick's College Jubilee celebrations recently, for recognition of the claims of Catholics to support in the education of their children. He said that until these just claims were acknowledged and granted, the Catholics were determined to maintain the struggle in the causa of O'cd and their religion. Mr ilartin Kennedy, supplementing the Archbishop's rerr.arhs. urged Catholics to become a political party, so as to influence the Legislature in the realisation of the chums •I Catholic* in ibis matter.

MUNICIPAL THEATRE. A I'ItOFKSSiONAL OI'INION. .Mr Pliiumer anil -Mr Uiuiusum, with their dr-uiia,tie company arrived on .Saturday by the stolid express trunl tl'O imiili They report excellent busines» all ever tlie JLMiiimiu", indeed so lueotiiuged are tlwy by tho support aivordcil them that they have Wisely determined to play return visits—hence their reappearance in Tiniaru after an absence 0 | but, three montiis. .Mr riimmer, who his views so strongly • n tlie question ot our local theut.e", through 'he medium of this paper, on the occasion of his last v;sit hero, w:us delighted to hear that there is every probability of a. now theatre in Timaru being nil established i'a.ct. '•1 have had no reason to change my opinion on tho subject/' Mr I'hiumer replied in answer to a question. "A neu theatre is absolutely essential. Further, 1 have Mr Harold Ash ton's word on behalf of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to sny that none of their attractions will pass Timaru if a new theatre is erected."

ANGRY ARCHITECTS. A meeting of' the Christchurch branch of tlie New Zealand Institute of Architects was held last week (says the Lvttelt.in "Times") to consider tho conditions issued by the South Canterbury Hospital anil Charitable Aid Board for competitive designs for an Old Men's Home at Timaru. Tho conditions issued by tho Board were considered to be the most extraordinary yet issued. They gave no information lis to what the "Board required nor a. plan of the site. They simply stated "that the secretary of the Board will supply a general idea of the requirements and a general idea of the site and floor space to be covered." Tlie cost will be £3OOO or under, and the Inspector-General of Hospitals "will he asked to select one of the designs submitted. Tho architect of the des ? gn selected by the Inspector will be asktd to prepare full plans and specifications for the' works to tho satisfaction of tlie Board. The architect will then obtain tenders, and if th-se tenders cmne within 5100 of the architect's estimate, and then only, the architect will be awarded fie sum of £lO IDs. and have no' further claim on the Bnard. Tt is further stated that should tin- Board wish to purchase other designs it may do so for £5, and thpy are to become the property of the Board absolutely. It was pointed out that the nroper remuneration for tlie work which the Board asks to have done is, accerd'ng to the New Zealand Institute of Architects' scale of ch.ircres. £75. so tlmt the Board is asking architects to do ■work for which the ordina-y remuneration is £75. on the remote nhr-TK-o rf receiving £lO 10s. The Association resolved _ "Tliat the conditions of this competition are most unsatisfactory. and that none of the members of tlie Institute will wnrot-e." Tho opinion was expressed flint'tho cond'tjons formal tlie greatest insult to the nrehi fectnral profession the Association had yet seen.