LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20504, 24 August 1936, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Yesterday's Excursions With the lengthening of the days traffic on the Sunday excursion trains is increasing. Yesterday 324 people left Timaru by the north bound train, while two excursion trains from Christchurch carried 525 passengers when they arrived here. Schoolboy Humour During the course of some reminiscences at the Opera House, Wanganui, Mr E. H. W. Rowntree, headmaster of the Wanganui Intermediate School, who is leaving shortly for Gore, told how while on the teaching staff of the Technical College he had given his class permission to eat sweets if they so desired. The next morning one of the boys gave him a bag of sweets and asked him to hand them around the class. They were “hundreds-and-thousands!” Tourists Comine Already the Government Tourist Department has had a number of Inquiries from overseas concerning itineraries to be arranged during the coming summer. There has been one big booking from a London business man who is commencing his tour in December and Is covering the whole of New Zealand, his itinerary embracing all the South Island resorts. The prospects are very promising concerning visitors from Australia, the inquiries so far being for itineraries in December and January. Methodist Church Cantata An enjoyable cantata, “Bethany” (Lee-Williams) was presented by the choir of the Bank Street Methodist Church after the evening service yesterday. The story of the cantata deals with the events in Christ’s life in Bethany during the week preceding the Passion. The choir, under the direction of Mr J. W. Holdgate, gave an appealing interpretation of the story, the soloists being Miss Grace Manchester, Miss Betty Holdgate, Mr A. Symons and Mr Ralph Holdgate. Mr J. Blight was at the organ. Husband and Wife It is very rarely that an order of the Court for the restitution of conjugal rights between husband and wife is obeyed, but such a case was mentioned in the Supreme Court, Auckland, and was commented on by Mr Justice Callan. Counsel asked leave to withdraw divorce proceedings because the respondent had returned to the petitioner in compliance with an order of the Court. His Honour said it appeared that the Court had some part in bringing about this happy result. “I would like to think,” he said, “that there are some occasions on which the Court procedure brings about the result aimed at.” Stamps As An Investment The value of stamps as an investment was driven home with some force to a local dealer last week, when a man, thought to be at least 80 years of age, inquired If there were many 6d Jubilee’s in stock. The dealer upon inquiring if he was a collector, received this reply: “No, I’m not a collector. I am just getting together a few good stamps that will realise enough to pay for my funeral expenses.” Grants Restored Provision has been made by the Government in this year’s Estimates for the restoration of two grants which were discontinued during the depression period. The first enables education boards to employ sewing teachers in sole charge schools controlled by male teachers. The Education Department is to provide a grant of 15/- a head per annum, based on the average number of girls who have received instruction in needlework for not less than one hour weekly regularly throughout the year. For 1936, payment of one-third capitation has been approved for the third term. The Department is also to resume the free distribution of work and scheme books to public school teachers. Intermediate School Project Because it has not yet obtained all the information which it desires regarding intermediate schools in other centres, the South Canterbury School Committees’ Association has not fixed a date on which to conduct a postal ballot on the issue in Timaru. It was originally intended to take the referendum last Wednesday, but the special sub-committee dealing with the matter wishes to collect all the available information and publish it in pamphlet form for the guidance of householders before answering the questionnaire which will be submitted to them. The questionnaire inquires the number of children in each household who are, or are likely to be, pupils of the four Timaru State primary schools, and seeks an impression of opinion by the householders of the four school districts as to the desirability of establishing an intermediate school here. It is understood the cost of publishing the pamphlet will be borne by the Canterbury Education Board.