GERALDINE SERVICE IS NOT SATISFACTORY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21963, 15 May 1941, Page 3

GERALDINE SERVICE IS NOT SATISFACTORY

Amended Route For School Bus Parents Consider Reply Steps to have the school bus on the Hilton-Pleasant Valley-Geraldine route continued were taken by parents on the routes concerned, together with members of the Geraldine School Committee who met Mr T .D. Burnett M.P., at Geraldine. It was stated that the bus carried 22 pupils and next year there would be four or five new pupils going by the bus to the school. A telegram, received from the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) by Mr Burnett, stated that Mr Burnett’s telegram appeared to disclose misapprehenlson on the proposed arrangements. The bus came from a point three miles from Geraldine. On the map this point appeared as a junction of the road going to Hilton and the one going to Pleasant Valley, so all the Hilton children had the same service as previously. The bus would not pass two families but their distance to walk was short. The only hardship was at the end of the old route where a child was deprived of conveyance. Other children would have to attend the Pleasant Valley school and that was not a material hardship. There did not appear to be a problem that required a special journey of an officer of the Department. "You will understand,” the telegram concluded, "that both petrol and buses are scarce and that the present contractor cannot carry on with his own vehicle. It appears fortunate that In the present difficult circumstances a rearrangement has been found possible which involves no little inconvenience.” Parents Not Satisfied After discussing the matter with the meeting, Mr Burnett agreed to forward the following reply to the Minister: "Referring to your telegram you have unfortunately been misinformed on salient points. Parents are definitely not satisfied with the proposed amended route and service, pointing out that a double trip would necessitate a lot of children being picked up at 7.30 in the dark of winter mornings. In any case only three miles would be saved by the amended service, but against this would be the arrival home of children after 6 pm. The practical solution of the whole difficulty would be the leaving of the departmental bus in the district. The total number of children consolidated on Geraldine was 78.” DISTRICT NURSE FUNDS SUM OF £BO RAISED The annual appeal for funds for the Geraldine District Nurse resulted in approximately £BO being raised at the sale of work in the Parish Hall yesterday. A band of workers under Mrs E. S. Elworthy was in charge of the function and the stalls in the hall were soon cleared of their articles. Competition winners were announced by the Mayor (Mr D. C. McKechnie) who also thanked the public for their generous support. The winners were Mr W. H. Morris (dinner); Miss Mary Gresham (goose); Mr A. V. Simmons (blankets); Mrs H. L. Kettle (bouquet of flowers); Miss Barbara Stringer (child’s dress); Mr Frank Hughes (Mrs Barker’s hamper), Mrs G. R. Knibb 2.

Those in charge of stalls were:— Sewing, Mesdames E. S. Elworthy, J. Parr, B. G. Charters, W. S. Crotty, F. Johnson, B. R. Macdonald: outdoor produce, Mesdames W. I. Ashby, R. A. 'Bruce, L. N. Brown, F. E. South, Miss H. Bruce: indoor produce, Mesdames R. A. Dixon, W. Grindell, E. Undrill, W. Fyfe, J. Scott; sweet, Mesdames M. Donaldson, J. Mcllroy, P. G. Withers, Misses E. Mcllroy and Brown; flowers, Mesdames W. P. D. Barker, K. H. Hargreaves, S. Webb, Firmstone; jumble, Mesdames L. E. Williams, J. T. Dean, McNaughton, Misses E. L. J. Davies and T. Williams; 'refreshments, Mesdames R. McLeod, J. Reid, G. Bryant, W. H. Broad, M. McColl, J. W. Davison, A. J. Burmester. G. Cruickshanks, W. McClure, R. P. Nolan, I. M. Bell, R. U. Richards, V. Bowker, Harvey, Aiderton, and Misses McColl, Parr and Worner. PERSONAL / A telegram congratulating Mrs M. Wharton, of Christchurch, on attaining her ninety-first birthday, was sent by the Mayor (Mr D. C. McKechnie) this week. Mrs Wharton gave the women's rest room to Geraldine. Mr H. Hawker, Christchurch, who has been the guest of Mr and Mrs L. A. Mason, Geraldine, has returned home. Miss Betty Mitchelmore, Geraldine, has left to spend a holiday in the south. WOMEN’S GOLF Following is the result of the second bogey round for the Sharpe Cup played by women members of tne Geraldine District Golf Club:—Mrs E. P. Bennett 2 down, Miss K. Polhill 4 down; Mrs M. Ritchie 5 down, Miss W. Cowan 7 down, Mrs R. E. Mcllwrick 7 down, Mrs E. E. Scott 7 down. POWER BOARD ELECTION The fact that all those whose names are on the Geraldine Borough Roll, as well as Geraldine County ratepayers, are entitled to vote, is pointed out by Mr C. C. Knight, who is onering himself again as a candidate for the South Canterbury Electric Power Board. Polling booths in the Geraldine Borough will be at the Geraldine County Office and the Toe H hall There will also be booths in various parts of the country.