RICCARTON RECORDS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17835, 1 May 1926, Page 25 (Supplement)

RICCARTON RECORDS

BOROUGH NOTES AND NEWS

By Our Special Correspondent,

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION. The. annual meeting of the householders.of Wharenui School was held oh. Monday, when there was an attendance of between 40 and 50.

The annual report made references to the constant changing of teachers which was detrimental to the education of the children. A deputation - from the committee waited on -the Ap- i pointments’. Committee with regard to < this matter, and received a very sympathetic hearing. £l6l was raised by means : 0f... a fair and concert towards the . cost of the instllatioh of heating system in the main school, leaving £J2 still to be raised. Wharenui school was fortunate in the lo\ r al support received at the hands of the householders for which the committee were very grateful. It was to be regretted that they.. lost the services of Mr 11. F. Penlington as headmaster, hb having gone to Island Bav, on promotion. The school roll was 390 as compared with 413 a few years ago. To raise funds to form a school library and purchase a gramophone, a fair and concert was organised by the headmaster and staff. The report referred to the success of an old pupil, Travis Stanton, winning a senior national scholarship. The following were appointed as the , new comittee; —Messrs C. Buckett, FI. Odell, T. M. Ford, L. F. Wallis, F. E. W. Cossins, W. J. Wood and A. R. Falconer. The names of Messrs S. F. Wilson and W. Barrell were recommended to the board to fill the vacancies. The balance sheet of No 1 account showed a credit balance of £3 16s, and the No 2 account of £4B Os lOd. On the motion of Mr Odell, .seconded by Mr Bates, the remits from the School Committees’ Association were carried. , On the motion of Mr Odell a hearty vote of. thanks was passed to the headmaster and. staff, who, in spite of adverse circumstances, carried on to the •best of their abilities. On the motion of Mr Brightling, seconded by Mr Haberfield a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the committee, who had done such good work during the y-ear, and also to all workers in the interests of. the school. A motion of sympathy was passed with the family of the late Mr F. G. Coombs, a former chariman, and also with the family of the late Mr Turner, caretaker.. Mr C. Buckett was elected chairman, and Mr F. E.vW. Cossins secretary. The Coronation Bath account showed a credit balance of 16s and the report congratulated the Swimming Club on the splendid way the bath and building had been looked after. ST JAMES’S ASSEMBLIES. The St James’s asemblies still retain their popularity as was evidenced by the large attendance at the second social. The dance programme was arranged to suit old and young alike. The dance music was supplied by Seymour’s Orchestra. During the evening there were games and musical items. Recitations by Miss M. Mounsey, songs by Mrs Jones, Miss Porter, Mr Cossins, the accom-

panists being Miss Ford, Rev IF; N. Wright and Messrs FI. G. Jones and M. Lummis. FAREWELL SOCIAL. The Riccarton Town Hall was wellfilled on Tuesday evening, when, the members of the Riccarton Citizens’ Association a nd their wives met to wish Air J. J. Staples “Bon Voyage.’’ Mr Staples, who is a member of the assiatiun and their wives met to wish New Zealand Advertising Club to a World Convention to be held in Philadelphia. The first part of the evening was spent in a euchre match. “Press” readers v. “Times.” The “Times” proved the victors, and Mr Bull won the prize for the most games

Mr A. E. Steere, the chairman, in a happy little speech, stated that their guest had made a name for himself not only in Riccarton, but among the business people in Christchurch, where he was well-known. During the twelve years he had resided in Riccarton he had always worked, for the progress of

the borough. As chairman of the School Committee for two yeafs, he had done splendid work, and had also been a hard worker in the Citizens’ Association, and in the church he had done his bit. Mr Stecre concluded by saying that Mr Staples could not stop away, as he had the Riccarton habits and ways and habits which one could not lose. Air Steere then presented Mr J. J. Staples with a set of military brushes, wishing him and Mrs Staples the best of luck, bon voyage, and a safe return . The Mayor (Mr Kyle) described Mr Staples as th,e Riccarton “booster,” alwa}-s pushing the borough along the path of progress, though he was impartial in his writings for all classes. Mr Kyle felt glad that their guest was going to live in Riccarton on his return, and felt certain that the district would get the benefit of any knowledge obtained from abroad. Rev B. James spoke of the pleasure and profit it had been to know Mr and Mrs Staples and family, who had all been energetic workers in the church. Ilis motto was “Excelsior.” Mr Livingstone stated that Mr Staples was a first-class citizen in every way, a very busy man, and yet not too busy to take on work that meant, for the progress and betterment of the district. Mr A. D. Ford referred to the very high standard of the New Zealand Press, and said that it compared favourably with the Press of America, though the American Press still leads in advertising. Mr Staples, he said, would gain fr,esh experience from his trip abroad, and come back with mind refreshed, and able to give us the bene fit of his experience. Mr J. J. Staples, who received an

IO UOnT3p9.lddt3 p9SS9jdX9 ‘uopu-vo Mrs Staples and himself for the honour that had been done them that night. Thev were very grateful. He had enjoved his work in Riccarton, and was looking forward to six months spell, if it was possible. He hoped to improve his knowledge while away, and would give the association the benefit of-anv-thing that he would find of use to them. Schools, too, in which he was greatly interested; it would be his endeavour to find out all about them to see if there were any educational reforms of use to our own schools. He had been called a “booster.” He was proud of it, as Riccarton needed “boosting” by every member of the association, as it was the finest suburb and had the best approach to it of any. During the evening the following items were given : Pianoforte selections by Mrs Brighting, recitations byJoan Joyce and Mr Owen. JOTTINGS. The residents of Riccarton are wondering what that ridge of earth on Riccarton Road is for. Some suggest a cross-word puzzle, and no doubt some cross words will be sai*l if, on a wet night, some pedestrian Avalks into it. The piano in the Town Hall sadly needs overhauling, judging by the remarks made by the patrons of the hall. Though no service was held at the Memorial Gates of the Wharenui School on Anzac Day, still it was beautiful to see the wreaths placed there in silent memory of the old bo3 r s of the school who fell in the Great War. A PLEASING INTERLUDE. 1 There was a pleasant break in the routine- of Monda> r night’s meeting of householders at Wharenui School, when a. presentation was made to Mr J. Singleton, who had been associated with the school almost since its inception, and who had acted as secretary to the I committee for the past five y-ears. Mr R. W. Brightling, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring committee, paid a tribute to the splendid work done during recent years, and said that the members of the committee had been actuated b3 r a spirit of real interest in the school, working hard for the betterment of conditions existing. Mr T. Haberfield, a former .secretar3* and chairman for a period of several years, seconded the motion. After congratulating the committee on recent stibstantial achievements, Mr Haberfield referred to the sterling service rendered by Mr J. Singleton, who was relinquishing the secretaryship. Mr T. W. Stephenson, who had been chairman and member during portion of Mr Singleton’s term, made a presentation of a brief bag and a fountain pen to Mr Singleton on behalf of the committee. He said that he doubted whether an3 r committee had ever had a better secretar\ r than Mr Singleton. lie had never shirked hard work or responsibility. Ilis records were alwa\-s up-to-date, his relations with the Board and the teaching staff and his fellow committeemen were of the most cordial nature, and his work for the school had been in realit\ r a labour of love. 1 The presentation was greeted with acclamation, and the householders gave three cheers and “He's a Joll\ r Good Fellow.” Mr Singleton said that he had been taken completeh* by surprise. Hhe had not been expecting any' presentation, and didn’t consider he deserved one. Fie had merely “done his bit.” and the doing of it had given him real pleasure. Fie had been for seven 3 r ears on the Wharenui Committee, and for five years j secretary. .He had had the benefit of I the co-operation of very courteou's, l lard-working committeemen, who de-

served recognition quite as much as he f did. Mr Singleton mentioned i Messrs Haberfield, Staples, and Steph- j enson, as chairmen who had done 3-eo- ! man service for the schooi. Concluding, ; he urged householders to take their term on the committee, to shoulder their share of the work on behalf of their own children, and to ktjfive to leave the school better at the end of each \-ear than the3 r found it. |