PATEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 187, 10 August 1931, Page 11

PATEA

SCHOOL COMMITTEE Loir' discussions marked the monthly uetting of the I’atea School Committee held last Friday night. Mr 8. h. Moore presided, those present being • iessrs .Marshall, Papps, Mays, Coad. 11 udngaay and Rev. Aker (secretary) and Mr Armstrong (Headmaster). After several small matters were discussed, the question of finances was brought forward. The chairman: we have obeyed the instruction of the Board to use up all our reserves, etc. Our position is very Lt- Papps: We seem to be as badly off as New South Wales. The chairman: The grant does not come until September. Me would be alright if it were not for unemployment payments. At present there is only a very small margin to work on. The secretary explained the position with reference to both special and gen eral accounts, and his discussion withe bank manager. The chairman: 1 hope you gentlemen understand the state of affairs. Air Papps: Oh, yes. New South W ales has nothing on us. Consideration was then given to tne ram..;.- ofc rii’n-g -uno. na >y COnm bilities were considered but no decision was reached until Mr Armstrong offered to work up a school concert. Generali, speaking, he had always found these concerts most popular, and they had been great successes. There seemed to be a wonderful attraction about performances by children. He would, ot course, need the co operation of his staff, but he was sure they would fall into the scheme very readily. In thanking Mr Armstrong for hioffer, the chairman stated that it was a very big thing to -undertake, a great‘deal of work attached to committee only hoped that he would be able to carry it through with every success. Every assistance would be given by the committee. Mr Armstrong: I only feci that the committee have done such a lot for the school, that it is only right that the school should do something to help It was decided to interview the T.-wn Hall management with a request for the hall for one night. Arbor Day arrangements were left in the hands of the headmaster with power to act. Attention was drawn by one membe tn the gate into the football paddock ■which was continually left open, and the cows of a neighbouring resident thus able to get in. An offer of posts was made bv the Domain Board, which . was very gratefully accepted. H For the wonderful support given by him to the committee through his position on the Education Board. Mr Hemingway was accorded a very hearty vote of thank? Headmaster s Report The headmaster. Mr Armstrong reported as follows f< the month: Roll call, 208—124 boy >1 girls °“ July 7 the school was visin-. oy Messrs Crosbv and Merrington, inspectors ot schools. 3oth gentlemen expressed themselves well pleased with the tone and general working spirit of the school, and also with the work being done. Mr Hogg, chief agricultural in structor. also visited the school He expressed his pleasure at the work being carried out at the school under the unemployment scheme No. o, and also with the attention being given to agnsultural science, and the general standard of work in the note books, lhe school buildings, except for defects previously pointed out, are in good condiThe report was adopted after short •eminent, the committee adding their sumpliments to the inspectors as to the improvements carried out m the school. Train for Secondary Schools Ou the matter of the early morning train to Hawera, the chairman stated that he had heard that this was to be altered, leaving threequarters uf an hour earlier. He had approached the local stationmaster, who had told him that it had not been definitely deciwvi upon, but it was a matter of linking up with the goods train which left Hawera for the north. At present this train from Patea and Wanganui came to a dead end at Hawera. As it was, the children going to Hawera to secon <iary school, had to leave carb- enough. This train was the only means ot taking them to Hawera, and if it was cut out, or left earlier, the only way for the children of Patea obtaining secondary school education was cut off. After further discussion it was dechildren if there was any possibility of pointing out the. position of I atea aided to write to the traffic manager, arranging for this train io leavt earlier. Bible Instruction A deputation from the Ministers Association represented by the Lev. O. Gibson. Rev. Smaill and Captain Raw cliffe, waited on the committee with the object of presenting the matter of com meneing Bible instruction at the school. There ha seem. t je some nus understanding, the Rev. Gibson stated, in presenting the view of the association. Firstly, in the manner in which the first request had been placed before the committee. It seemed that the committee had not bee;- treated with business-like dignity. Secondly, he hoped he made it clear that their re quest had nothing to do with the Act now before the House. AS hat concerned the association was the concession lowed by the Wanganui Education Board, '"his was for a quarter of an hour a week in Bible instruction, either prior to or after school hours, the committee being at liberty to shorten the school hours for fifteen minutes to fit in with this. It only required the consent of the committee, for this to come into force in the Patea School. The association felt that it must bring th? matter before the committee. That there was a need for something in this line was undisputed. The represents fives of the churches felt that the} had a grave responsibility. What they wished to do was to give simple and undenominational instruction for fifteen minutes a week. This was very short, but it would be better than nothing at all. He emphasised the fact that the association did nut wish to give thschool staff any trouble. It appreciated - the wonderful work at present carried on by the teachers. In conclusion, the association deeply regretted having been the cause of any misunderstand-

Rev. Smaill spoke also, saying that j where the School Committee had th j interests of the children at heart, the | churches also had them doubly so. In i the drawing out of the possibilities of i the children, and in their instruction Iby the State, the spiritual side was 'passed by, officially. But this was not so always in fact. The spiritual side of life was a closed door to most children, and it was the aim of the association to •open this door a little, for fifteen miniates a week, and let them see this other important side of life. I Mr Mays: To whom would you be I responsible? • Rev. Gibson: We would be under J the headmaster, without any doubt. We |take it for granted wo can do nothing > without his assistance, and wo will loyally abide by whatever he says. Air Mays said ho was not against the Bible in schools and ho was very sorry that there had been any misunderstand- . ing. He stated that he had voted against it on a different point of view from that submitted. Mr Coad also spoke similarly. Mr Papps asked the Board member how the idea worked constitutionally. Mr Hemingway replied that it had worked admirably in other schools where it had been tried out, in the Board’s district. After the deputation had withdrawn, th * committee discussed it more fully, and a decision was reached. Mr Mays moved, and Mr Marshall seconded, that .application be made to the Education Board that the school hours for inIst ruction be shortened by fifteen min lutes on Wednesday of each week for ■ Bible instruction by church representatives. CYCLING I Once more the local cyclists have taken to the road, and last Saturday >aw the first of a series of road races. J This was held over the —ain road between Patea and Kakaramea, a distance of eight miles there and back. (There were seven starters, all but one was made on the race, 8. Forsythe, of -finishing. A record time for the course Waitotara, finishing in 20 mintes 30 i seconds, with D. Nelson, ony half a ■ wheel behind him. These two paced together during the whole race, starting off scratch, and only catching up the .others about a mile and a-half from 'home. They did not shake these off, ;however, until another mile was completed. Following are the others who 'started: Tia (lmin) 3rd, H. Bangi Imin.), W. Olds (lmin.), G. Signal (min.). The standing record for the course until last Saturday was lmin. Ilssec., the record thus being broken : by 45sec. WOMEN’S INSTITUTE ! At the last monthly meeting of the Patea Women’s Institute, which was •held last Friday, a short comedy was enacted by four of the members. There | was an excellent attendance of members. Mrs Ramsbottom presiding. • The title of the play’ was i ‘Snowed Fp With a Duchess/* and the excellent portrayal of the characters provoked 'many laughs at the comic situations 'which arose in the play. Airs PettiJgrew, as the Duchess, gave a very realistic study of a philanthropic lady. Mrs : Smile? was the great dress-designer of I London. Madame Valve was the French (artiste to her finger-tips. Mrs Torrens jtook the part of .L • newly-rich Mrs |Ch olmondely-Jones. who mistook the I dressmaker for the Duchess. Mrs I Odge, in whose cottage the scene was ■ laid, was a lowly pessimistic person, whose personality was excellently poritrayed by Mrs J. S. Pearce. The final (scene was followed by very appreciative applause, which testified to the I enjoyment obtained from it by those I present. Afternoon tea was served, and jbrought the meeting to a close. PERSONAL I Miss Joyce Tarranat, whose wedding to Mr G. McDonald, Palmerston North, rakes place on August 26, is at present ;on a visit to Patea, and is the guest of Miss A. Huston, “ Knollmere,” Kakairamea. J Miss Ritchie, Hawke’s Bay, who has jbeen the guest o e Airs A. H. Hodge, is at present in Wanganui. Air Lee Honeyfield has returned from a visit t > Now Plymouth, where he was 'the guest of Mrs E. Griffiths. Mr W. F. Shield has resumed his ’■itih■ again after his recent illness. • Miss Ruse, of Wanganui, spent the I week-end in Patea. Air- A. Christensen is ar home again ; after undergoing a slight operation at • the local hospital. Her friends will be I glad to see her about again. I An improvement in Airs Graves’ con- • dition was reported yesterday. She is I now in the Patea Hospital and all her | friends will be pleased to hear of her progress towards good health. GOLF • Owing to the lambing season, the —'Park Farm” golf inks will be closed I from to-day until further notice. The ladies’ club will hold a special ‘meeting next Wednesday to discuss the ‘question of the championships, and several matters of importance. Recent games in the Remuera Cup Lave resulted in the following winning 'through to the fourth round: E. C. Gilbert, who beat W. H. Rook; E. Harris, who beat Edwards: and N. Hunger, who beat Wither. Other games have 'not- been completed through to this | stage. SOCIAL : “ Faliowlield ” was the venue of many enthusiasts of the game of bridge last Friday afternoon, when Airs W. F. Sheild entertained a number of her (friends in honour of Miss Fraser, of . Richmond. Spring flowers formed fresh and charming decorations. Aliss Fraser was presented with a dainty ' Victorian posy, and the prize f< the (highest score was won by Airs Roberts. I Those present were, Alcsdamcs Mc- ! Rae, Stevens, Thomson, Patterson, Simmons, I. Honeyfield, Roberts, Misses I Fraser. Kelly, Gibson, and Hamerton. and Haswell. FOOTBALL ■ There v.as very little change in the (position uf the South Taranaki teams •for the championship on last Saturday's play. Following are the results: Patea 15, v. Athletic 8. i Okaiawa 22, v. Hawera 0. Kaponga z 7, v. Waimate 11. Opunake won by default from Eltham. ; The Patea-Athletic game was only brilliant in patches, the players Of

. both teams not seeming to take the match seriously. Patea lost the toss, and for the first half had the sun and the light breeze in their faces. Both teams had equal share of the game, but the I’atea forwards worked slightly better than their opponents. Both teams had several juniors playing, Patea playing Paterson, Maule and Willis, all of whom put up a good showing. Paterson especially doing splendid {work down the sideline. The scodc was made up fo four tries, and a tenuity goal, while Athletic’s were a converted try and a try. Mr Claphani refereed the game. The following is the Patea team as it lined out: Spooner, Paterson, J. Crawford, Maule, Petersen, McDowell, Zimmerman, P. Bourke, It Willis, Couch, Walker, Baldwin. Wills, Richards and Baldwin. The following is the position of the teams in the South T-ranaki championship, as l result of the games or Saturday:—

Patea Thirds v. Opunake I This game was the semi-final of the sTaranki junior championship, the winners of the southern division. Patea, playing the winners of the western division, Opunake. lhe local team can claim that their line has not been crossed this season, and this in spite of the fact that they wer< beaten last Saturday by Opunake. The result was 7—3. Opunake scoring off a penalty and a potted goal. Patea*s scoi ) was a try by J. Kirk, after a retty movement. Air J. Kiley refereed the game. This was the first loss Patea has sustained throughout the season, but unluckilv they don ont hare another

p w 1) L C.Pt Owaiawa 1 1. u 0 2 IS Opunake ..... .11. B 1 2 1 . Patca 11 1 1 1 4 13 Kaponga 11 () n 5 12 Athletic ..... 11 1 5 11 Hawera 11 5 1 5 11 Eltham JI j 0 9 <- Wai mate 11 1 0 .It) 2