GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 February 1947, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

Agricultural Clubs A grant of £l4O for Boys’ and Girls' Agricultural Clute in the Wanganui Education Board area has been received from the Education Department. This is to be allocated at £75 to the Wanganui-Main Trunk Divisiqp and £65 to the Manawatu-Oroua Division.

“Binna Forget.’* Speaking on Cultural Values to the Wanganui Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon yesterday, Mr. L. R. H. Beaumont, 8.A., said that we in Wanganui should be very proud of the two A grade bands in the city, upon which Mr. A. McSkimming, president of the Wanganui Highland Pipe Band, interjected loudly. “Three—Dinna Forget the Garrison!”

Schoolboy Cyclist Hurt. On returning to school at lunch time yesterday, Mahia Haddon, a boy aged 14, residing at 140 Gonville Avenue, Wanganui, fell from Ills bicycle at the corner of Wilson and Ingestre Streets. He suffered concussion and a suspected fracture of the collar-bone. He was conveyed to hospital by the St. John Free Ambulance.

From a Distance An Auckland tender has been accepted for the painting of the Manunui School buildings. It was pointed out at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board that several attempts had been made to secure tenders for this work, but without success until now- Members expressed surprise that the only suitable tender should come from Auckland. Opossum Caught in Avenue. An opossum of the more venturesome type, came to the end of his exploring last night when several members of the Kiwi Cab Co. spotted him ambling Up Victoria Avenue at a little after 9 o’clock. He was chased into Victoria Court, adjoining the Kiwi depot, where, at the hands of these pre-trained combat troops, he came to a sorry end. Feet!

One hundred and sixty-three pairs of feet at the Ohakune District High School are to be inspected by officers of the Standards Institute in a Do-minion-wide survey of feet. Approval for the survey to be held at the Ohakune school was given yesterday by the Wanganui Education Board. “I hope the Standards Institute will be able to induce manufacturers to produce two shoes alike,” commented Mrs. D. G. Gordon. Paradox

“They put on special programmes for the children and yet here they are cutting out the grants which allow schools to provide the facilities with which to hear the programmes,” Remarked Mr. N. Bromiley (Waverley) at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, when notification was received that departmental special grants of £3 towards installation of radio points had been cancelled. The board decided to protest against the cancellation of the grants. Broken Windows Vandalism was blamed by the Gonville School Committee for the breaking of several windows at the Gonville School. The committee yesterday sought from the Wanganui Education Board a grant towards the cost of reglazing windows broken by vandals. The board decided to grant £3. Vandals would be responsible for only about 10 per cent, of the broken windows, stated Mr. J. C. Batt, who said he did not like the inference that there was a more unruly element in Gonville than elsewhere, Interchange of Members

Liaison between Wanganui School Committees’ Association and the Wanganui Headmasters Association is sought by the committees’* association, and a sub-committee of Messi’s. S. Cowley (association vicepresident) and W. G. Price, and Mrs. K. Gould-Fennell (secretary) will inquire whether it will be possible for the Headmasters’ Association to have a representative on the School Committees’ Association in the future. They will also ask if the Headmasters’ Association will accept one of their representatives.

Group Hearing Aid. The group hearing aid which permits of 40 people to listen to a speaker at one time and which is employed by the Wanganui Branch of the League for the Hard of Hearing, was designed by the officers of the Post and Telegraph Department and was installed and has been maintained by Mr, Snadden. It was wholly manufactured in this Dominion and is a triumph of technical skill. ‘We nre very satisfied with this instrument,” said Mr. Hugh C. Jenkins yesterday at the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

School Buildings. ‘The position with regard to "school buildings is chaotic, and I think the best thing we can do is set up a building sub-commitee to go into the matter,” stated Mr. W. H. Brown at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, when the board was discussing applications for new schools. Earlier a commitee had been set up to prepare a report on the building programme, and this committee was also asked to discuss the advisability of setting up a permanent •building committee.

A University College Project. Should a new university college be established in Wanganui? This proposal is to be one of the “projects” to be investigated during the current year by the Wanganui Junior Chamber of Commerce. ”1 have advocated this step for some time now, but have met with no active support. 1 will not urge you to an opinion one way or anther, but will welcome your unbiassed enquiry into this proposal to further higher education in New Zealand, by establishing a university college here in Wanganui,” said Mr. Hugh C. Jenkins, guest speaker at the Chamber’s lunch yesterday. Keith Street School Echo

Appreciation of the attitude of Messrs- J. C. Batt and W. G. Price, Wanganui urban representatives on the Wanganui Education Board, for their work in connection with the Keith Street School controversy, was expressed by Mr. S. J. Barry (Keith Street School) at a meeting of the Wanganui School Committees’ Association. The Keith Street School Committee and Messrs. Batt and Prive were opposed to the addition oi' two temporary classrooms to the existing building, but in the face of this opposition the board decided to add the two rooms.