SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18413, 20 June 1925, Page 10

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

TIMARU. Social and Personal. Mrs A. 11. Muir (Nile street) left for Ditnedin yesterday. Mrs George Hart (Wai-iti road) has returned from Christehurch.

Mrs and Miss Philp (Wai-iti road) left on a visit to Eiverton vesterdav.

Mrs Hayter is spending a few days in town, and will return to "Eoilesby" todav.

Mrs Guthrie and her daughter, Mrs Grant (Mackenzie Country), aro visiting Christehurch.

Mr and Mrs Dawson (England), who have been staying in Timaru, will leave to-dav for Mount Cook.

Mr and Mrs J.. A. Campbell left Timaru yesterday for Wellington, where they will join the Eotorua for England.

Lieut.-Commander and Mrs Sitwell arrived from Auckland yesterday, and will leave by to-niorrow'a car for the Hermitage. Miss Gladys Fussell (Russell square) has returned to Timaru after a '

visit to her brother, Mr Norman Fussell (Christehurch). Miss Hooper (England) has returned from Christehurch, and is staying with the Misses Woilcombc (Trafalgar street). Mrs T. A. Hamilton (Christehurch) arrived in Tiniaru yesterday on a visit to her daughter, Mrs Maurice le Crcn (Beverley road). - ■ Miss Kathleen Wood (Mount Possession) is staying with Mrs Maurice Harper (Wai-iti road). Ministerial Visit. Yesterday tho Minister of Education (the Hon. Sir James Parr) paid a brief visit to Timaru, arriving from the south by the 1.45 p.m. express, and leaving for the north by the 4.13 p.m. train. The Minister inspected the Boys' and Girls' High Schools, and at 3.30 p.m. received several deputations at the Municipal Chambers.

Mr W. Gibb asked that extra teachers' accommodation should be provided at the South .School.

The Minister said that the matter Would receive attention. Mr Gibb proceeded to urge on V s of the South Island Federation of School Committees that the Education Department should give committees more power.

The Minister: What powers do yoi' want us to give the school committees? Mr Gibb: In regard to the appointment of teachers. The Minister: Do you think school committees are better judges than inspectors when it comes to appointing ley's chance of getting Parliament to give you iuorq power in that respect. What other powers do you want? Mr Gibb was unable to state any further powers required by school committees.'

Mr G-. Benstead, representing the J Tirtiaru School Committees' Association, asked tho Minister to give instructions' that authority for the additions to Wairnataitai School should bo forwarded as soon as possible, and that the Department should frame a comprehensive scheme for tho granting of Government subsidies on moneys provided by volun», tary contributions.

The Minister: I think the matter is fairly Well covered by tho existing regulations.

Mr Benstead proceeded to ask that school committees should be givon some jurisdiction o/cr manual training centres.

Tho Minister: You send your children to these training centres, perhaps, two hours a Week for woodwork -ir other manual instruction, and there it ends. What use would the jurisdiction you ask for bo to the school committees?

Mr Benstcad was proceeding, when the Minister, looking at his watiih, said: ''What time does my train go? Ave there any more deputations?'^ Mr Itolleston said there were two, and the Minister proceeded, to hear thuin. The Seadown School Committee asked that a teacher's residence should be built at the Seadown School. The Minister said that the matter had been already referred to, but ho would have it reopened.

Mr C. J. Talbot asked that additions should be made to the accommodation, at tho Fairlie District High Scnool.

The Minister expressed regret that his visit to Tiinafu was necessarily so brief, and hoped that before long ho would again bo in the district. With regard to the school committees, he did not wish them to think that the Department regardod them as necessary evils, for it realised that they had much useful work to do. It Was, however, quite impossible to give them any further powers. Ho had often worried over the question, but had been forced to the conclusion that their proscnt functions could not be extended. The appointment of teachers now depended upon grading, and was practically automatic. In any case, neither ho nor the Department could extend school committee's, powers in this respect, for it Was a matter for Parliament, and he was quite certain that Parliament would not agree to any alteration, in tho existing machinery. Harbour Improvements. Yet another hitch has occurred in the Timaru Harbour Board's efforts i secure the services of engineers to furnish a suitable scheme for harbour improvements. An attempt was made to obtain the services of Messrs H. Vickcr--I'rtan and J. D. Gillies, bat following a negative reply from Mr Gillies, Mr Vickerman has withdrawn his offer to act. The matter was discussed at yesterday's meeting of tho Board, when the chairman (Mr W. Hnyman) said that there appeared to be nothing left for tho Board to do but ask the Government to send down an engineer. Ho concurred with tho .-view expressed by Mr A. R. Guild that the Engineers' Institute appeared to be opposed to them. It was decided the Government should | be askod to send one or more engineers j to Timaru to report as thev may think fit. Repairs to Dredge. A new situation has arisen in regard to the Timaru Harbour Board's dredgo 350, which was recently thrown out of action as a result of an accident to the | bucket ladder. At a special meeting | of tho Board, held last week, it was ,' decided to lay the dredge up for thre-i j months, and then send..her to Port! Chalmers for annual overhaul and re- '■- pairs, but at yesterday's meeting of the Board an offer to effect repairs was made by a Timaru firm, and an application for the hire of the dredge was also recoived from tho Oaniaru Harbour Board. In viow Of these circumstances, the matter was reopened and discussed at length. ! Messrs Parr and Co. wrote offering to ; give a quotation for effecting repairs to the damaged bucket ladder of dredge . 350. They pointed out that they had i all the material and men for the work. I Reporting on the offer, tho engineer (Mr F. W. Clarke) stated that he doubted if a successful job could be mado of the work locally. | The dredgo-mastet reported in Similar manner. ' A letter from tho Oamaru Harbour Board was read, asking if tho dredge was available for hire, as it was ncces*

sary to do periodic:)! dredging at that port. On tin? motion of Mr F. If. Fiatinnn. it was decided to offer the dredge to the Oamavu Board, at £so per day. After further discussion, it was decided Mint the offer of Messrs Tnrr and Co. should be declined, and that if the Oamaru Harbour Board accepted the terms for hire of .the dredge, the vessel should be sent to Port Chalmers for repairs immediately. "The Sleeping Beauty."

Unlimited Charities are to be congratulated on the success, from every point of view, which attended the staging of the pantomime "The Sleeping Beauty," in aid of the South Canterbury Orphanages. A great deal of time and thought had been given to the production, and it went from scene to scene with .a swing, interest being well maintained throughout. It would be difficult, to select outstanding characters, for almost every member of the company Was happily cast. The costumes were charming or amusing as the role of (heir wearers demanded, and the staging was excellent, the beencry, painted by Mr E. MeKcnzie, of Christeliurch, being particularly fine. The juvenile bullets were a feature of the performance, and reflected' great credit upon Mie teaching of Miss Madeline Vyner, who was responsible for their production. Little Lottie Colville and Kathleen Eead, as the child prince a,nd child princess respectively, found warm favour with the audience's, ami carried th.-ough their voles with a charm and'complete-'lack of selfeonseiousneas which would have done credit to many a. professional performer. Miss Audrey Cm croft-Wilson made a. very captivating Princess Marigold, and was', ably supported 1 by Miss Esma Watts, as rrinee Robin. Mr L. E. Vemazoui had a difficult part to play as Dame (later .Queen) Bcdelia, and was responsible for much of the humour of the piece, as were Messrs Norman Batchelor and J. D. Carl as Acthelfrith and Aethelfroth. Captain Tahu Rhodes, as Hildebrand, the Hilarious, and Mr B, B. Walker as Eadred, were well cast, and the former, with Miss Helen Rhodes, presented a very pleasing pas deux in Mm final scene. The Elizabethan scene, which, with a Victorian scene, was interpolated in the story, provided a clever and diverting portrayal of Sir Walter Raleigh, by Captain Tahu Rhodes. Mr Bernard Eennell, as Edwin, was prominent throughout, Miss Betty Cotterill playing opposite him as-Prisc.illa. Misses Ella Clark and Doiecu Kiver, as Love and Jealousy respectively, admirably filled their parts. The choruses and "ballets were splendidly balanced and effective, and a strong orchestra, under Mr Arthur Gordon, added materially to the success of the play.

The producer, Miss Xgaio Marsh, lias brought, the company to a splendid etat.o of perfection, and t.o her is due a. \ary large share of the credit for its success. Each performance in Timaru attracted a largo audience, and the gross takings are estimated at about £450.

The production is later to be 3taged in Christeliurch.

GERALDINE.

A very interesting lecture was delivered by Mr E. Hardcastlc at the W.E.A. literary class, which is conducted by Miss tfarnie, M.A. There was a large and appreciative audience, and the lecturer, whoso subject was "The Literature,, of Sport," quoted from many works on. hunting in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, as well as giving reminincenses of his own experiences in New Zealand, mainly amongst the deer. The lecture was regarded as one of the best yet delivered in connexion with the W.E.A., and Mr Hardcastlc Was heartilv thanked.

The Geraldifle Musical Society gave a capital concert in tho Parish Hall

on Thursday night, the building bo-lag packed. Vocal solos -were contribute! by Mrs Sharp, Miss McArthur, Miss Willoughby, Miss Gillies, Mrs Kuibb, and Mr 15. Logan, and the ltev. IT. M. Cocks gave a recitation with fine effect. The concert opened with the glee "Prom Oberoii in Fairy Land," and a number of other glees and part-songs was rendered by the choir. Mr E. White conducted with his customary ability, and much praise is also duo to Miss Shcrratt, whose accompaniments left nothing to bo desired. The concert was a pronounced success.