DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 666, 17 November 1909, Page 3

DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

; « ■■■ . THE POOK BACKBLOCKS. . (Bi'Ttiesrach.—Sneclal OorrenDuttdont.l -.v Wanganui, November 18...„ "Many visitors are already in. town for tho show, which promises to biv a'great sucooss. r The legalifiingof a collecting link of two and . a-halt miles on; tho "Wanganui River Road-, (western bank) again came before th© Chambor of .Commerce, .last.-.night,; i The. chamber Via ;'•■ invoking the assistance of. Messrs.; Hogan and Pearee, M.Pi's, to lay the .matter jbeforo Gov- 1 ,, eminent. Mr. Hogan's assistarico';is also b»,ing isecured in'the..attempt to, induce the ,Goycrnnient to oonsidef the question of differential .'. ratl>3' for long-distance' carriage on tho railway, with a view..to thfiir abolition. ~ It appears that several small Native reserve! in this district, varying from one'to'ton acres, and scattered all ,over the: country;'(many ,in • the middlo of occupied farms) are useless/to the Natives,.and as there is;no .access tb;them, 'and fanners cannot use them. Honce they aw likely to become nurseries :f<Jr- noxious;' weeds. ; A-similar . position exists at; Whangatei, the Chamber of Commerco of which rplaco has invited the co-operation of the Wanganui Cham- ' ber in an effort to find a remedy for this state of affairs.. The Newtown Band (Sydney) • has, cabled .• that it will attend tho band/ contcst '.here 'in; I'ebruary. ' . ■ . The valuo of tho Government's" alleged? interest in the. welfare of tho backblocks was brought l homo to' the Waiigahui Education Board last night, when letters were'road;from the Education to \giv«, grants for the erection 'of • several; country schools—some badly needed. 1 In' ono oaso .ths : settlers, tired of .waiting, offered-to erect a building, and supply, tho' teacher, themselves,: if. the board . Would , assist ,in some way. Tho board .passed, tho following resolution I :—"That;, considering. the, urgent; requirements in cbnnection with ' school buildings and teachers' ■ residences in the hackblocks, Which the Education Department has refused to grant money for, this board;,considers .it 1 to :spond, money on fvco school books :for'> the' benefit 1 mainly of pupils; ih, largo; centres;" In regard to free school . books, the, board has also another grievance, as is indicated by tho follow- ; ing resolution:—"That, the board .declines :to. incur any' liability for. froo school books until; the Department, has handed over the money .for the books,. <tepecially:.'as last year's, grant ,lias not yet been, paid by the, Government." Commenting' on. the, tendency of parents to • put their to offico .work, Chief Inspector tiraik has the following to say, in his monthly report to tho! Education Board:—'"Tho rural proposed , by the . : Department,-! it ;'v is, • hoped, will find favour' with tho. people..'. In my' next report I shall bo in,apposition to inform , the board how far tho proposal is likely to prove to parents^, trho~ have tho final, say in - tho . matter.' When 1 , the country ceases to pay for a ,form of -secondary, education; o£ wliioh: tho s main purpose is to impart a -kuovrledpo of subjects. that' 'would be of little practical value, and. which sets tho minds and affection's of pupils oh appointmonts to-an already over-burdened Civil servioo, some such proposals as that of tho Department' may re- : ceiva consideration." i " V; ' ;