NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 3

NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

/CLIPPED EDUCATION GRANTS. ■// TWO "TEACHERS'''LETTERS. ■■>' '(By , ';.■' .' 'Wanganui, February 17.'' ' .- An■• indication; of -the.growth-;of; Castleoliff appears in ■the fact that;it is considered -desirable ,to establish a police station'• there.' The Town-Board- is -writ-, irig to the authorities making lapplicatibri for same..-'. The population: of: Gonville is also-steadily increasing, and it has'been found nocessary to make .additions' to tho school there...... .. The recent decision of the Education Department to. require the attendance of at least 20 '.holders of proficiency certificates ...before, permitting ..the .establishment' of,'a;:district. high school,„will. press hardly on some/country centres,.and pre-, vent /the' establishment- of./somb , already, anticipated in/various' parts off this, district. ..Representations..on, the .matter,are to be made to the Education Department. i. One effect the. -recent "reduction by the. Government of. grants to Education Hoards is that the "Wanganui Board has' had ..to., enter on, ', a■': policy.,; '.of-.;.sh'ict economy,' which: includes, the stoppage of the'.usual pay to .teachers, on. sick leave. The: roduction'.of/the/grant is felt very, severely in i this, district; .where a" great deal of new; settlement is going on, anl from, every part of which, applications' for .'new schools, and: additions to.' those, already established, aro .constantly, coming in.; It is felt,'that the -Department should, in fairness, exercise some discrimination ' .between'• ■•' growing districts, and; those- in i 'which, settlement' is' less rapid.-, The' woes,- of,, the 1 backblocks teacher aro always iu evidence-here, and there .is -scarcely.-a meeting of 'the' Edu-" cation Board without' some phase of the hardships which they have to suffer uejng brought to light. Extracts from two. 'otters received last night by the' Education, Board aro '■ illuminating as to what pioneers of education ; have to put' up with. "I have," wrote one'teacher/ 'ftwo miles -heavy /walking" every : day, and' a' whare to live in which is neither of use nor^ ornament -except ;a's a' means Ho 1 duct -dSIS off my salary." Another bush teacher's-description of the residence at. tached to his school was: "An evilsmelling; insanitary hovel, in- the middle of a stockyard" -. '•■-■■.:■■■ ':,.'--':•, '. It ,'.is -expected, -that 'the sito'in the middle of Victoria Avenue, now occupied by .the Technical School, .will soon bo available for business purposes, for which it is excellently raited. ."■ Tenders will bo. called - immediately- ■ for '"the ' lease of same.-- ■■'-, ... -.-.• ■;,-.■■:..,-.-. -' ./. .■.■:■•:•

Pennyroyal is.growing thicklv on some of the country roads here, -'and' local bodies; are being -urged to got rid of ■ tho pest, which seems to bo spreading. ■ -' '•■ Some feelingshas been' arousod'hore by a. report that the .Government' has- suspended work on Parapara Road, and a .special.ineeting of tho Chamber-of Commerce' will be held to-morrow to go into the matter....

Matters" with regard to the,, proposed ■new.-.traffic bridge aro- still "moving,-: the Wanganui BoTough (Council-'haying advised its engineer to-give-bis-opinion on which is the best site'--for. the 'desired connection "with' Wanganui,.East. .. There are two rival 'sites, viz.-/at. Dublin- Street and Plymouth Street, eaclihaving its ardent supporters. Th.6/construction of. a bridge is jxhportant to'Wanganui,East in another way,-as till that is accomplished tho extension of tho tramway ..service will be deferred. In view of. probable future water extensions to Aramoho • and Wanganui. East, a now storage-/reservoir of four million gallons will shortly bo built., The borough council basreferred to its Finance Committee',a/request', of:.an influential citizens': deputation-,'.that tho council should contribute! i£soo -towards tho cost "of a combined'.motor.'and'hose reel, ,_and a chemical extinguisher. The cost of the machine irouldibe/JEIOOO, and the other' hnlf would.be: raised by public subscription. ... ■'/'::'-'/ :^/-: -\