LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 176, 21 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Two well-known lalxjnr leaders will shortly appear in the Magistrate’s Court to answer charges of circulating seditious literature.

A deputation waited on the Education Board yesterday morning asking for the establishment of a school at Paremata. At present, it was stated, the children had either to travel ,to Porirua or Plimmerton. If they could not get a new school they desired to know whether they could hove a school in temporary premises, and the Paremata Hall was suggested. It was decided to “try out” a temporary school.

A cable message from Sydney yesterday regarding the sculling championship of Australia referred to a match between. "Paddington” and M'Devitt. The first name should have been “Paddon” —the same Paddon who was defeated by Barry on the Thames, and who subsequently boat Arnst on the Parramatta. Paddon is a Clarence River man, and M'Devitt bails from Tasmania.

The latest report by the Educational and Vocational Training Branch of tho Defence Department states that thb number of returned soldiers attending classes in March was 824, of whom 540 were in the North Island. The percentage of inpatients receiving instruction at hospitals where classes were maintained was 85.7. The patients’ recreation fund benefited to the extent of £231 during the month from the profits on the sale of articles made by the soldiers. “How many children have you to support?" asked counsel for a judgment creditor of a witness in a case heard recently in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court. “Three," was the answer. “What are their ages?” inquired counsel. "Three and eight,” was the reply. "That only accounts for two of them," said counsel. "What about the third?” "Oh, two of them are twins," said the witness, amidst laughter.

It was reported to the Education Board yesterday that one of the board’s teachers in the Wairarapa had gained a verdict for damages as the result of an action arising out of a charge of assault. The chairman (Mr. T. Forsyth) said that he was very glad to see the result of the case, as there had been a good deal of interference of this sort with teachers of late, and it was time it was put a stop to. The following have been elected (unopposed) members of the General Council of Education:—-Messrs. James R. Kirk and R. M'Callum, M.P. (representing the Education Boards of the North Island); T. U. Wells (representing the certificated male public school teachers of North Island), W. Eudy (South Island); Miss Estelle R. Wilson (certificated female teachers of the North Island), Miss Emily A. Chaplin (South Island). Elections, for which the poll closes on May 9, will be held for members 'of tho council representing: (1) Male secondary and technical school teachers; (2) female secondary and technical school teachers; (3) Education Boards of the South Island. The Education Department has declined a grant for the erection of a new school at Paraparaumu. At yesterday s meeting of the Education Board, Mr.. W. H. Field, M.P., said that he had received a letter from the Minister, who stated that' owing to the financial stringency he. ’had asked boards to prepare a list of projected school works in the order of their urgency. If it was left to him (Mr. Field) Paraparaumu would be at tne head of the list. The school was conducted in an old shed (the first technical school in New Zealand), which wasi wormeaten from end to end. It was decided to ask the Minister to view the shed which, it was said, was totally unfit foi further service as a school.

During last season the Wellington Harmonic Society gave tivo concerts to tho works of' Sir Edward Elgar, the eminent English composer Mr. HTemple White, thinking that the com poser would be interested to learn that his works iwere known and appreciated in this corner of the Empire, sent him programmes. By the last mail Mr. M bite derived the following acknowledgment: -“Severn House, 42 Netherall Gardens, Hampstead, N.W.-Sir Edward Elgar desires mo to thank you for your letter, and for sending him the programme o vour concert. He is much interested to hear of your work and gratified to hear of the interest taken in his music, and wishes you all success in the futuie. C. 1. Elgar.”

A conference of technical school directors and supervisors of manual training classes is to be held i’ l Wellington durthe last week in May. Mi. J. M. Hdwell will attend the conference on behalf of the local Technical College. Next week will bo a busy one for the local Returned Soldiers Associat lo “- Sunday a combined parade will nlar to St "Mark’s Church, the returned soldiers assembling at their club rooms at 2p m On Monday a children’s service will be held at the Cenotaph at 11 a.m-. and it is requested that floral triK " be placed on the Cenotaph before that hour. These tributes will remain on the Cenotaph, but those brought by the children Will be taken to Karon Cemetery and placed on the soldiers graves there. At 3 p.m. on Anzac Day s memond sex-vice will bo held in the Town Hall on exactly the same lines as last year Returned soldiers are requested to near their war medals and ribbons to these functions. On Thursday, April 28, the annual meeting of the Wellington B-S.A. will be held in the Town Hall, and it is hoped that every member will make a special effort to be present. Yesterday the Education Board approved of an application for the establishment of technical classes at Blenheim. The sketch exhibition now open at the Art Gallery, Whitmore Street, is pronounced on all sides to be the most successful yet held: by the Academj. A iXknown artist, gently returned from a visit to the Old in expressing his surprise and at the advanced quality of the nork shown, stated that it compared more than favourably with certain similar exhibitions viewed by him in England Twenty-five sketches have already found purchasers, and it is hoped that at the close of'the exhibition on Saturday evening next the list of sales wih constitute a record.