Patutahi School Picnic.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 40, 16 February 1901, Page 3

Patutahi School Picnic.

There was splendid weather for the above picnic, which was held in the Patutahi Domain yesterday. The attendance was quite up to that of previous years, both parents and children being well represented. The trustees had the

grounds in first-class order, the caretaker, Mr Sadler, having gone to considerable trouble in making a good track for the foot races, which were run off at intervals during the day. The numerous willow trees around the Domain afforded splendid shelter during the heat of the day. The fields in each event were large, and the finishes exciting. The children assembled at the school at 9.30, where they were given a ride in waggons kindly provided by Messrs P. Rodgers, W. Gedye, and G. Robb, who drove them to the Domain, where the young people arrived at 10 o’clock. Sports were then started, and continued until 3.30, when various games were indulged in until tea time. During the afternoon a tug-of-war was arranged, Married v. Single, and caused considerable excitement, some of the competitors losing their tempers. After considerable wrangfing it was agreed to have another try, and after a stubborn contest the married men succeeded in pulling their opponents over the line. The School Committee, Messrs J. Faulkner (chairman), Schmidt, Hindrup, Sadler, Lyons, and Lougher, worked hard during the day, and proved themselves the • right men in the right place. Mr Woodward, the schoolmaster, was very attentive to the wants of the children, and also acted as starter in the various events that were got off during the afternoon, and got his fields away well on every occasion. Messrs W. Gedye, sen., and J. Atkins acted as judges, and Messrs J. Bayliss and Whittaker as handicappers, and fulfilled their respective duties in a very creditable manner. The refreshment booth was in the capable hands of Mr M. Hall, who has acted in this capacity for several years! During the afternoon Mr J. Atkins’ special prizes for regular attendance were presented to the following sixteen pupils by Miss Pettersen,' mistress of the school: Alice Stevens, Evelyn Woodward, Guy Woodward, Louis Stevens, Thomas Craill, Augustus Gillman, Harry Doleman, Alfred McCready, Eve Doleman, James Atkins, Ellen Atkins, Jack Millar, Alfred Stevens, Gladys Gillman, B. Woodward, Grace Doleman. Prior to making the presentation, Mr Woodward took occasion to thank Mr J. Atkins for his many kindnesses to the school during the past twelve years, during each year of which he had donated liberally, and for the last two years having donated special prizes for attendance ; last year he gave medals for the boys and brooches for the girls, and this year presented sixteen books, for which the Committee had suitable labels printed. The following ladies assisted in serving at the tables: Mesdames Woodward, Sadler, Faulknor, and Lougher; Misses Sadler, Pettersen, Ferguson (2), and Faulknor. The committee collected .£2O cash in addition to prizes, etc., from the following : —Messrs W. Morgan, Townley, Dalrymple, Primrose and Leslie, Hallcnstein Bros., Adair Bros., Williams, Pcttie, John Lewis, Adams, Crawford and Son, Cottrell, Parnell and Co., R. Image, Teat and Friar, Bushnell, McKee, Robertson, Rosie, Eure, H. R. Smith, F. A. Ford, W. Good, W. Miller, McLornon, W. Fraser, Lewis, O’Meara, Hubble, Goldsmith, Williams and Kettle, D. Barry, W. Gault, Whinray, Currie and Hogan, O’Connell, Colebroolc, Erskine, Cox, Common, Shelton and Co., Sigley, John Clark, Arch. Clark and Co., Harding, A. R. Muir, Maynard, Hepburn, Gillman, W. L. Rees, G. Maher, W. D. Lysnar, J. Ferguson, W. Smith, Jas. Atkins, W. IL Chambers; Mesdames A. M. Browne, Edwards, Henzler, J. W. Johnson, and Stevens,