MINISTER OF EDUCATION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5254, 21 March 1928, Page 3

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

’ OFFICIAL VISIT TO PAEBO-A, INSPECTION OF SCHOOL? An official visit was paid by the Minister o£ Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) to Paeroa yesterday morning. The Minister, who travelled Te Aroha, was met at Hie borough boundary by His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), the deputyMayor (Cr. E. Edwards), and Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., and driven to the district high school. On arrival he was met by the headmaister (Mr G. H, Taylor) and Messrs J. H. C- McDonald (deputy-chairman) 1 , W. Purdie, W. N. Chamberlain, C. H. Pascoe, W. ♦Smith, am} w - L. Lawrence (secretary), of the District High School Commit,tee. The pupils, numbering Over 400, together with their teachers!, were drawn up in, front of the infants’ class-room, and; the Ministerial party was accommodated on the high ground overlooking the girls’ playground'. . 1 ' WELCOME FROM COMMITTEE. On behalf of the committee, the headmaster and hi/s staff, Mr McDonald extended a formal welcome to the Minister, Mr Samuel, and the Mayor. In a brief address the assured the Minister that the school was honoured by his visit, and fie took the opportunity of thanking the Mayor and his council for the willing help and ready co-operation that had been extended to the committee in all matvters relating to the welfare of the • * school and pupils, especially in regard to the erection of the dental clinic.. WELCOME FROM CITIZENS. On behalf of the citizens of Faero.a and district Mr Marshall extended a cordial welcome to the Hon. R. A. Wright, who, the speaker' said, was, paying his first v'sit to Paeroa. The children, as well as the elder people, felt honoured at meeting the Minister. It was” hoped that the heart of the Minister would be stirred by the sincerity of the welcome, and that he would be able to appreciate what the deputation jhad to place before him. Turning to the children, the Mayor that everyone had his. or her allotted task in life, and according to ability so would they progress. To those in the Dominion who shouldered responsibility and power all honour was due, and it behoved children, as they passed through life to accord that honour and reverence when opportunity offered. In a few brief words Mr Samuel Baid he considered that, the Minister was a fortunate person to be able to go through the Dominion and meet thousands of boys'and girls. It had been the speaker’s endeavour for a long time to get the Minister to visit Paeroa, but he was, a busy man and the visit had been, long delayed. Mr Samuel'tfien introduced the Minister to the children, who, he said, would , become the future citizens.of New Z and perhaps from whom might rise the Dominion’s future Prime Minister. ADDRESS BY HON R. A. WRIGHT. Commencing his address to those assembled, the Minister thanked the Mayor for his cordial welcome and congratulated him* on his work for the, borough .which, he said 1 , was “first-plass and British.” He hoped the Mayor’s term of office would be a happy one, and that no section of the people would disturb or hamper his administration. The, Minister said be

; , was extremely pleased to meet the boys aijd girls of Faeroa, and wished to congratulate the parents op the • fine, healthy appearance of the children. It was evident that they were not only receiving three meals a day? *Vfrut that the food* was good and wliole- / some. Sweet food and lollies were of no use to build up the body and produce brain tissues, but plain food, and plenty of it, was what was required by tihe young Ne.w Zealander. GOOD SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The Minister said tfttt the committee and children were to be congratulated on the fine school building ;and appointments the town possessed.. Standing on over three acres of land, , the main school, which was modern, contained seven goodl rooms and adequate appointments; then there was the infants’ department, containing three rooms which had been recently renovated, and brought up-to-date, a small wooden, class-room, and xui up-■to-date laboratory. In his opinion paeroa children, in common with 'Tfche rest of the Dominion, had! a happier time and received their education under better conditions .than those obtaining in any other part of the world. Addressing the children, the Minister, in pointing out the improved methods of instruction and added comfort and facilities that now obtained, said that when he was a boy cildren Were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and also the can©, of which they received plenty. Again, the children of to-day had a wonderfully generous allowance ot holidays. Sounding a more serious note, the Minister said that he was a great believer in hard work, and the hard Workers .were the only people who gained r.eal success in. the world. It unwise to,trust to luck in .anything, because so often, those who did were left lamenting. Every child shbuld make an honesit endeavour to qualify in his work, whatever it might be, and by hard work and steady application fit himself to be a credit to his parents, school, ‘ and the community in which fhe moved. HALF-HOLIDAY GRANTED. ' At the request of Mr Samuel the Minister said that in order that his first visit to Paeroa should be com 1 - memorated he was going to ask the chairman of the committee and the headmaster, to declare, a half-holiday from school. Assent was readily {;iven, to the delight of the children '(Staff. In conclusion the Minister said that it was a pleasure to meet such a healthy and bright-lookrarg lot of children, and he wished l them every success in their future careers and heaps of good luck. At this stage the Minister was delighted with an anthem .rendered by

the sth and 6th standard pupils under the conductorship of Mr C. W. Malcolm. Hearty cheers were then given by the children for the Minister. In acknowledging the tribute the Hon. Mr Wright called on, the children for a round of ten cheers —for (lie school committee. Mayor and deputyMayor, the visitors, the headmaster and h’s staff, father and mother, Mr Samuel, the progress and success of the school, and for “tfie good old lialflioliday.” Needless to say the children responded readily and lustily as each call was made by the Minister. INSPECTION BY MINISTER. Accompanied by the committee, Mayor, headmaster, and Mr Samuel, the Minister then made a formal inspection of the buildings and en " virons, and’ expressed this satisfaction and, pleasure at all he saw. He displayed a keen interest in the school dental clinic; over which he was conducted by Miss L. C. Ellis, dental nurse in charge. The Minister accorded eulogistic remarks to the committee on its enterprise jn securing the clin’c for Paeroa, and especially because it had been erected and fitted .up by voluntary labour.

At the conclusion of the inspection the Minister was entertained to morning tea by the wives of the committeemen and the teaching staff, after which he was motored to Miller Avenue to inspect an area of land which had been purchased by the Education Department about eleven years ago as a site for a technical high school. . -