MANGAPEHI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 93, 31 July 1908, Page 2

MANGAPEHI.

(Own Correspondent.) The local Boxing Club shows emy' sign of being a great success. About 20 members have now been enrolled, and'all seem to take a very active interest in the club. On last Friday evening Mr. E. Wade, the instructor, put those members intending to follow up the study of the " science of selfdefence," through some preliminary rounds. He was well pleased with the way many of the young men shaped, and is confident of turning out some good exponents of the " noble art." The club meets for two hours every Tuesday and Friday. Arrangements are being made for erecting Roman rings, parallel and horizontal bars, on a plot of ground just outside the hall. This will enable the club members to indulge in out-door as well as in-door recreation. The local sportsmen turned out in great force lust Sunday, as it being the last week-end of the shooting season. A good deal of execution was done amongst the wild pigeons. Mr. F. Rose, using a dsuble-barrelled shot gun, secured eighteen fine birds, on the Government block of bush between Mangapehi and Tiroa. Messrs. Cox, Corcoran, Ellis and Hayson, using pea-rifles, secured about twenty birds in the same bush. The other sportsmen did equally as good in the bush surrounding Mangapehi. It is to be regretted that the season is closing just as the pigeons are becoming fat, and worth shooting, tit is observed that many of the birds shot have not yet finished moulting. It is rumoured that both the local boardinghouses will shortly change hands.

Some very heavy frosts have been experienced here this, week, that of last Tuesday morning being exceptionally heavy. When the water in a jug standing inside the living room of a house becomes coated with ice a quarter of an inch thick, it may be inferred that the climate of Mangapehi is a pretty " Warm one." The only daughter of Mr. W. Cowley, mill manager, has been in a very critical state of health lately, owing to throat trouble, but is now almost completely recovered. Mr. J, Stewart's eldest son is also suffering from an attack of the same trouble. The local school still registers a very good attendance, there being 41 pupils on the roll, and an average daily attendance of about, 34. The matter of the i\ew school still seems to be held in abeyance. A section of 2 acres has been offered to the Government as a site, for a nominal sum, but no reply seems to have yet been received. Yet this is a matter that demands instant and full attention. Just imagine a teacher with his 34 pupils crowded on a hot day into a box-like room, 15 by 20 ft., with 10ft. studs 1 The sun beating down on the galvanised iron roof, together wtth the exhalations of its unfortunate inmates, speedily converts the schoolroom into a hot-house. It is only reasonable to infer that the breathing of such a vitiated atmosphere for 5 hours daily must eventually prove injurious to the health of scholars and teachers alike. And not only their physical health, but to their mental capacities as well. It is wellknown psychological law, that the development of the brain depends largely on the physical health and • surroundings of the body. In support of this, it has been noticed that many of the children in question are not nearly so bright and spontaneous in their brain work as they were shortly after being admitted to the school. The scholars cannot be blamed for this, nor can the teacher, they are doing their best. It is simply a case of unhealthy acting in a a reflex manner on the mental capacities of the children. My only wish is that those responsible for this state of things were part of of a class in this particular school, having an hour's lesson in decimals. Brain-fever or a new school next week would be most probable results.