OPARURE NATIVE SCHOOL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 423, 16 December 1911, Page 5

OPARURE NATIVE SCHOOL.

SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL SOCIAL

On Saturday evening last the Oparure native school held its annual social and prize-giving. The Rev. Mr II eke (Anglican Missionary at Te Kuiti) kindly officiated as chairman. The concert was commenced by an address read by Mr Heke to the natives thanking the teachers of the school and all the people of the district who so kindly helped to bring about this gathering. He further impressed the native parents upon the value of education and urged them to send their children to school while young, and so equip them for life's defence m the later years. After the address the children recited a welcome, then lead off in the Grand March. The next item, "Piggies," a song by six tiny dots, then a recitation, "Lost," by Master James Turner. A song was then sung by the children, "Merry Little Children We"; song, "Genevieve," Miss Pare Hotu; song, "Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue," children; club-swinging and dumb-bells by eight selected children to piano accompaniment. A very pieasing item and one much appreciated by the audience was the representation of a train going from Te Kuiti to Auckland, containing passengers and stopping at Te Kuiti, Frankton, Penrose and Auckland —an introduction of this was a late arrival for the train atFrankton Junction arrayed in the hobble skirt to which article of dress the lady attributed her delay in arriving in time for the train. The concert was concluded by a ghost farce by the teachers. After the concert the children regaled themselves with refreshments. A Christmas tree was also in full bloom and the delighted children soon left its branches bare. An annual distribution of prizes brought the evening's amusement to a close.