The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi" FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1903.

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 191, 19 June 1903, Page 3

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi" FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1903.

At the last special meeting of the Motueka School Committee the following letter was read from Mr S. Ellis, secretary of the Nelson Education Board :—“With respect to the return from your school for the March quarter, I am directed to point out that the Board’s capitation is paid on the average attendance, and that consequently the closing of the schools for the whole of the quarter entailed not only a serious diminution of income to your com ■ mittee, but a much more serious one to the Board. I trust that such a thing as the school not openiug for a whole quarter will not occur again.” It is almost needless to say the contents of the letter somewhat staggered the committeemen, who were in no way responsible for the condition of affairs. Ever since the allowances were reduced ||b was seen, no matter however careful 'committees were, the money at their disposal would not cover even necessary, legitimate expenses, and that at the end of each financial year a legacy of debt would have to be handed over to the incoming committee. There is, therefore a certain amount of irony in Mr sllis’ statement that the closing of the school entailed “a much more serious ” diminution of income “ to the Board.” The present committee, in order to carry on the work of the schools, and at the same time protect interests of both children and parents, have undertaken to pledge their personal credit to the Bank of New Zea-

land for a stated sum—a vicarious action which even members of the Board will hesitate to adopt when face to face With a like difficulty ; when, in. fact, their loss is a "‘serious one.” As to the wisdom of the Committee in giving the guarantee we have our doubts', but it has. been done, and we. feel sure the members as a whole will stick to the contract. But it is not right that the Education Board should place the committee in such an undignified and anomalous position. The situation is one that requires immediate attention and alteration. If the hands of the Education Board are tied, then it is clearly their duty to approach the Government and request it to introduce legislation which will enable Boards (especially those having school districts such as this, where children are urgently needed by their parents at a certain season of the year) to deal more generously with School Committees in the matter of allowances, so that they can discharge their onerous duties in a manner more becoming to the cause of Education. There is a desire, we notice, on the part of some of the newly elected members of Parliament to enquire into the administration of the Education Department with a view to having it eai'ried out on more modern lines than has been the ease fulsome time past. We trust their efforts will be attended with snceess, and that there will be a shaking up of dry bones. Referring to the immediate chroumstances in connection with the closing of the schools for the whole of the Jan-uary-March quarter, they are explainable. The committee cannot, by the most cogent arguments, be blamed for an outbreak of measles and of whooping cough, which laid the school children aside during the interval between raspberry and hop picking—an unfortunate I occurrence, however, which may never ! happen again. It will be remembered that when Mr Hogben, Secretary for Edncation, visited Motueka a deputation consisting of Chairmen of Committees and teachers waited upon him and fully explained that, owing to the children being required to gather the raspberry and hop crops it would be impossible to keep the schools open during the first quatter of the year and secure even a minimum attendance. It was understood the Secretary expressed himself as being prepared to recommend ! is Department to meet the exigencies of the case by issuing special regulitions. Lie evidently could not, or did ndt, advise, for we find, according to a newspaper report, “ the Education Department has informed the Nelson Board t.nat in the case of schools closed miring fi uit and hop picking time capitation would be paid on the strict daily attendance, but teachers’ salaries would not he affected.”

Mr and Mrs C. D. Caigou desire to return thanks for the many expressions of sympathy tendered them in their late bereavement. We understand that the members of the Motueka Cricket Club intend to hold an assembly dance, at an early date in aid of the funds of the Clirb.

Early next week a meeting of representatives from various portions of this district is to be held to arrange for procuring signatures to a petition to Mr R. McKenzie, asking that gentleman to insert a clause in the proposed Motueka Harbor Board Bill in the direction of setting up an elective body, instead of working under the present system. Applications are invited in this issue for the position of custodian and librarian of the Motueka Institute.

In this issue, Mr Easton, Lower Moutere, advertises a young cow for sale.

For Children's Hacking Cough at night take Wood's Great Peppermint Cure , Is 6d and 2s 6d.

The funeral of the late Flora Emily Caigou took place on Wednesday morning, when there was a good attendance

of the public, who followed the remains to their last earthly resting place. As

a token of respect for the deceased and her sorrowing parents four young girls,

dressed in white (with black bands round their bats, acted as pall bearers. The funeral service was impressively read by Mr Bryant. His Worship the Mayor, Mr J. S' Wratt, has.returned to Motueka after

a holiday tour in the North Island

A dance is to be held in the Institute Hall to-morrow (Saturday) evening. under the superintendence of Mr S. Fowler. It is expected there will he a

good attendance of learneis and others. Mr Roderick McKenzie, M.H.R. for sMotueka has now concluded his pre-sessional addresses throughout the

electorate. In every |portion he was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr McKenzie has a number

of proposals to introduce for the bene

fit of his constituents.

yd We are informed that Mr A. Manoy intends to make extensive alterations and additions to his furniture warehouse, which will enable him to carry a larger stock and to keep pace with the growing requirements of the district. z&JThe Sydney Shop Employers’ Union has increased since last November from 230 to a membership of 900: “He giveth His beloved Sleep,” is the inscription round a pulpit presented to a Scotch clergymen by his congregation.

A correspondent informs the Pahiatua Herald that a bald headed club is shortly to be formed in that district.

One of its principal aims is to reduce the price of hair cutting, which several would-be members consider too high, considering the quantity of hair that is to be cut. A bashful curate announced to a Bible class of ladies that they “would now study the narrative of the prophet Jonah, who spent three day and jthree nights in the whale’s—ahem—so-oi-e-ty.” The probability of a successful attempt to conquer Great Britain at sea (says a Berlin paper), though it may have increased with the continued augmentation of the fleets of other Powers, is yet considerably less today than it was at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

A visitor who saw the Hawera Mounted Rifles in camp recently was much struck with the splendid mounts, and expressed the opinion, having seen most of the troops in New Zealand, that the Hawera Mounteds possessed the finest horses, collectively, of any in the colony. / . They do things /in a hurry in America. Margaret,’ Mayo, a New York actress, is a[ldged to have written a play inside of twenty four hours for a bet of a dinner !/

Tarafhaki newspapers are complaining of the nuisance of the obiquitous boy and his jfea iifie. Among the domestic pets jmofc at, and killed recently in the vieirjnty of Stratford, was a pure bred PekiV.r duck, a greatly valued family catp a pet lamb and a cockatoo. A petition is to be presented to Parliament larging the Government to take possession of the Bank of New Zealand for the Jpurpose of making it a State Bank, j The petition is being largely signed /at Dunedin. Laujnceston (Tas.) is lighted at night by meauis of a new patent arc lamp suspenlded in the centre of the roadway. ( The light thrown out is steady, and b?fight enough to enable a newspaper! to be read with ease. Thf3 Auckland Women’s Christian Temp\eranee Union passed a resolution disapproving of the proposal of the Premier to abolish licensing committees and t«b place their powers in the hands of Magistrates.