OTAUTAU

Southland Times, Issue 24235, 19 September 1940, Page 5

OTAUTAU

SOLDIERS’ PARCELS The final cribbage match between north and south Otautau resulted in a win for the south by 74 games to 57. At the conclusion, Mr A. C. White suggested that the net profit, £3, be devoted towards purchasing Christmas parcels for local soldiers, and this was agreed to. SCHOOL COMMITTEE The following were present at the monthly meeting of the Otautau School Committee: Messrs G. Sinclair (chairman), E. Jellyman (secretary), A. E. Coughlan, J. A. Paterson, A. D. Brash and A. Fisher. The head master, Mr G. E. Burton, was also in attendance. The head master reported that the school term ended with a roll number of 178. The average attendance for the term was 159. He was pleased to report that the area for the new school garden had been cleared, ploughed and disked. Arbor Day was observed at the school on August 7, when a short function was held and two shrubs and a tree provided by the board were planted. The pupils had been well catered for in sports. Nightcaps visited with two Rugby teams and a basketball team, and a return game of Rugby was played at Nightcaps. On that same visit the school basketball A team reached the finals, but lost the Duncan Cup to the Nightcaps Convent. Congratulations were extended to the winners. Visits were also made to Invercargill by the basketball team (in charge of Miss Affleck) to compete in the . primary schools’ basketball tournament, and by a seven-a-side football team (in charge of Mr Nicholson) to compete in the tournament. Due to Mr Nicholson’s coaching this team won the senior competition. The sum of £5 was raised for the Fighter Plane Fund by the pupils as a result of a bottle drive. A motion of appreciation of the efforts of the teachers and pupils in the fancy dress parade on August 14 was carried. The chairman referred to the good arrangements, the work of the women members of the staff as flower sellers and the work of the parents and teachers of noth Otautau and adjacent country schools. Mr Sinclair also congratulated the pupils on their success at sports and the boys on winning the football seven-a-side at Invercargill, and the Mills Shield at Otautau. A letter was received from the secretary of the Southland Education Board, notifying that -an alteration had been made in the regulations to allow for more religious teaching in schools, and it was decided to refer the matter to the head master and staff, with a recommendation that it be adopted. The members of the committee each agreed to donate a Bible for use in each classroom.

Mr H. T. Thompson notified that the Southland Education Board’s architect was arranging for repairs to plumbing at the school, and pickets and posts would be supplied if the committee would arrange for their erection. It was decided that this he agreed to.

The Director of Dental .Clinics notified that Miss E. Woodward had been appointed an extra nurse at Otautau until the work was brought up to date, and the committee would have to find its extra proportion of the cost. A plan and specification of the proposed bicycle shelter at the school was. received. It was: decided to forward these to the Southland Education Board. A motion of thanks to Mr J. G. C. Baker for his work with the plans was carried. It was decided that the school concert be held on December 18.