Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 105, 19 September 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From our resident reporter. AGRICULTURAL SCHOLARSHIPS STRATFORD ,SCHOOL COMMITTEE ■RESOLUTION. lirst to establish ;i technical school in iaraiuiki; first to institute a dairying couise at a (secondary .school, and iirst generally, the Stratford District High School Committee is naturally interested in the stir that is being made to have agricultural scholarships established. As the Chairman (Mr. P. Skoglund) pointed out at luesday s meeting), the scheme of establishing such scholarships could be easily financed in Tarauaki, if the accrued revenue from the Opaku reserve could be made available. Of cour.se, in such a ease, scholarships so endowed would not be open to competition outside- the education districts benefiting from that reserve. Mr. Skoglund went on to say that he did not wish to commit the Committee to the support of any particular agricultural college, but merely to voice the opinion to the Education Hoard that agricultural scholarships i should be established for the children of Taranaki. He accordingly moved, and the Committee resolved, "I'hat the Committee write to the Board, and impress upon them the necessity of considering the advisability of instituting agricultural scholarships for Taranaki and in this connection points out that an attempt might, be made to use part of the Opaku Fund." j . J LAWN TENNIS. j The Stratford W.Y.M.I. Lawn Tennis' Club's annual meeting on Tuesday was fairly well attended. The balance-sheet showed a fair credit. The report referred to the rather poor season experienced, by reason of the bad weather prevailing. It was ponited out that unj less arrangements could be made for the [ care of the courts the membership must suffer. The meeting decided to raise the members' subscriptions, and they will now be as follows:—Men, a guinea; boys, ; 15s; ladies, 12s fid; girls, 7s (id. A care- ' taker is to be employed. The opening day was fixed for October 31st, and the suggestion to find a new home in Victoria Park was deferred for consideration at a future meeting, at which full information will be submitted. Officers were elected: President, Rev. A. Reader; vice-presidents. Messrs. Ily. Wilson, J. Masters. .T. McAllister, IT. j. Hopkins, R. Masters and W. S. Cato; secretary. Mr. D. Kveriss; Committee, Messrs. W. Everiss, C. Tiuss, and J. Sehofield, and officers ex-officio. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. The Stratford District High School Committee held its umuil monthly meeting on Tuesday. Correspondence was received from the Hoard relative to the proposal to extend the playground by taking in the grounds attached to the head teacher's residence. The Department had vetoed the proposal; As it was quite clear to the Committee that the Department had not been placed in full possession of the facts, and did not understand that the limited playground was almost a disgrace to the education 6ystem of the Dominion, the Committee authorised the Chairman and the Secretary to forward details of the Committee's requirements and the shortcomings of the grounds. The Visiting Committee made certain recommendations to prevent the nuisance caused by birds building nests in the ventilators in the infants' department, and to prevent pools of water lying in the grounds. These were adopted. The Board's inspectors' report on an inspection visit to the school stated that the school records had been kept in a satisfactory manner; the regularity of attendance and punctuality had been very satisfactory; suitable time-tables hj; d been prepared; the methods of teaching, management, and punctuality were all good; the order, discipline, and tone were good; the grounds and premises were all in a satisfactory condition. For beautifying of school grounds and supervision of the premises, 76 per cent, of marks were awarded. I

Mr. Tyrer, headmaster, reported on the decreasing average attendance, due to epidemics. Tlie report also stated that nominations for the annual examinations were made last week. For the Junior ational Scholarships and Civil Service Junior they had as many candidates as in previous years. But for the Bayly Memorial and Education Board's Senior Scholarship, a great falling off had taken place, only five candidates from this school entering for each of these examinations. The explanation, ns far as the latter was concerned, was that while greater number of the pupils in the High School now took the science course scholarships were provided, so far, only for those who took languages. There were 31 candidates taking, as subjects for examination, physics, and dairy' science, and less than a dozen taking Latin. THE TERRITORIALS. The Defence Department has not yet faced the necessity for providing drill halls to enable the new military training scheme to be. carried out as it should be. In Stratford various proposals had been made with a view of providing our citizen soldiers with a decent drill hall, but nothing definite has been done. The latest scheme is that the school tennis courts should be used as a site, the asphalt court, no doubt, being picked on as a good lloor. The building, if erected, might lie used as a shelter shed for the scholars 011 rainy days, and would probably be revenue-producing in many ways. The School Committee favours the s"heme, and if it is acceptable to the 1! ard, the Chairman and Mr. McMillan v 'II each give a guinea to the building i;ind. Til.- will be asked to provide the nr:m . The suggested building will be !!!! feet by 89 feet. , PERSONAL.

Mr. Tom Bain, manager of the Canterbury representative football team. went, south yesterday. Mr. Rain had to undergo an operation liere for blood-poison-ing. He made ,m excellent recovery, under skilful medical and nursing attention. STRAY PARAGRAPHS. Three phonographs ran a neek-and-neek contest the other day in Broadway. Each one won. and one wonders which one started the fun. Stratford was well represented in Eltham 011 Tuesday night. There was not a great deal of the "fun'' that they went out for to see. An election egg. On Tuesday night a big Astbury-ite. a fine .-pceimen of burly humanity, was leaning tip against a verandah post, and blurting out ailti-Wilk-inson Tinpleasantries. A dapper little chap, recently extracted from a suit-case, hopped along, and demanded to know who was using the insulting language, intini ating that he. the dandy, would quickly settle the other fellow's trouble. The big fellow strode out. and made a grab at the chappie's nose, asking pleasantly, "what dyer want. Johnnie?" But ■'Johnnie" seized a convenient opening in the ranks of the crowd, and faded away. Stratford generally was well pleased with Mr. Wilkinson's win. The County Council had little to do yesterday but talk—so they talked. It took 20 minutes to decide whether or not to guarantee £2 3s 4<l per annum to tlie

cost of a telephone to the Mountain House. But the local body's maxim is "look after the coppers, and the livers will look after themselves!" I here's more in shoeing a horse than meets the eye. Sometimes more meets the eye of the smith than he bargains for, but this by the way. A poor farrier can ruin a horse, and who does not know of eases where a good horse 'has been ruined by bad shoeing? Now, Mr. James Rutherford, one of the oldest horse-shoers round about these parts, has an expert knowledge of the horse's hoof, and ho guarantees satisfaction. His veterinary shoeing forge is in Regan street, opposite Mr. H. 11. Young and Co.'s warehou«e. BERNARD'S PICTURES. To-night Anne Bernard shows Kalem's Best, the great American Civil War diama entitled ''A\ar's Havoc," the story of which was briefly told in yesterday's issue. Full of sensations, happy in coilelusion, full of woman's heroism'and daring manoeuvring, the story appeals to everyone. "Seville and Its Gardens" is said to be a triumph of art, and will be relished by lovers of beautiful scenery, these gardens are renowned, and Stratford folks arc well treated in being transported thither and shown their wonders for a modest shilling. The fishing industry off the Newfoundland coast forms the subject of another good film, and there is another great drama, "Her Last > hot, whilst there is the usual leaven of» the comic element, this department in- [ eluding some button-bursters. The usual matinee will be held 011 Saturday after- | noon at 2.30.