DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 266, 2 April 1913, Page 6

DISTRICT NEWS.

LOWER MAXGOBEI. (From Our' Own Correspondent.) To-day brings the Easter week to a close, and many of the privileged ones preferring to extend leisure time beyond the sl.'.tutory holidays to enjoy surrounding attractions (a sign of the fciuaes altogetlur healthy for visitors and visited), have net gone unrewarded. Lower Mangorei. as its readings improve, is a reliable indicator of the pulse of local pleasure quest, as it sees a large proportion of the throng en route for Mount Kgmont's allurements, both bv Junction road and the dilapidated Old Hospital road, the latter making an, increasingly prominent bid for popularity. The (presumably) equinoctial riles that vent periodical angry breath unon us evinced but moderate rage, lotting us off.easy; i and may we generally in Taranaki' not be really grateful to the weu!h"r deity! Xorth, east and south of u.s Hve variously been involved in discomforts and disasters that come with drought, fi'rt | and flood, and leave, more or less- H'n geringly, a retarding influence upon pro gress, and a set-back to prosperity. The Thursday before the holidays wit liessed a gathering of pleasure-seeker: composed of residents from liotli LTppe: and Lower Mangorei, whose schools com bined to nuke and find seaside fun am frolic at the East End Beach. Th gathering may at once be. defined as i distinctly liappy one. Atmospheric con ditions, it is true, were until tioon ver; unfavorable; and to less buoyant an "gritty"' temperaments might hav proved discouraging or depressing. Bu hardv, healthful spirits, on the qui viv for healthful d iversion. wore not to b | easily daunted. As detachments of th ( party arrived eniergiitgly oitfc of th heavy "Scotch mist," the roomy shelto shed was resorted to, and capaciously a hosnitably absorbed them all. Heri "cribbed and cabined" somewhat crowt edlv. though not uncomfortably 80, th real "combining" element was put to tli test, and stood the test well, for througl out the vexatious period of confinemen the utmost of pleasant harmony hel sway. With indoor games devised an contrived by a few active leaders c labors of love for the littler ones, som t time was passed pleasantly all round for the older children, with their elder derived enjovment from viewng tli enjoyments of the youngsters. ; It is here we get to the very essenc | of purest pleasure—that obtained froi . seeing or promoting the pleasures c j others. And what a grateful relaxatio from the everyday cares and tensio ( of us older folk is afforded by this pui • felicity. Where can greater change c : relief be met with than in "climbin down" to the child's comparative sin . plicity. and, forgetting for a while ii r trusive and disquieting thoughts aboi . our getting stiffened and ossified und< 0 the influence of stealthy time on tl (downward grade? Forgetting for tl ■, J nonce wearing and tearing responsibil 3 ties, or cankerous troubles, we get ti j to the hopeful level of our hoys and gir t when jubilant with innocent mirth ar. 1 festive mood; and, roniping physical] or menially with them in genial con u panionsliip, we find, a tonic for a jade . spirit and an effective'antidote to tl r glooms of melancholia. What can be e ter revive in us the cheery hopefnine; of juvenility than,cem.miinipn with it i 0 exuberant form; fpr, is. ,jfc qot infli s ence contagious as la.ughte/, which \\ know to "be - the very -impe.rsonifi'ca tic r, of juvenesccnce.?,,. So .pld| and .young t a our school piewft,, .spprtjVfilyr, inte: mingled; and upon the air" clearing an e the shining sun gaining the master [- over the situation, all issued from tli shelter of the rooriiy" bathing she n (which had meanwhile assumed the a: i) pect of a banquetting hall, under th gentle, graceful and generous iftinistrf 1 tions of ladies of both' sttbfrol districts intent upon having a "good time." thoroughly good time the remainder c 3 ' the day turned out. Sports were so ai ranged in the early part of the rac y programme that every scholar secured n money prize, even an ex-scholars' rac I being included. The later portion of th e sports were of a competitive and diversi fied character, and all entered on handi • cap merits for a-first, second or thir g prize. A conspicuous item, both atnus e ing and exciting, came about from th i, chase after the releaitifl running lolly s boy. A swift-footed, youth, waistcoatei in a sack, adorned with abundant lolly I bag pendants, was frantically pursued b; y a crowd of eager followers, and wa e eventually thrown dtfw'n 'and' encircled ( r had almost Rtiidi :embna(!ed)y.ly', ft. littl vociferous army of grasping hands, am was unceremoniously bereft of all hi u sweet attractions. : Miss. Bartlett, mis tress of the Upper School, was mos alert, and lyitirjrjg in both com s mittees throughout' tiie' day ill every ,f thing conducive to making- the child ,j ren's lot a happy one. th e "sports" part'of, the diiy r . the last num y her, and by no means the :]east in promi „ nence and importance, was. the ladies tug-of-war. With good teams chosei [ by two impressive and'combative "cap tains," I am at a loss to define thi j strenuous contest ; as>:, '(ecstatic" o "tragic." Let it snfjfiqe ,to state that i } new rope obtained,, for tiie , rivals wa e broken twice! Another tope, approach e ing more to a hawser's proportions, wa f. requisitioned, and. this .prpvgd quit j above suspicion, and,the war ended ii i r a victory that left the, losers by n means inglorious. By"'this time th 0 Beach Committee's big ; boiler "billy had not been without a' stoker's solici j, tude; and in good tii)ie-;afternoon tej j. was spread in the open ,air,. Whilst thi B ', item did not call fo.rth so much physi ; g cal demonstration as previous items o: | e the programme (the pastime being "g as you please" and l not; competitive, ; very creditable performance was put u m '"bv one and all. Here was tiie grass lam and shelter trees of everyday life o pastoral association's"but anidetl 'to thi attractive feature of the "Reserve" wa • the expanse of more, wely...seen- sand; beach; and beyond this ( the ifiupli greate expanse of glorious ' glittering 'brinj ocean, which at this time : was sending ii upon the sands a splendid-af-rav of surf fringed rollers. So were .secured to th< children that change and variety thai are ever charming; and the committee! may be complimented' oijf'thek havinf come to mutual agreement to provide this treat of change for their scholars who are likely to live in memory then seaside pleasures over and over again, It was most gratifying to the committees to have the opportunity of welcoming so many visitors to their school picnic; and it was encouraging to find such general interest shown .in what is done concerning the welfare of the schoolchildren. There is still room for yet more of such encouragement to be extended to live committeemen. The generous bounty of good things provided bv residents of both school districts, as. well as contributions from New Plymouth friends, were gratefully commented upon; and the accommodation, comforts and attractions installed through the capable management of the Beach Committee were appreciated fully.