THE EDUCATION BOARD'S TOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1917, Page 2

THE EDUCATION BOARD'S TOUR.

— *&. FROM OIIU'RA TO MOKAU. : On Thursday morning a start was made across country to visit the schools between Muhocnui and New Plymouth. Leaving the Ohura road, the cars took tin- Waita.H'lii'iia road, and about iivo milt-", out met Mr. S. Meredith, who pointed out the school site at the corner of the Vvaitewhena and llaparun roads. This, he said, was nine fo-.'t under water at ilood time. Ho offered the Board a section alongside, which was considered unsuitable. The settlers have two half-time schools at Happ.rua road and Waitawhoiia road, some distance, away, and where desirous of having it shifted. Opposite the site viewed" was a fine reserve of bush, 280 acres in extent. Mr. Meredith said the settlers were anxious to have this put on the market. He considered it was too valuable for a scenic reserve, as land near by was worth £l4 per acre. • Scenic reserves should be cut oil' in gorges. , Sir. Wilkinson and other members deprecated this, considering the scenery would be a valuable asset in. the future. The road for the next few'miles ran through a closely-settled valley. The road was in fair order, save for some water-courses that caused short hut sharp bumps. The piled-up heaps of timber here and there in the valley showed the effects of recent iloods. Seventeen miles out from Ohura we reached the top of a high saddle, and a steep run down of a couple of miles brought the cars to a small stream from which the bridge had been washed away. Negotiation of this caused a little-de-lay, as a few planks had to be put down arid thecals given a friendly pull up the steep grade. A little further on a car was met, and after an enquiry as to the state of the road the journey was continued, two cars going over the hill to Aria, whilst the oilier went a mile further through the 'Barehaka valley. This is a very closely-settled district, in which considerable dairying is going on, one settler milking li2. cows. They supply a dairy factory at Aria. From Aria the warty struck a good metalled road, and a run of a few miles brought it to Pio Pio, crossing en route the Mokau river, with the pretty Waiwera Falls, which the party paused for a moment to view. After lunch at Pio Pio, which is situated some 10 miles from Tc Kuiti, the cars were started for Mahoenui. Except for a short run along a dusty road, which caused the cars to keep a respectable distance from each other, the road is a good metalled one, and cream cans alongside the farm gates showed that dairying is engaged in to some extent. Pacmako, the furthest-out school in the Auckland district is passed, and a run through the Mangaleiki gorge, a tributary of the Mokau, and over a saddle of the same name, brings the party to : MAHOENUI. This school is charmingly situated on ' an eminence, giving a line view of the ' surrounding country. There is some pretty bush on eacli side. The settlers are very progressive, and take a pride in tho school, which is 32ft by 28ft in extent, with a smoothly polished, iloor, which is used for dancing. The settlers have, recently added a 32ft by 12ft lean-to, the Taranaki Education Board only supplying the flooring boards and the paint. This will bo utilised as a shelter-shed for the children, and also be useiul on social occasions. Three acres ! of the site, .which is partially surroundi ed by hush, is fenced in, the rest being • covered bv fern.

Mr. Roberts (commissioner) and Messrs Rattenbury, Old. and Armstrong, waited on the Board and asked that the whole section should be fenced, when they would clear, plough and grass the section at their own expense, and would also look after it. The Board, recognising the spirit of self-help, agreed to do this. Mr. Roberts also stated that a school district should be declared, as settlers were anxious to form a school committee. The chairman stated, that the Board would be only too pleased to take the necessary steps, as their policy was to encourage committees to be formed at every school. There are 25 children on the roll, in charge of Mr. Ramsbottom, and the children were given a holiday in honor of the oca-' sion.

The next stage included a long run over Taumatamaire, which is rather rough on the Auckland side, owing to outcrops of limestone. On either side of the road, in fine grazing country, are to bo seen numerous cattle, including some magnificent Hereford*. From the top a glimpse of Paritntu and the Sugar Loaves was obtained. After a fine run 1 down, the Awakiuo school was reached. On the road over the mountain we met la mob of 1700 sheep, as well as two or three cars, en route to Hamilton. Between 'Pio Pio and Mahocmvi we also passed a line mob of. fat cattle en route to the Waitar.'t Freezing Works. ' AWAKING. Awakino school wais reached at about 4.30 p.m. It is a galvanised iron Structure, situated on a most inconvenient site alongside the road and the Awakino river. Members were divided in opinion as to whether this school or Tahora. was the worst one visited, but they were unanimous that it was unsuitable. Messrs Wooll'e (chairman), Avery and McNeiee, members of the committee, met the Board. The school until recently was a half-time school with Mokau; now it is a full-time school, with 22 pupils, in charge of-Miss Dradcr. Several sites were visited, including u. school reserve of an acre, also another site which a settler is willing to exchange. Both these are on flat land. There is also a site of three acres, on the hillside down a byroad, which' the Board considered the most suitable, though it was pointed out that the road became Very wot in winter. This, however, it was thought, could'be overcome. These sites are .all about f% miles from Awakino township. It was stated that this was originally the site laid out for the town, but Mr. Ire'dale had cut up his land and started the township in its present position There is a good deal of diversity of opinion over the site, some holding that the school should be erected in the township. In the evening a deputation, including a number of ladies, waited on the Board, and the matter was thoroughly ventilated. Mr. Woolfe (chairman of the committee) said the object of the townspeople was to have the school established on the most suitable site, and pointed out that there was n preponderance of the attendance from the township. At prosent thirteen children wore attending from this side, and .: Iluxinill was now t-rec'.w -.list *...ihi ...."in nil iid.i:voiml jt.»i k - r •'..<*.;..,... (-,*.„ „.■.», ~fw.r 1

did not v.'nnt to 'h'nVc "any' tfoliWo over the site. The main objection was the tin shed for a school. Settlers appro- ' oiateil the Board's visit as a progressive move.

lir. Kepple, manager of.the fiaxmill, stated that he had already engaged three married men with families. The industry was likely to be permanent, and it would be easier to obtain men if they knew a school was handy. Some discussion ensued on the question of obtaining a site. The chairman said he was sorry there was liny misunderstanding' over the site. If one were decided on it -would facilitate matters. The Board would consider the matter on its return to Now Plymouth, and endeavor to do the riglit thing for the district. . Whatever decision was arrived at, he hoped the settlers would accept it and work together in the best interests of the district. A pleasant musical evening was then spent, Misses Woolfe (2), Mesdamcs McNeiee and Christofferson entertaining the party with music and songs. The members of the party did not possess much musical talent, Mr. Trimble being the only contributor to the evening's enjoyment. ■liefore breakfast on Friday a. -visit was ; paid to-the-site in the township. The Board inspected the ten acres and selected a high-lying piece overlooking the' river near the sandhills as the most likely site. Mr. Urring stated that he did not wish to stand in the way of the school and would forego his lease to any portion selected. A welcome addition to the menu at breakfast was the flounders, which two members of the party had speared the previous night MOKAU. ' About eight o'clock the final stage of the, tour was commenced. Mokau was the fir#t- school visited. This is charmingly .situated on an acre and a-half overlooking the Mokau .Heads. It is shabby looking outside, but the interior is bright. The roll number is 22, and the present teacher is Miss Barnes. There is at present no water in the tank, and this, with one or two minor matters, was placed before the Board by Messrs S. Whitehead and H. Main, two of the committeemen. Messrs J. B. Can- (chairman), W. Terrill and H. Smith complete the committee. Complaint was also made that during the past two years the school Iliad had no fewer than eight teachers, .which was detrimental to the welfare £f the children, and the hope was expressed that some permanency would soon be arrived at. Crossing the Moknu ferry the Board were now in the territory comprised of the Taranaki education district prior to the recent alteration of boundaries.