DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1917, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

INA^GA-P.UKEN'GA'HU.

(Krcin Our Own Correspondent)) With thp ovcfshortemng (lays, colder nights, gentle shower?, and heavy rains *" nvo few days, wo urn being gently reminder] of t!io fast a pproach of winter, but with all surplus stock oil the taTms now reduced, good crops of swollen ard mangels, and a plentiful supply of uay, the farmers around here are viewuv the approach of winter with complafeiiey. x

The one disgrace to the district is also one of disgrace to cither or loth the members of the Taranaki Education );oard and the Hon. Minister for KdueaT'.on The little nnveiitUated tin shantv which is being'used as a school was first supposed, to only accommodate 24 children; now, and through the liot summer . • wither, it had over 41) children jammed' in lo it, -Desks 'built for two children made to hoUl three, and scarce room for the teacher s chair, let alone room tc move among the pupils to supervise the work, with conditions during recess as' regards privacy sufficient to make a ITott;,"t 1 ot . 1 ? lusl1 - tlic hot spell one child fainted with the heat, while some ■" 1101110 ilt '".slit sick and ill through crowding 40 children in a small tin shell whicli was never intended to accominodate over 2ii.

A site was procured for a new school months ago. The School Committee neglected their own work at the busiest tune ot the Inst season to stump the 'Chool site. There was an odd load of hmher dumped on the roadside, and l:j •still lying there imstacked and rotting while the health of the children is saori•oed, hut that seems a small matter i ? :he members of the Education Board -can «e in the limelight of great schemes 1o •encourage a liigh class of agricultural -education. I would advise all parents ill the towns Mho think <jf making formers of their sons to come, and see the conditions at the iPukengahu school;! which is provided for the children of] farmers.

Thouo-h onlv about nine miles f ro , n Stratford, when the meniijera of tin lEduealion Board wont on tour tliev conveniently left out visiting Piikengalm school. In the immediate school divtrieti ;there iiroi approximately 70 elrildrcnj cither of school ajro or nearly approachmi,' school The conditions nt the' sAoOI arc so ibad that one famihthree children of school aj;e and living in sight of tho scfeool. rhih-' .irive severalj n-.ilcs to another school with decent ar healthy snrronndmjß, an their parentv will not risk the health and lives of their childron in the crowded, insanitary state of tiu: Pukenynhu school.

I notice a'few of the tame ITuns that were interned on Somes Island when the war broke out, but late;- got leave tc come and work around 'Stratford, have lately purchased lil-horse-power motor bikes. Ciuess that will puzzle the Johns to know how far tliev <{et from home, bitt perhaps nn one marries what the tame variety does.