RANGITIRA VALLEY SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2298, 29 December 1891, Page 4

RANGITIRA VALLEY SCHOOL.

The annual picnic and distribution of prizes in connection with the above school took place last W ednesday, 23rd instant, and must be regarded as the most successful yet held. Mr James Wright kindly placed his beautiful and very suitable grounds at the committee's disposal, and it is needless to add that all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. At quite an early hour the Rangitira Valley was astir, and at 12 a.m., the time appointed for dinner, all parties had mustered in strong force. After an ample dinner had '/.'been done full justice to by young and .old, seated under the shady trees and bowers, an adjournment was made to an adjoining paddock, where a lengthy programme of sports, consisting of running, walking, skipping and jumping, was gone through under the direction of Messrs Lyon, Wright (2), GiUespie, and O'Niel. Some of the competitors showed considerable skill, especially in jumping, many being able to beat their seniors. The sports concluded, another move was made towards the trees in order to refresh the " inner man." Here a bountiful tea was laid out by the ladies of the district, headed by Mesdame Jas. Wright, Talbot (2), Lyon,'and Wright (Ashburton). After all had cried content, the children were marshalled to receive the award of their year's work. The prizes -were distributed, in order of merit, by Mr John Talbot, the chairman, who made appropriate remarks to each recipient. The prizes were distributed in the following order: —Standard VI., Leonard Talbot 1 ; Standard V., Tom Lyon 1, John Swaney 2; Standard IV., Cissy Cook 1, Wm. Cook 2, Maud O'Neill 3, Maggie O'Neill 4; Standard 111.. Emma Talbot 1, Robt. Telford 2, Archie Cook 3, Eva Wiight 4; Standard 11., Colin Lyon 1, Matilda Telford 2, John O'Neill 3, Maggie Cook 4; Standard 1., Walter Talbot 1, Gladys Taylor 2, Winifred Talbot 3, Garret Allan 4. Special Prizes, given by Headmaster: — Standard IV., Jas. Allan, most progress; Standard 111., Charlotte Beattie, most progress ; good conduct, boys, Leonard Talbot; girls, Matilda Telford; neatest exercise and copy book: boys, Wm. Cook; girls, Emma Talbot; most popular- boy in the school (presented by Mr G. Pearson, Timam);: Thomas Lyon ; girls, Florence Wright; (given by the pupil teacher Mr A. E..i,Talbot), neatest exercise book : S ;andard 11, Winifred Talbot;' geography, Standard 11., John O'Neill ; writing: upper preparatory,. John Lyon; lower preparatory, John Crow. Prizes were also given for general work throughout the year in Standard 111. and were awarded to Matilda Beattie, Annie Beattie, Raymond Wright, Jane Talbot, Ellen; Talbot, Thomas Talbot, and to each child .in the infant department.

Tending to show the very good attendance at the school it was found necessaay to award no fewer than 13 first class and 3 second class certificates, and this in a school of 50 children is something out of the common. The following got first class certificates :—L. S. Talbot, W. Talbot, L. Talbot, J. Lyon, J. O'Neill, R. Telford, F. Norton, Thomas Cook, E. O'Neill, 0. Lyon, J. Telford, J. Beattie, Matilda Telford, Second class certificates —John and Buth Benbow and Cissy Cook. When tho prizes had been distributed Mr Talbot addressed the children and pointing out the necessity of regular attendance to ensure good work, urging "the children to do their very utmost to acquire knowledge, and to be grateful to their teachers for the pains and trouble the latter took with them. He referred in glowing terms to the success of the school its increasing attendance and popularity, to the excellent results attained—there being but oae failure for two years, and attributed their success to the energy and zeal displayed by the teachers Messrs J. Gillespie, master, and A. E. Talbot, p.t. In conclusion he urged them to loyally support the master and ended by calling for three hearty cheers for the teachers. When these had been given Mr Gillespie returned thanks to all for their co-opera-tion, and thanked them for their hearty expressions of esteem and goodwill. He spoke of the necessity of regular attendance to ensure progress, and urged the parents to send their children regularly, and hoped that at the end of another year he would be able to show a like good result. He proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr and Mrs Jas. Wright who had had so kindly placed the grounds at the disposal of the children, to Mrs T. Talbot who so kindly provided the sandwiches to the ladies who assisted to dispense the tea, and to any who in any way conduced to making the outing an enjoyable one. Mr Jas. Wright responded to the vote of thanks accorded him, and added that his grounds were open again for similar gatherings. He also complimented the children on their good manners and exeelleut behaviour.. To this Mr Gillespie responded, and soon after the gathering broke up, all having spent a most enjoyable day. TIMARU HARBOR BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Titnaru Harbor Board was held on Wednesday. Present Messrs E. Acton (chairman), W. Evans, G. Stumbles, F. R. Flatman, T. Teschemaker, 'J. Talbot, J. Wilson, I. L. Morris, and J. Manchester. CORRESPONDENCE. In reply to a question by Mr Teschemaker the chairman stated that the board had not yet received the costs allowed them in the Lyttelton case. The amount was still unsettled, it being a question of £IOOO or £IBOO. In reply to Mr Flatman the secretary ■aid there was about £4OO of the previous year's rate uncollected, of which about half might come in. The secretary was instructed to write to the local bodies who have not collected and paid in the .rate, to press them to complete the work. ';• From the Marine Department, stating .that Captain Falconer would arrive on January 3rd, to blow rip the wreck of the , ship Lyttelton on the following day, and requesting the board to have a few arrangements made. From Mr Jas. Wansburgh, Oamaru, respecting his scheme for raising sunken ships.—Received. harbormaster's report. The harbormaster reported the arrival of 18 steam and 7 sailing vessels, and the departure of 13 steam and 4 sailing Igtands, during November. The weather

STANDING COMMITTEE. The Standing Committee reported as follows :—" The committee have to recommend in reference to the letter from the Railway Department asking the board when they would be prepared to do without the landing service shed and also that steps might be taken for the removal of the old engine shed opposite, that tenders be called for the removal of the landing service engine shed, that at present the landing service shed is very useful to the board for the storage of ropes and other gear, but that when the site is absolutely required for railway purposes the board will proceed to remove the building and give up possession. Mr John Anderson having again written asking that the engineer may be allowed to inspect the grab, which has been repaired, before it is sent down from Christchurch, the committee recommend that the engineer be sent up. An application having been made for permission to deposit clay on the foreshore near the blockyard, authority has been given subject to the clay being so deposited as to benefit the board's endowment, without being placed within reach of high water. The depositing to be done under the direction of the board's engineer." The report was adopted, after discussion of the several paragraphs. THE SHINGLE. The engineer, Mr F. W. Marchant, submitted the following report on the results obtained from t)ie experimental work of shingle shifting : Before the next meeting of the board we shall have to stop the experimental work of shingle shifting in order to do other work. I therefore lay before the board the experience obtained, so that future policy with respect to this question, may be considered. The experiment made had for its object the practical solution of the following points : necessary to cope with the annual shingle drift; 2nd. To find the approximate cost of the work; 3rd. To see if staging over the shingle beach was necessary to effective working, or if the breakwater could be used as the base of operations; 4th. To make sure that the shingle when deposited in the sea near the shore would be drifted eventually on to the beach. The experience gained- has enabled me to say in answer : —That the annual shingle drift could be kept in check with ease by the present means, if worked continually. That the cost of so removing it would not exceed £ISOO per annum, including all charges. That no staging on the beach is necessary to effective working. That the shingle when deposited in the sea near the shore, does undoubtedly drift on the beach after a heavy ground swell. These points so answered, it remains for the board to frame its future policy with regard to this subject. One course it was possible to adopt was to allow the shingle to accumulate until it threatened the harbor; another was to order at once a sufficiently powerful plant to deal with the whole dredging work and the shingle difficulty, by which he estimated a saving of £3OO per annum would be effected; and another, to work with the present plant as long as conisdered safe, devoting eight months of the year to shingle shifting and four months to dredging within the harbor. He desired to repeat the opinion expressed some years ago concerning the shingle, viz., that the shingle should not be allowed to advance nearer than 450 ft. to' the dividing point on the curve of the breakwater before measures are taken for its ultimate stoppage. The toe of the shingle bank now stands 650 ft. from the turning point. In reply to Mr Flatman it was stated that the shingle-shifting plant had cost £SOO, and the working expenses to the and of the year would be about £2OO. The cost of removing the shingle was about 4d per yard.

After some discussion Mr Evans moved and .Mr Stumbles seconded —" That all shingle' shifting operations be suspended for twelve months from this."

Mr Talbot, suggested leaving the matter over till next meeting, when they should decide whether to go on with the present appliances or get a more efficient plant, and on the answer to these questions would depend whether they should continue the work from now or leave it alone for a while.

Finally Mr Evans' motion was put and lost, only two voting for it, and Mr Talbot's suggestion agreed to.

Mr Flatman would like the board to discuss also the improvement of the harbor entrance, so as to make it safe for large vessels to leave and enter in all weathers. A mishap to any of the large steamers would be worse than letting the shingle get round. Mr Stumbles agreed with Mr Flatman, and spoke of the great, advantage the shingle backing is to the harbor, so far as it extends. He was dead against shifting the shingle, and contended that the money spent on it would carry out permanent works fast enough to keep ahead of the shingle, with the increased backwash that would be obtained. ACCOUNTS. The second instalment of the 1891-92 levy on the local bodies was received from the Mackenzie County, Geraldine, Temuka and Mount Peel Road Boards, and Temuka Town Board. The wharfage return for the four weeks ended 7th November, was £436 15s sd. Accounts amounting to £872 Is 3d were passed for payment. The board then rose.