The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 21, 191l.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 3379, 21 November 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times . PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 21, 1911.

The proposal to organise a monster picnic for the chilthen attending the State schools is one which will appeal: strongly to the sympathy of the public. It is many years since a general picnic of this nature was held not because all-day country excursions are less popular with children than of old, nor yet because parents and teachers think more of their own comfort and less of the children’s pleasure than formerly. The youngsters still lore picnics. Their elders still love to see them happy. But Gisborne, has grown so large, and the numbers of children in the four district schools are now so groat- that a general school treat js a serious business, not to be taken in hand inadvisedly or lightly entered upon. The difficulties arising from the numbers to be entertained are chiefly those of (1) organisation, (2) transport-. (3) funds. With regard to the first of these, the promoters have 1 been fortunate enough to secure the hearty sympathy and co-operation of Mr. Rowley, and they hope for’ the assistance of all the teachers in the town and suburban State schools. Under the head of organisation fall the preliminary calculations and preparations of the commissariat, the planning of amusements, arranging a programme, finding a suitable picnic site, and getting permission to camp there, and securing jirizes for sports and games. Under the same head, too, fall the varied and most exhausting labours demanded from the promoters on the actual day of the picnic. They will be generals marshalling their forces, policemen restraining excited rushes of the eager hundreds into danger, porters staggering under unaccustomed burdens, cooks,, waiters, nursemaids, guardians, leaders in the games, duel's proclaiming the next event on the day’s programme. And when the day is over and the children safely returned’ to their respective homes, the promoters will probably, individually and collectively, vow never, Never, never again to help at a school picnic, or embarking on another day so strenuous. And yet it is quite as probable that the memory of the children’s enjoyment will last longer than- the memory of aeliing muscles and that they will re]>eat the performance at the next call of duty. The second difficulty is: that of transport. To carry the children belonging to the Governmentschools in Gisborne, Kaiti, Mangapap-a, and Te Hapara—numbering, roughly, loOO—twenty miles into the country and back to their homes before nightfall is by far the largest undertaking of the kind ever attempted here. Never before will the local railway ’officials have l>een called upon (in addition to the ordinary traffic )to provide transport to -Waiko.hu and back for so many youngsters, together with the proportion of adults necessary to ensure their safet-y. comfort, refreshment and amusement. The public is slow to recognise the growing importance and convenience of our train service, but an occasion such as this proclaims the fact ini a- wav that can neither be mistaken nor overlooked. The third difficulty is the expense of such a large entertainment. The promoters (the Association of Voluntary Bible-teaehers) number less than- twenty, and wo have no reason to believe that- their ranks include a larger proportion of millionaires than the usual average. . The question of funds, therefore, has to be faced. It is estimated that to provide an absolutely free excursion would cost nearly £IOO. on> the other hand, if each child and teacher pays his or her train fare (at a rate so greatly reduced as should bring it within the means of all), the two necessary meals can be provided for £4O. The- latter course is the one- favoured by the promoters, and in order to raise the money required they are inviting contributions in money, in food, or in toys and other trifles for prizes from all sympathisers. With the same object Mr. and Mrs. George Smith have lent their garden for an out-door gathering on the 7tli of December, when jaded and thirsty electors, after recording their votes according to their respective views, should, wo fancy, find it a pleasant thing to drown political differences in "the cup that cheers,” and, seated in a shady garden, listen to the soothing music of the band, and watch the manoeuvres of a- gay mosquito fleet of motor boats on the broad and placid bosom of the Tarulieru—that unequalled river having promised a flood tide for the occasion'.

Combined School Picnic.