Hall to honour late pupil

The annual break-up ceremony of Columba College, held in the college grounds yesterday afternoon, was this year combined with an important function to which the school has long looked forward — the laying of the foundation stone of the new Assembly Hall. The need  has been increasingly felt, but it is only just lately that the Board of Governors has been able to see its way clear to finance the scheme. A very large gathering of parents, ex-pupils and other friends of the school assembled round the staging that had been erected for the speakers and visitors. Punctually at 3 o’clock the pupils marched to music on to the tennis court, and the proceedings were opened by an appropriate hymn of thanksgiving and dedication. The name of the hall will be "Constance Hall," commemorating Constance Faulks, who was the first member of the college to pass away. 

Signs of things to come

A meeting of the Otago Motor Club on Tuesday evening reported that danger signs had been erected at the Waipahi railway crossing over the Main road south of Waipahi, at Larnach’s Castle road and Mount Cargill School. Colour signs had been posted between Gore and Balclutha, three "slow" signs at Smith’s and Cunningham’s corners, between Waikaka Valley and Pukerau, and one direction sign at Waipahi. Clutha County Council was considering the advisability of erecting sign posts at several road junctions on the main highway between Dunedin and Invercargill. 

Biggest swimming pool in NZ

The new Kaikorai baths, which will be opened on Saturday, are the biggest in New Zealand, being 45 feet wide and 145ft long.

Now we’re cooking on liquid

A successful cooking demonstration was given yesterday afternoon at the premises of Messrs Laidlaw and Gray, Rattray street, before a large attendance of ladies. The demonstration, which was under the charge of Mrs Gillanders, was given on a class of oil-cooking stoves extensively used in seaside cribs and country residences. Various articles were cooked and sampled by those present, who expressed their satisfaction with the fare.

Gift funds professorship

The Otago University has received a munificent gift. The sum of eight thousand pounds has been contributed by an individual donor towards the permanent endowment of the chair of Surgery.The chair of Surgery will henceforth be known as the Ralph Barnett chair. Ralph Barnett, in the prime of youthful manhood, gave his life for his country. His father, who himself served in the Great War, has for more than 50 years been one of the most distinguished surgeons in New Zealand. — editorial

Settlement’s second Pākehā girl

By the death of Mrs H. McKinlay Port Chalmers has lost one of its oldest inhabitants. Mrs McKinlay was born in Waikouaiti 84 years ago, and was generally considered to be the second white girl born in Otago (Mrs Taylor, of Littlebourne, being the first). Her parents arrived in the brig Magnet in 1840. — ODT, 11.12.1924

Compiled by Peter Dowden