The Anglican Church is now in possession of a large home for children. It is situated in Hawthorn Road, Mornington, and is splendidly adapted for the purpose.
At present there are 22 boys and girls in the institution. A walk through the building shows that every comfort has been provided for the young people, and that under the guiding hand of Sister Ernestine they are likely to receive an excellent training, moral, educational, and physical. The home is of brick and plaster, containing 16 rooms, as well as a drill hall, a chapel, and a hospital ward. The dormitories, in which provision is made for 35 single beds, are large, airy, and suitably furnished.
The largest contains six beds and three cots. There is a bathroom on the upper floor. The dining room and the school-room are spacious, well-lighted, and models of cleanliness. All through the building there is ample provision for ventilation. The official opening of the home took place yesterday afternoon, when a large number of ladies and gentlemen had pleasure in inspecting the building.
• A dense mist rolled in from the eastward all day yesterday, and completely hid the land from the view of those at sea. The Union Company's steamer Monowai arrived off the Heads about 6 a.m. from Lyttelton, but Captain Edwin could locate Taiaroa Heads only by the booming of the fog signals on shore.
The vessel hung about until noon, when the fog lifted somewhat, and a start was made for Dunedin, but in a few minutes the fog settled down thicker than ever, and the Monowai had to drop anchor again. Towards evening the fog lifted once more, just when everybody had decided that the vessel would have to remain outside all night, and Captain Edwin took advantage of the opportunity to hurry into port, and the Monowai was berthed at Dunedin shortly before dark.
She was closely followed into the harbour by the steamer Kotare, inward bound from Catlins, and the schooner Houto, timber laden, from Kaipara. The steamers Flora and Kaitangata were both ready to proceed to sea last night, but owing to the dense fog they had to remain at their berths up till a late hour. Intending passengers by the Monowai are notified that the vessel will sail from Dunedin this afternoon, instead of Port Chalmers, as previously announced.
• The master of the school at Taringamutu, near Taumarunui, on resuming duties after last holidays, was informed that three of his scholars were not returning to school because they had got married during the vacation.
They were Native girls who had been in attendance only seven months, and during that time had made surprising progress, as they had reached the second standard, although they did not know their letters when they began. They lived five miles from the school and yet they never missed a day, wet or fine. They have married young Natives working in the Taringamutu Company's sawmill yard.
The Queenstown Borough Council has had photographs taken of two of the largest trees in the town for the purpose of sending to the Forestry Commission. One of the trees is the Wellingtonia, growing in the Library grounds, and the other, a pinus insignis, is in the Acclimatisation reserve near St Omer's garden. The former has a circumference of 12ft 6in at the base, is 93ft high, and is 33 years old; the circumference of the pinus insignis is 9ft, it is 96ft high, and 35 years old.- ODT, 14.3.1913.
