Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927), Saturday 8 February 1919, page 10


The Parap School;

During his stny in Darwin Senator Ferrick, accompanied by His Worship the Mayor (Cr. D. C. Watts) visited the State, Convent, and Parap schools. At the State and Convent schools conditions generally, we have been informed, were found to be all that could be desired. At the Parap school, however, the sanitary con-ditions prevalent left a great deal to be desired, and the visitors felt in clined to ask the date upon which the last sanitary inspection of this school had been made. The boys' closet arrangements were distinctly bad, and a galvanised iron tank to provide drinking water for the children was greatly needed. Apart altogether from all this, the conditions under which the teachers impart tuition and the children receive it are neither con-sistent with sanitation or conducive to the preservation of health. The teachers and children perform their daily tasks in a dust-laden and more than probably germ-laden atmosphere upon an earthen floor thick with constantly trampled dust, particles of which must frequently settle on the lungs of both teachers and scholars, and a subsequent shower bath must become an urgent necessity for all who attend the Parap school, and it is distinctly unjust to allow either the teachers or scholars to be thus afflicted for a single day longer than was necessary. The cost of a concrete or

wooden floor should not prove pro- hibitive, especially in view of the big expense recently incurred in the erec-tion of much less necessary fowl runs and fern houses behind the cottage near the Palais de Victoria, and surely children are greater assets to the Commonwealth of Australia than are fowls or ferns. There are about 70 children attending the Parap school, nearly all of whom are of the Euro-

pean race.

The following telegram was des-patched to the Minister for Home and Territories (Hon. P. McMahon Glynn) by His Worship the Mayor (Cr. D. C. Watts) during the week :-"I acknow-ledged your telegram of the 27th December last by a lengthy explana-tory telegram the following day, but, so far, have received no acknowledge-ment from you. Your telegram indi-cates a Cabinet meeting early in January to discuss Territory ques-tion. Has Cabinet deliberated on

solution? See from perusal of southern newspapers that you fore shadowed the Administrator's arrival in Melbourne in February, also large possibility of Territory being granted advisory council. If such is the case, will council be formed on, lines satis-factory to the citizens, as carried by resolution at public meeting or will it be in whole or part of Ordinance No. 2 of 1911, entitled council of advice. If your recommendations to the Cabinet are on the lines of this Ordinance they cannot assist in the slightest degree the peaceful settle-ment of Territory grievances. Quiet determination prevails here this situa tion probably explained by presence Senator Ferricks and also by another and larger.

Boycott hotel bars and liquor store still strictly observed by citizens, and is now commencing tenth week, also citizens making determined stand, on passive resistance lines, to refuse to pay Commonwealth and Territory income taxes until such time as Aus-tralian citizen rights are restored. Thanking you for early reply to pacify perturbed citizens of Territory. Watts, Mayor, Darwin."

On Wednesday last, His,Worship the Mayor (Cr. D. C. Watts) received the following telegram from Mr. James Mathews, member for Melbourne Port in the Federal House of Repre-sentatives; - "Cabinet have con- sidered Northern Territory question, but I cannot advise any definite deci-sion ; will do so when informed.

Japes Mathews,"