THEIR GREAT DAY.

Auckland Star, Issue 17, 21 January 1932, Page 11

THEIR GREAT DAY.

TOKAANU NATIVE SCHOLARS. WONDERS OF THE CITY. FIRST SIGHT OF A TRAIN. The senior scholars and their teachers from the native school made a trip to Auckland during the holidays, and the experience will be a landmark in their memories for the rest of their lives (writes the "Star's" Taupo correspondent). The trip started with a 40mile drive in the night to the National Park railway station. The first thrill was experienced when the train pulled in. Fow of the children had ever seen a train. What a fearsome monster the engine was, to be sure, vomiting smoke and sparks. How strange it was to fly through towns lit with electric light, to speed down the Spiral and see the lights of Raurimu a thousand feet below. With the rising sun came the first j glimpse of the sea. Where was the other! side of it? Where did it end? This was bigger than Lake Taupo, with which they were so familiar. Then the ships— what enormous canoes they were, like a whole pa piled one on top of the other, and all built on one immense canoe. The great railway station, many sets of rails, many trains, lots of people; what a wonderful building. And the ferry boats for people, and especially one ferry that carried a load of cars. Then the shops in Queen Street. Who could have thought so many beautiful things were to be seen in one town? Alas! pockets were not well filled, and they had to be content with looking. Then the high buildings. Lots of necks were nearly dislocated looking up at the high parapets. Then taxis to the top of Mount Eden. Here the whole world seemed to be spread at their feet. The direction plate pointed the way to Lake Taupo and lokaanu. They saw the ocean on both east and west coasts. Then to the Zoo. For the first time in their lives they saw the strange or beautiful or terrible creatures they had seen portrayed in their school books. Will tney ever forget the grimaces of the monkeys, the beauty of the peacocks, pheasants and flamingoes? And then the hippopotamus and her baby, and the elephant. Then lunch at the' Farmers' the "Sleeping Beauty," Wizard Smith's racing car, the view from the flat roof and the telescope. It was a tired party of 30 children that boarded the train about half-past seven for another night journey, followed by 40 miles by car. They had had the day of their lives. Wonder after wonder, and the only real rest they had was at a picture matinee. Will" their tongues ever forget to talk of the marvellous things they saw and experienced? Will the boys ever forget the racing car, or the girls the drapers' windows? The entire trip was accomplished for about 12/ per head, due to the headmaster's organisation, which seemed to have left nothing unprovided.