BALLET DANCING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 20 May 1929, Page 11

BALLET DANCING.

» TH» BDXTOB OF TTIM PUBSS. isir,—l notice in Mr J. J. Dougall s remarks m the value of „, titioM >n Saturday's Pbbm, the statement that succesßfol competitors in the ballet «t» I £! llg r, Bection , have do,,e well on the stage afterwards; but they have had to leave New Zealand for Sydney to Hkt t^ n ? eBSar y training. 1 would Z*Z * g a ?t, at «m«nt that is not exffS*™?- J are a number of teachera in New Zealand who can give training than she. will get at some of the schools m Sydney. It is true that a dancer must Lave the Dominion to get employment on the stage, but that is simply because no big theatrical companies are made up here. It is a gross injustice to dancing teachers in New Zealand to sav that tli-ev cannot train a dancer capable of holding her own with dancers from any part of the world. True, there is no teacher here who could give finishing lessons a "premiere ballerina," nor is there any one in Australia. Teachers here spend a great deal of money travelling to England and America to enable them to give to the young dancer in New Zealand a sound, complete stage training on tho lines followed in London and Paris. Take a case in point. A young dancer from this town has had her entire training here, and is now at the age of about 20 holding the position not only of solo dancer, but ballet mistress to a company now playing in Sydney. I am sure that if Mr Dougall pauses to think a while he will realise that he has made a misstatement that is liable to do considerable harm to teachers of dancing in New Zealand.—Yours, etc., IRIS MONTGOMERY. May 18th, 1929.

THE WAR MEMORIAL. TO TEE EDITOR CF THE PRESS. Sir,. —Can you tell me what the Returned Soldiers' Association has to do with tho Memorial Column fund that they are always wishing to get it, or its interest, for themselves? Speaking as one of tho subscribers, I should say that it exists for a certain purpose and will he used as a memorial to the dead and not to help the living. I cannot bo accused of undue bias, as one of my sons died fighting and one is at homo with ruined health due to tho war. If the Returned Soldiers' Association is hard up a special fund should l>e raised for them.—Yours, etc., A MOTHER OF SOLDIER SONS. May 18th, 1929.

OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS. TO THE EDITOB, CF THB PRBSB. Sir, —I was horrified to read yemr report of the discussion on open-air schools at the Canterbury Education Board's meeting last Friday. All I can tell you is this—my daughter started her schooling with two years in the Fendalton type of classroom at the Cashmere School. During this time her health was excellent and she often told me how she "loved the room." Eighteen months ago, on promotion, she was put in one of the closed schoolrooms in the comparatively modern main school. Since then she has had one cold after another, especially since the hot water heating was installed. This should speak for itself.—Yours, C C ' * ' dI'CAMPBELL. Cashmere, May 18th, 1929.

A WOMAN'S GRATITUDE. TO TM IDITOK OF THI PEKSS. Sir, —Will you spare me a little space publicly to acknowledge a kindness? Late on Thursday'afternoon, I made a purchase of drapery. Unfortunately, in hurrying for* my tram homeward, I left the precious parcel in the "Shelter," discovering my loss only at the journey's end (Sumner). After relating my troubles in the home, 1 optimistically remarked that we had .more honest than dishonest people in our midst; and my belief was that the lost articles would be returned, as my i name and address on the slip inside. My household smiled, but sincerely hoped I was right. Upon enquiry at the Tramway Office this morning the parcel was immediately handed to mv husband. The finder had left no clue to her or his identity.

I wish to offer my thanks to this "good sport," and also my appreciation of*- the confirmation of ray belief in orir **nin folk." I would like to mention other occasions also upon which I have been similarly favoured, having twice left my purse in public places, mislaid a good umbrella in the Post Office. In each case my property was recovered.—Yours, etc. w ,- L W> UNTO-OTHERS. May 17th, 1929.

ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT. TO TIT* KMTOR OF TUB r-BE3S. Sir, —Mr Roseoe admits that he desires impartiality. He quotes Year Book figures which .show, he says, "that 607 omnibuses carried 1,815,628 passengers at an average of 12.8 d per mile (railway first class ordinary fare is less than 2d per mile, excursion rates very much cheaper." Does Mr Rosooe, of ary sensible person, really believe that bus passengers pay an avorage of more than Is per mile, or that this comparison is fair! The figures are obviously charges per vehicle mile, not per passenger mile. Ho has made the same extraordinary mistake in regard to service ears and freight services. He saya that 919 freight motor vehicles carried' 81,693 tons at 19.9 d per ton mile. This is quite wrong. The Year Book fignreß give ao information whatever regarding cost per ton mile. The figure quoted is the cost per vehicle mile and I would suggest that Mr Roseoe and his Department probably know little more than I do about ton mile costs of road freight. Ho desires further information about my statement that New Zealand is today spending probably at'least twice as much on road as on rail transport. I have a quotation from the Public Works Statement (which lam unable;to verify at the moment) that "the motor transport bill for every man, woman, and child in New Zealand is £2O per head per year." This works out at nearly £3O millions, or approximately four times the expenditure on railways. Probably it is a further example of Departmental impartiality. I have no quarrel whatever with Professor Jackman 's statement that co-or-dination is desirable. The case for coordination in transport is much the same as the case for rationalisation in industry. But both the Departmental reports and Mr Roseoe'a letters have adduced facts and figures which show unmistakably that their impartiality i» not to be trusted. They have, thereby, substantiated my case. Is further controversy necessary ?—Tours, etc., A. H. TOCKEK. Canterbury- College, Msy 18th, 1929,

TUNNEL ROAD—LYTTELTON HARBOUR. TO THX EDITOR 07 THE WU. > <sj l . j When I saw and read in Saturday's Press a letter headed as above and footed "Buz-Wuz,' 5 I at first thought that the regular battery oi questions emanted from a Tunnel Oonimission. However, I am extremely gratified, to find tliat your correspondent is sensible of the true position, or, as ho aptly expresses it, '"our out-of-date port at Lyttelton and the desperately poor arrangements we have tor handling cargo on and off the boats between wharf and City. ' His nom-de-plume, very happily chosen, expresses to me the smell and noise of a four-cylinder internal combustion engine sparking only on one cylinder, and a poor spark at that, (if suoh is the kingdom of LytteltonChristchurch as a port terminal, as evidenced by the vast and continuous instances of delays, ullages, breakages, dual control j loss of business, congestion, due entirely to the present circumscribed inelastic transport system between Port and City, completely out of touch with the times. The latest excuse of the Railway Department is the Australian coal strike; next time it will be the rise in'the cost of living in Czecho-Slovakia. Truly, wonders never cease!

In reply, I must first congratulate "Bua-Wuz" on linking the Tunnel Road to Lj'ttelton Harbour so adequately, because they can never be separated if any real and lasting good is to eventuate. Secondly, I can inform him that the answers to all of his questions and many others besides are more than ready and long overdue. However, I must politely inform Sergeant Buz-Fuz (I mean "Buz-Wuz") that these answers will be given only to the Tunnel Road Commission and •tot to any anonymous correspondent however querulous-or amiable. In regard to No. 12: "In the event of the Government agreeing to a Tunnel Road to cut the Department's throat ..." I would like to say this. No Government has the power, or would dare, to stop Canterbury's Tunnel Road if she desires it. We do not require the agreement of the Government in a domestic affair. The Railway Department, on the other hand, after years of peaceful penetration, has well nigh cut Canterbury's throat. It is a simple question to answer. Whose is the most important throatCanterbury's or the Railway Department's?

Anyliow, as for throat-cutting or compensation to the Railway Department—fiddlesticks! The Railways will gain more than they lose by the cutting out of a cancer in the LytteltonChristchureh 6J-xnile "jetty" comprising the following operations of ship—crane slingman—swear:—hooks—man truck—swear—-man—rope—swear capstan—rope—shunt— rope—capstan—shunt steam loco. shunt —electric loco.—shunt—steam loco.—shunt—man —capstan— rope— shunt—truck — swear hooks—swear—man—swear— wheelbarrow—long way—swear—man—hook —cart—swear—Store. Everv day it occurs, and every day the Canterbury Progress League delight in perpetuating this system, which is nothing more than a wonderful meccano set—the envy of small boys.

So much for No. 12. The refit of the answers and the findings thereon, will thoy not be found in the findings of the Tunnel Road Commission when it sits unler the patronage of our Mayor and City Council ? Yours, etc., u ■■•.rut. <?• M - CHRYSTALL. May 19th, 1929.

MODERNI&M. TO THS EDITOB. OF THE PRRS.S Sir,—The visit of Dr. Major, the Principal of. Eipon Hall In the University Of Oxford, and his addresses have aroused a certain am«unfe-.0£." interest among religiously disposed persons,: who a.-e capable of taking a serious view of hfe in these critical and disturbed times. Dr. Major is a teamed man, and he is a convinced and extreme modernist. He has the courage; of his convictions, and, is not apparently dismayed at the prospect of weakening the faith of his. fellow-Christians. In-my humble opinion his modernism may have some disastrous consequences. An honest and reverent study of the New Testament will, I am sure, lead intelligent people to accept the orthodox view that in Christ "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead body." This is St. Paul 'a statement, and reason as well as faith, assures me that the statement of the great and intellectual apostle is altogether true. Those who believe as I do, that Christ was a Divine and unique Being, will certainly not be guilty of the presumption of denying that the circumstances of His birth into this world and of His withdrawal from it, may well have been also unique. They,-as I do, will with good reason, believe that He rose from tho dead —if this did not happen, how are we to account for the fact that His simple and unlettered followers had the courage to "face a' hostile world and preach, with no unhesitating tongue, the simple Gospel of Salvation. Nothing is more difficult than the transformation of character. The Apostles at one time were arant cowards. At a critical moment "They all forsook Him and fled. ? ' The stories about the Kesurrection seemed to them as "idle talcs." Yet a marvellous transformation of character took place in their case. They proclaimed the Gospel. Unbelieving at one time, they became the ardent and faithful protagonists of their Master's message to the world. Had it not been for them and for St. Paul there, might have been no Christian, Church in the world to-day. I have every respect for honest doubt, and I think that the cause of true religion has little to fear and much to hope from a 'thoroughly courageous treatment of the many perplexities connected with the Christian faith. I share with far abler men than myself the opinion that honest thinking will never lead ■■*■.-away; from Christianity, though some narrow and traditional beliefs will have to.go. Christ attracts many to-day whe are not members of any organised church. The present Archbishop of Canterbury. » reported to have said. "The churches repel-Christ attracts. > The simple teaching of the IHvme amd human Founder of Christianity has done much [for mankind. The story of the Prodieal Son has encouraged many of us FnUv conscious of moral imperfections 'and of sinfulness—with those consoling words: "fh'is thy brother was dead, and is and is found." The story of the Good Samaritan (a heretic from the Jewish point of view) has : meir and women to help wisely and patiently the "downs and outs." . Gratias Deo—Wisdom is ever justified of her children.—Yours, etc., WALTEB HABPEB,, An Officiating Minister In the Diocese of Christchurch. 10 Hawkesbury. avenue, St.,Albans. ■ -May 17th, 1929. .