WITH THE DAWN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 172, 14 April 1908, Page 4

WITH THE DAWN.

AN ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY HARBOTJR. The .throbbing, red-funnelled liner that seomod such a dot in the occan 'Spaco seemed to grow bigger 'and bigger as'she felt herway up Tho Harbour, in the hush before dawn. It. was a still,. star-spangled viplettoncd night so common during Sydney's summer. Tho great arc lamps'strung along the principal. quays, stretching .away into, the blackness ' of Darling Harbour, looked, fchrough ; .the faint.mist, likeX line, of moons. ' Tho day before had been hot upon tho waters, : but, standing in pyjamas , watching tho dawn break as the steamer moved with tho utmost doliboratiori up tho harbour, it bccame actually odd, and several of the onlookers to whom Sydney a novelty pattered back to their cabins to got big. coats arid mufflers. The lino of passengers along the bulwarks taking in the panorama increased as. the cast . astern • bccame faintly illumined with ( amethyst tints: that threw the, grim North Head into black bold relief. ' That's. Manly in therol " said a kindly- . .voiced -gentleman -m violently ; blue pyjamas, I indicating a cluster'of. twinkling.lights away ! ' to the right. " And in there," continued the ■ geographist, : .pointing across the ; deck, "is Watson's Bay—there's the,pilot boat, Cap-' .tain.'Cook; at anchor.", . '■ 1 I drifted across the deck in time to hear something : I ! -had been waiting for. , I'knew- , it. must bo on board, 'and I was getting fearing; it, must be asleep in its cabin.' But,' no! ;' It was herol " That's ', •„ where '• tho' Dunbar .was'. wrecked I" 1 The speaker, pointed vaguely at the South Head, >■' '«ucc^fully'.leading',©vorybody.;to.i tliovßJicf - that- tho,! famous wreclv fcad-iocctrrrcxL!i.nsid<> • ■ tho - Heads. /To •;removo : t-b-is impression ;-I would suggest that the Sydney papers repeat : tho story iof tho wreck fcrr tho hundred and twenty-seventh time, so that'thoro may bo no lurking doubt as to. where. the Dunbar v.. was wreckcd. . • Whilst thus struggling jto:master,, the jrjaographical and historical (this , includes tho • Dunbar - wreck spot, and Pinchgut), the; faint • light from the east grew into a sweet ambergrey, and it was , with no little exaltation that I was at length able to ' disoeni near" tho 'Admiralty,': House ' tho' 'cheering' - " Schjveppo's Soda "—tlje'first words Iliad 1 read in;-Australia. : Tlvey seemed fraught v/ith tho utmost importance,- an dimpressed • - me like/the statue , of, Liberty, iii New .'York Harbour;;. It was my introduction to, the land •«: • of the Greati.Tliirst.' ,] ■, !y J ,; > ! Slowly moving past tho st-ablo lantern on ; . Bradley: Head, tho paling lights, of parting ' Harbour 'opened; otifcilliko .anVelcctHc vista, in a'pantominiO. A frowsy Iferry boat jerked" ■ itself round:a cornOT.' if lit hadn't been,home;all'night. 'lu.'biit'itS'way lip the . ■ Jiarbour, and as it passed us bno could see its passengers—labouring men with kita off to work,at tiis,early, hour—4, : ,- waterfront looked very : _ beautiful *.- ■ t —tp mo oven the drab pale, brick ■warehouses, | dingy ' , boardutg-houses, ,/in'd plain ' splarik ' -. - wharves 'projecting -from., cavernous seemed boautjful. j,l- - did not like to . guess, but. when ,T7e 'gift - ashore I- ascertained that " thero had , been . ~ an abundant iramfall, and I had Wbl- - -:\;lingtdn-people 1 with drouglitcraoked '-lips .'and ompty';tanks.'." l :■ Thodight had now-becomo'-gcnera-l/'and'the ' mist from tho liarbour had lifted and lifted until it vanished in mid-air; leaving tbd'grey . harbour a brilliant mirror, sacred to t-be' ferry • : ■ boats and-tho jellv-fish. -':"' ' : i'o.'i; ■ t ■ - The liner pushed her jioso slowly into" tbe v ; roof of a shed,'and lay quite still > ■ dow-drenched wharf.' A man' oarao oat of;the . died .yawning. • It wasivery early;-' He was - followed by a CnstomS ofßcer-'.who- saivHthat ; ......: nobody-smuggled ;any wool, flax, :butter, ll '® ; : frozen - meat into, tho country., Ho -break- 1 fasted; at my. table, and ;in -the course' ;6f ..con- ' ■ •versa tiou t-old.me how; simple,a^mattec,it.jvas ■ • - 40, catch; smugglers - from New ZealandV { : Ho was a . geed chap, , though,, ' and , ate,, a;-, big '■ - breakfast; j ■.r/.Afterwafds;;;L:;went••,'orii deck, ' ..... day sniffed-tho delightful perfume of doar,'"dirty,,Margaret .Street, -and ■ that I was really and truly m:Sydncr.. ; -i-'.v —H P.

DEBATING SOCIETIES' UNION.^ ANNUAL REPORT. 1.;.'; The, rfpltewihg;;report (is ~to!;beJ 'submitted ■■ tq ; .'the/ annual meeting.- of;: the. f Def bating ; Societies' ' Union 011 TVedncsdaynext: During the year; 1 ■ d '(.dohating;-; tournament among ,;tho. affiliated societies , was success; ; fully >- In.( the.. 'first,-round. :;Keni Terrace beat St. Peter's;: -Y.M.C.A. . beat Catholic Club; Victoria." College lseat > Vivian. Street, (.while, Karori (drew ia : : bye., v.. The second "round,resulted race "and .Y.M.C,A., : tho ; . latter,of ' which proved successful in ,tho 'final. V. The .. interest .manifested.by. members of .arid ithe :general ptiblic'waa: proyed'.by._the large af> tendance at (.the. (various contests.';.' An;' ora-. torical contest was ~also. yheld, , at, which .the Mr. j>;M:: ; .was awarded. :first; place'." (This : was. '.(keenly . contested. .'1 and-i 1 showd 7 undoubtedly be repeated this. year. : .-■.•.The (Union, Parliament have had .a . very riseful session,, doing excellent work, but the attendance', was ■■ somewhatspoiled at times through ( the •,confusion ■ occasioned by chang-. ine meeting (places. '.; This :matter would be submitted..,for consideration.; (During'.' tho •year, 'Mr.;( A.'; C.':Brothorton( snccessfully led tho: Government. as Premier, whilo 'Mr:: G.( T. Hall -captained*.'a small lmt.'.-vigo r 6 ll s Oppo ; eition.. Mr. .-M'Caul■ ably filled the position of Clerk to , tho House. Dunug the year -a couple, of clubs/"had exchanged very onjoyable ; visits,; ( and(;:it (was.vhopod: that " this means of promoting good-followship and-tho aims, of tho Union, would bo more ~ gonerally resorted to in tho coming season.-.iTho Union had been approached with a view to holding competitions with tqams from' Wanganurand AVoodvillc, and would commend the matter to .tho consideration,of .the incoming executive

. Tho■ executive, recognised that: there was great scope for uscfulnoss, and. recorded with satisfaction tho remarkable and ..growing enthusiasm of'the( public in supposing thoir efforts. 1 They desired to record their appreciation of the-kindness- shown by the Hon! T. :W. Hislop, ~Mr.J. R. . Palmer. (Town Gl«k)i^'^.Vsr.: : :lie^e'.\(castodi»n. 'of 'Town Hall), on occasions when, the (Concert; Chamber was. placed 'at -fche. disposal- of the..Union for contests; they 'also (thanked Mr. Granville •Hunt for;(tKe able manner -in ,which'ie: judged all the. cb'ntpstsi'-Sllio Union's'executive had presented Mr;' HuntVwitli'(several volumes as a token; of.(.ths,^steom : jiil(; : which they' held him. ;( : The .executive appreciated the valuable, work (done by iits,secretary, Mr. A. C. Brotberton, and. were, grateful to the daily Press for much valuable assistance.-