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Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 296, 13 September 1927, Page 6

The shower of gold that clothes the kowhais in Sentember is surely one of the most beautiful sights in the Dominion (says the Auckland “Star”). In its way ’t is quite as beautiful as the mow praised dross of scarlet which the puhntakawas doh for mid-summer Sonhornt,'traptera is the botanical name of the vellow kowhai. and it is rather interesting to know that the same tree, or one very similar, is also found as far away as South America, showing, so the scientists contend, that in the remote nast there was a land connection be-t"-een the two countries. There is another kowhai in New Zealand that is '"•en more handsome in some respects than the vellow. and that is the wellnamed kowhai nvntii-kaka. “the parrot beak kowhai.” Botanists know it as the ninnthus runicious. Some neonlo think >’t is not a native of New Zealand, but it is iust as good a New Zealander as the Maori himself. Tt is ve'V rare in a wild state, but round Lake Waiknremonna it mav still bo found in a few localities. Kowhai n"iitu-kowl>ai is on" of the enidilJ" things the Maori used fo cultivate for its benutv alone. It was freoueutlv found in the old dnvs in Maori settlenients-a fact that i-eminds ns that Hona was not altogether a naked savage.

Professor B. E, Murphy, M.A., LL.M, 8.C0m., will deliver a lecture to the Wellington Accountant Students’ Society on Wednesday evening in Accountants’ Chambers on the subject “Public Finance from Ballance to Massey.”

“We are not producing sufficient great leaders in our cities and. country to man the positions which call for the supreme qualities of leader-ship," said the Rev. L>. C. Herron, president of the Council of Christian Congregations, at the annual meeting of the council, the other evening (states the Auckland “Star”). He attributed the cause to the education system, saying that anparently the minds and imaginations of men were pot being stirred to respond to the appeal for public service and statesmanship. It wai for the educational institutions fo explain why men were not offering in larger numbers for the positions in public life, apd to scrutinise the results of the materialistic training given in the schools of New Zealand. There was a deplorable lack, he said, of that idealism, inspired by the great public schools of England, which kept thrusting out on the surface men of wide outlook and vision who made tiie sacrifice necessary for publiQ. leadership.

A dream of many years by the people of New Plymouth which is being gradually realised is to have a first-class harbour, one that nill securely shelter the largest vessels trading to‘the Dominion (says the “News”). The complete scheme is to include the building of sea walls, and inside the shelter modern whares. In 1914 the Walkure, a German steamer, berthed, the first overseas vessel to tie up at the wharf at Moturoa. Later in the year when the war came, she was captured by a French gunboat near Tahiti, only to be sunk when the German Pacific Fleet bombarded the island port. Subsequently the Walkure was raised, rechristened the Republic, and passed into the hands of American buyers. Since 1914 many overseas vessels have berthed at New Plymouth. Now the Mataroa is to berth there, a liner of 12.341 tons, the sixth largest vessel trading to New Zealand. The visit of the Mataroa will be an incentive to other minor ports with, large-ambitions. Incidentally it might be remarked that the people of New Plymouth are hopeful of the day when they will have the terminal port tor the’ trans-Tasman trade.