NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 81, 29 December 1928, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Bathing fatalities during the holiday season seem almost inevitable. Their cause usually is carelessness or ignorance—the taking of needless risks. To the expert swimmer advice may be unnecessary, because as a rule the expert does not take needless risks. To the weak and average swimmers, among whom the fatalities chiefly occur, the advice to .avoid risks cannot be too greatly stressed. “Do not go out of your depth,” and “Do not bathe in a current in an unfamiliar stream,” are two golden rules worth remembering to restrain holiday ardour. . •

The Government’s decision tp instruct Mr. R. B. Hammond, town planner, to prepare a scheme for a new native, village adjacent to the inhabited area of Whakaiewarewa will be welcomed by all who take an interest in the Native race. Maori art must be fostered if Maori tradition is to 'be kept'alive, and no better method could be devised for that purpose than to promote the best forms of Native architecture. The Maori developed on lines, particularly his own. He adorned his dwellings with carvings of considerable merit with distinct characteristics. . Should the Government , proceed with their Native village project they should stimulate interest in a branch of Maori art besides adding to the special features of Rotorua.

Very general satisfaction will be felt at the news that Sir Charles Skerrett, Chief Justice, hopes ere long to resume his place on the Supreme Court Bench. Sir Charles was not only one of our most distinguished practitioners at the Bar, but since his acceptance of the office of Chief Justice has won a foremost place amongst the greatest of the Judges who have served in this Dominion. This is saying a great deal, for New Zealand has been fortunate in being able to number amongst the past occupants of the Supreme Court Bench men who would have ranked high in any Court of Justice in the world. Sir Charles Skerrett has endured two serious major operations with great courage and fortitude and his return to the Bench will be welcomed both by the legal profession and by the public as an event of great importance. It is hardly necessary to add that Sir Charles will receive the very heartiest congratulations also on personal grounds on his successful emergence from his grave ordeal.

Another brave man has passed away,, a martyr to his labours with X-rays. The way of progress sad to say is littered with the whitened bones of her martyrs. The old-time bravery is not called upon so often these days except the world goes mad and lets loose war —even then it is a different sort of bravery to the old days of individual effort. Martyrs to science, however,, who face death with

the full knowledge of what they are risking, are braver than many of the heroes of a by-gone day. Perhaps they can be compared to the. great voyagers who sailed out into an ocean reputed to end in space like the edge of a saucer. Wise men had said so, and then, as to-day, wise men were not to be disregarded. The cabin boy and the crew, even the Columbuses and Magellans of their day were not so sure that one dark night their little ship would not fall plop into everlasting space, having sailed over the rim of the world. It needed brave men to go on. So, to-day, with science. It is the very fact that no man really knows what lies round the corner that makes it dangerous in many instances. But it is not a spectacular bravery. There are many men who have risked their lives for science and not died. Men who let infected lice bite them in cold blood were brave men. Much that was not known about trench fever was learnt in this manner. It was the same with mosquitoes in the case of yellow fever and malaria. The man who tested the first poison gas helmet in the deadly atmosphere of a gas chamber was indeed a brave man; and so it is in a hundred other ways we see that progress has never had cause to complain for lack of brave men. From time to time progress claims her martyr and we bare our heads in respect for their bravery.