NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 196, 16 May 1930, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

After 29 months of “useful public service,” the board of the Wellington Free Ambulance is able to say, in its second annual report, that this humanitarian enterprise “has more than borne out the claims that were made for its value when the scheme was first conceived.” This assertion all will heartily endorse. The report is a revelation of successful service and remarkable development. Its field of service covers a radius of 50 miles from Wellington, and from all parts within the circle come expressions of appreciation in subscriptions and testimonials. This institution is supported by all the local bodies, no fewer than twenty ships’ companies, business firms, private individuals, and by receipts from benefit performances, bazaars, and other local enterprises all over the Wellington hospital district. The board is to be congratulated on its splendid achievement, and commended with all good wishes to the continued and generous support of the public.

In deciding upon an organic federation of their professional bodies, the Secondary Schools’ Association, the Nevy Zealand Educational Institute, and the Technical Schools’ Association have taken a wise and far-sighted step. The tendency of modern methods m the administration of education is to break down the barriets separating the syllabi and work of the various departments. Ihe watchwords of progress, it is agreed, are unity, co-ordination, and continuity. As progress develops the tendency is for primary, secondary, and university education to merge imperceptibly, flowing along like the current of a river from its source to the sea. It may come to the stage that there will be one teaching unit, one salary scale, one system of promotion. In federating their organisations the teachers have made a material contribution to the reform of the administrative side of education, the simplification of which, in New Zealand, is overdue.

Women’s dress is once more being torn between the foibles of fashion. Those on the Continent who are the self-appointed stylists of feminine wear almost the whole world over, and upon whose every ‘word the fashion centres hang with seasonal apprehension, have decided that dresses shall be long once more. Perhaps the strangest feature of all that relate to the perennial war of tin 1 designers is the fact' that men still rule supreme in dictating bow women shall dress. With all her new-found freedom from the trammels of a man-made world, woman still dances to the tune of the pied-piper of fashion—and like the fairy-tale musician he is not of her sex. When, some years ago, he piped the lay of the short skirt, she followed gladly. Flounces and frills have made a furtive reappearance of late, and now woman is told definitely that she must lengthen her dresses. It is just possible that she may rebel at long last and, storming what. is very nearly man’s final stronghold in the war of the sexes, become mistress of her own wardrobe.

In a statement in the House of Commons the British Prime Minister announced that, the economic aspects of the Channel tunnel scheme having been fully explored, it was now proposed to investigate the military considerations involved. The general tone of Mr. MacDonald's 'Statement conveys the impression that his Government would have little hesitation about allowing the work to proceed were it able to produce a fairly substantial array of opinion in suppor' From this point of view it is probable that military objections might conveniently be overruled. But there is yet another aspect, to which a distinguished geological expert has directed attention, namely, the engineering difficulties that might possibly be encountered in this particular part of the Channel seabed. He declares that the tunnel route is in the direct line of a geological fault, the extent of which is unknown, but, from the evidence of the shore indications, possibly very considerable. Hence, he declares, it is important, if millions are not to be thrown into the sea, that this aspect of the question should be minutely explored. Tn spite of what the economists and the military strategists may say, it may be found that Nature herself has interposed an obstacle beyond the capacity of human skill to overcoma.