NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 191, 10 May 1937, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

All that is required now to make Wellington’s celebration of the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth this week a success is tranquil weather. The preparations have been exceptionally thorough and extensive, promising an impressive pageant State and civic authorities, and also numerous trade, commerce and industry have not stinted effort to provide the “outward and visible signs” of loyalty to the British Throne as the symbol of Empire unity. A greater use than ever before has been made, of electric light, and such “rehearsals” as have been witnessed during the past week have revealed attractively tlie prospect of a memorable display. The city, as the capital of the Dominion, will be an illuminated centre of patriotism. There need be no lingering doubt as to the loyal sentiment of the people, who only require . the great occasion to inspire a full and emphatic expression of their patriotic thoughts. More and more they realise through the grim lessons of history and through the trend of international affairs and desires that, without robust patriotism, nations must perish.

While experts are seeking the cause of the disaster to the mammoth German airship Hindenburg almost at the moment of landing at Lakehurst, New Jersey, at the end of its first flight over the Atlantic, people everywhere will think sympathetically of the victims and sufferers. The sentiment of the British Commonwealth of Nations as a whole has been expressed with characteristic sincerity by His Majesty JCing’ George VI, whose spontaneous message of sympathy to the German nation will be as responsively endorsed in the United States of America as it has been in all British communities. All three countries have been stricken in turn with similar tragedies in the air. Naturally, tile latest disaster will raise many questions and much doubt as to the wisdom of persevering with this "particular form of aviation. Nothing is more spectacular in modern transport than an airship, and because of that distinction a major disaster, either through a crash or by an explosion followed by incineration, evokes more pessimistic opinion than that aroused by the sudden destruction of smaller craft in the air or larger ships on the seas. It seems rather futile to discuss the safety of giant airships. No form of transport is completely safe, as has been demonstrated by the appalling mortality since the age of speed and adventurous enterprise began. Although dispirited by the Hindenburg disaster in the flush of apparent triumph, the famous designer is not dismayed. Dr. Bckener has reaffirmed his faith in airships In all probability, the German people will also regain their faith, taking care, however, to urge the authorities to abandon the use of highly inflammable hydrogen instead of a safer, if more