NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Excursion Steamer's Speed. As has been the case previously, the one-day excursion to Picton yesterday by the Union Steam Ship Company's Lyttelton ferry steamer Eangatira, in addition to providing a popular outing for many Wellington people, was used -as an opportunity for the steamer to do some fast travelling between here and Picton. The. distance between the two ports is about 52 miles, and the Eangatira covered the southern trip in 2hr 20min at an average speed of 22.22 knots. The return trip was made in 2hr 16min at an average speed of 23 knots._ The weather -vyas favourable for the trip, although there were one or two rain squalls before reaching Pieton, and. the excursionists would have found more bright sunshine acceptable. However, the weather was fine in Picton, and the usual launch trips were made, in addition to the railway excursion to Blenheim. Many of the 1300 people who made the trip were content to remain in Picton, which was en fete-.for the Easter Carnival, being gaily, decorated with bunting. The Eangatira arrived back. at Wellington' shortly after 5 p.m.- • • ■ A Matter of Opinion. The general tendency in Sydney to look upon the de Groot incident at the opening of the Harbour Bridge with tolerant, if not amused eyes, as was stated, to be the case by "The Post's" Sydney correspondent, is evidently shared by New Zealanders, judging by the reception which the moving pictures of the incident received at a local theatre last night. When the New South Wales Premier, Mr. J. T. Lang, was speaking he received one or two handclaps from the audience, and these were answered by some booing. The picture of Captain de Groot advancing towards the tape with his sword upraised -was greeted with cheering, and there was derisive laughter when men were seen to be knotting the ribbon'together again ready for Mr. Lang to carry out his official duty. By Time or Results? The opinion that the average Continental labourer obtained ,a great deal better results from his work than the average New Zealander of the same type was expressed by Professor E. M. Algio in an address to members of the Auckland Eotary Club. The Continental workman took a great pride in his work and in the creative aspect of unskilled labour, he added. On the Continent labourers worked harder and for longer hours than in New Zealand, and .the results were undoubtedly better. A 'country which continued to pay peoplo solely on the basis of the number of hours worked, with little or no regard to the quality of the1 finished'product, must inevitably go dow.n before any country that paid fairly and equitably in regard to the quality of the product. Simplicity of Faith. "Perhaps what the world needs most to-day is a simpler standard of living and a simpler faith," said Archbishop Averill in the course of. his sermon at St. Mary's Cathedral, Auckland, on Sunday evening (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). "Life has become too complex and faith has become too complex. If only we could come back to the beauty, dignity, and reality of simplicity, I am quite sure religion would be more real and helpful to us and indirectly more helpful to other people." As they got older, said Archbishop Averill, perhaps they realised that simplicity and reality went hand in hand and that many of the superficialities did not help them to acquire the things that really mattered. In pointing to the assurance of realities which Easter-tide provided, ho traced the attitude of mind of the disciples and the effect upon it of the Eesurrectiqn.

Pioneer in Education. To-day is the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of the Nelson School Society by the late Matthew Campbell. The foundation stone of the brick building on the southern side of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery was laid on the 14th February, 1843, by Mr. "Wm. Fox (afterwards Sir Wm. Fox), it being declared open on 7th April, 1844. Mr. Campbell extended the school work to the country, districts. It was entirely undenominational/ and meeting the needs of the young settlement it received hearty support and appreciation. The Society terminated its activities at Christmas,. 1896, when the Nelson school was! handed over to the Trustees of the Suter Art Gallery. Not an Inferior Service. _ "It is\ simply absurd treating domestic service as an inferior occupation," said Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court at Auckland. A will case was being argued before him, and counsel had just said that one of the girls concerned took strong exception to any division of the estate which might make it necessary for her to go into domestic service. In response to his Honour, counsel said he was afraid it was true that domestic service was looked down upon. "The fact is that girls look upon it as much inferior to being in ashop," he said. Missing Musician. ' Although his description has been widely circulated, and he is known to many rsidents of Auckland city, Mr. Cyril Towsey, the well-known pianist and musician, has not been traced since he left the IYA studio over a week ago (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Several times last week-end it was reported to the police that a man of Mr. Towsey >s description had been seen near Victoria Park, in Hobson street, and in other parts of the city, but it is believed that this man is a different person, bearing a remarkable resemblance to the missing man, ! the chief difference between the two being a slight disparity in height and build. No organised search was underj taken during the week-end, but launches I and other craft were requested to" watch I the harbour and beaches. Napier's Inner Harbour. Though the raising of a great area of land in the. bed of the Port Ahuriri lagoon by the Hawkes Bay earthquake last year brought substantial benefits to the Napier Harbour Board in one direction, in another a serious problem has arisen, for, according to the owner of.; the ferry service between Port Ahuriri and. Wests-hore, Mr. A. Martin, the disturbance of- the lagoon and surrounding country has been such that the recent heavy floods in Hawkes Bay brought down such a quantity of silt that the channel between tn'e inner harbour arid the sea has been greatly reduced in depth. So great a quantity of silt has been carried into the channel j that the ferry service cannot be given at low tide, as the jetty previously ■worked on the Westshore side is not approachable. Mr. Martin told a "Daily Telegraph" representative that the whole channel was affected and that the conditions appeared lo be becoming'worse. In his opinion there is a danger of shipping grounding, and he further stated that unless the silting was arrested immediately the fishing trawlers would find themselves' unable to work the bar.