HAPPY DAYS

Evening Star, Issue 21633, 31 January 1934, Page 12

HAPPY DAYS

TOUR BY SCHOOLBOYS RETURN FROM AUSTRALIA Happy, interesting; days were : spent by the party ot thirty-eight New Zealand secondary school boys ' who left Auckland on ■ December 29 to make a tour of New South Wales and Victoria. They returned to 1 Wellington by the Mararoa 1 bn Mbnday. The boys were in charge of Mr T. A. Lappiu, 8.A., and Mr A. H. Hunt, M.A., of the teaching staff of King’s College, Auckland. _ The ages : bf the boys ranged from 15.t0 19 years';. Five were from the South Island and the remainder trom the North Island, Speaking to a ‘ Post ’ representative, .Mr Hunt said the party had visited all the chief points of interest on the south-east coast and had trays elled as far north as Newcastle. They were ten days at Manly, and visits were paid to various factories around Sydney. -Five days were spent in Melbourne. The weather was wet, but that did not. upset their programme. The party had a very enjoyable week at Lord Somers’s camp in Phillip Harbour, sixty miles out of Melbourne. Other places visited included the Talcum brown coal field and electricity works, the Jenolan Caves, Canberra, and Katoomba. They were accorded civic welcomes at Melbourne, Newcastle, and Katoomba. On one 'night in Newcastle they were the guests of the Broken Hill Proprietary, and at Canberra they were by the Commissioner and Senator . Stewart. The party was also entertained bybusiness firms in Sydney. -s The object of the tour was to widen the outlook of the boys. It was the third party of New Zealand boys organised by Mr Lappin which has visited Australia, and it is understood he has another trip in view at the end of this year. During the tour the bovs played a cricket match against a team of adults at Manly, and the result was a draw, each side scoring 140 runs. 1,. M Smith, the head boy of the New Zealand party, made a fine showing, knocking up fifty-six runs.

With the exception of five wet days in Melbourne, Mr Hunt said that the .weatger generally throughout the tour

had been good. On the last two days they experienced the heat wave in Sydney, during which the temperature was as high as 106 deg. Everywhere they went they were extended the utmost courtesy and consideration.. While they were in Sydne.v the Premier of New South Wales placed the Government launch at; their disposal. This was a privilege, which was greatly appreciated, for usually the launch was reserved tor distinguished visitors. - Asked, what impressions he had gained while in Australia, Mr Hun. said he thought the Commonwealth’s powers of recovery from the adverse economic conditions were greater than those of New Zealand. To him it appealed as a land of opportunity. Wherever they went there were New Zealanders occupying executive positions, but that was not to. say, of course, that good jobs were plentiful. He had been impressed, however, by the number of New Zealanders who were m jiood positions in Australia and were doing well. He was also impressed by the courtesy of the Australians. They saw evidence of great wealth, and of great poverty. The two extremes were very marked.