CORRESPONDENCE

Grey River Argus, 24 May 1935, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

WESTLAND’S ALL BLACK. (To the Editor.) Sir.— It does not matter what form of sport it is, we always find the aspirsynt for representative honours will always have the greatest amount of criticism levelled at him in the district which he represents. .1 maintain that a true sport takes no exception to this, but when we find criticism such as has been levelled at R. King, the West Coast All Black forward, through the columns of the “Truth” by their Coast writer, then it is time the pen was taken up on his behalf in answer to same. Now, Sir, I am a constant reader of “Truth,” and I have always considered that their Grey correspondent required his football knowledge brushing up. “Truth” would be better served if they could get a more competent man. 1 would like to say that I am sure that the New Zealand selectors do not take any notice of paper talk, but we on the Coast do not like to see the public misinformed. Anyone seeing Ron King’s two brilliant tries in Ross when he pulled the game out of the fire for Excelsiors practically on the call of rime, would have to'admit that the\ were the efforts of an All Black—n super forward. Then again, his two tries against Canterbury last year ar.? still frosh in the minds of enthusiastAlso he and Best of Marlborough Aver • considered the two best forward* iu the North and South match. We know that King in his efforts to again hon our the Coast by his inclusion in the New Zealand loam, is adapting him self to the type of play which is any thing but.that of a shiner, and thosi who saw him tigering in the tight last Saturday, and allowing the lighter forwards to do the open work, realised that he Avas truly playing All Black football. I hanking you for vour valu able space, I am. etc INTERESTED. THE DREDGE. (To the Editor.) Sir.—Einstein spent thirty years of patient plodding in the ‘elucidation point by point, of his now aeknowledo-.’ ed theory that mass and energy are one and the same thing. In his original theory, the great little Doctor found it necessary to utilise the electro-mag-netic-field equations of the nineteenth century British physicist. Clerk Maxwell. Tn the course of the long years through Avhich Einstein laboured steadily upon his researches, later scientific truths Avere being developed which rendered his work useless and his position untenable. Nothing daunted, he started all over again, incorporating the newer knowledge; and at length found himself hack again at his original discovery, having arrived at the same place by an entirely different route. The work of Einstein is simply sublimated drudgery. Whether the research worker stays at home and works in his laboratory as nearly as possible twenty-four hours per day or whether he travels abroad into the unexplored fastnesses of the surface, the depths or the atmospheres of our globe, it is impossible for him to hope to accomplish useful work if he is not prepared to endure hardships and drudgery. We all know something of Scott's last expedition; but how l many of us have realised that Scott’s heroism and doggedness are but theepitome of the spirit that inspires all who love service better than self? From Pythias in 330 B.C. to Wilkins in 1932 A.D. scientific explorers have made repeated attempts to conquer the Arctic regions. Wegener’s last expedition, a scientific exploration thai took place in Greenland recently wiih a view to gaining information regard

ing meterological aspects pf Arctic exploration, is described by one of the survivors as “the abomination of desolation.” The members of Watkins’ last expedition to Greenland, also undertaken recently for identical purposes. suffered terribly in their search for scientific data to be used in the service of mankind. In both expeditions the leaders lost their lives — Wegener (with a companion) as the result of a struggle against hopeless odds. Scientists have always known drudgery in the extreme —drudgery often voluntarily chosen in the face of the fiercest opposition. We talk airily of Kepler’s Lqavs—Laws lacking the which present-day astronomy, physics, meteorology and kindred sciences wou'd bi* yet non-existent or undeveloped; but do we ever pause to think of the i life of patient drudgery ami unreward I cd toil from Avhich emerged our present knowledge of God’s method ot holding in their courses the mighty constellations of the universe? The sixteenth century knew little of “cushy” jobs for scientific research workers, and they were therefore largry dependent upon the “patronage of the more liberal minded of the nobles for the continuation of their vitally important studies. Kepler, for example. Avas never free from fin uncial worries, for his particular patron, the Kaiser Rudolf 11. rarely pni I him his salary in’full. Just after Kepler had discovered his great Third Law. he was obliged to interrupt his work at Linz in order to hurry home to the help of his mother, Avho was in danger of being burnt as a witch; and Avhen at last he journeyed to Ratisbon for the purpose of applying to the Reichstag for the balance of salary due to him. he was attacked by i fever and died, a martyr ami a drudge, if ever the world knew one—Yours Sincerely, SILENT PETER.