OPTIMISTS' CLUB

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23072, 24 June 1938, Page 12

OPTIMISTS' CLUB

ADDRESS ON EGYPT "Moslems arc fatalists, and every happening is attributed to the will of Allah," said Mr. Arthur Skoels, who is ou furlough from Egypt, when speaking on his experiences in that country, at the weekly luncheon meeting of the Optimists' Club, held in the Y.M.C.A. Roms, yesterday. That outlook, said Mr. vSkeols, destroyed initiative and tended to make the carrying out of reforms a difficult undertaking. He expressed the opinion that well-thinking Moslems were now realising the value of tho Christian Mission schools, whose ■ work had been considerably helped by tho introduction of sport. Tho Egyptian Government had planned to instal pumps for the supply of fresh water in the 18,000 villages of the Nile Delta, but as yet little had been done. In that area, which was about the size of Otago and Southland combined, more than 15,000,000 people lived, said the speaker. In contrast to the slow travel of former davs, however. transport had been greatly improved and there were now good air services,.