THE TONGUE WHARF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12393, 1 July 1902, Page 3

THE TONGUE WHARF.

TO THE EDITOR. SlR,—I was rather' surprised when going down to tho ahoye wharf this morning to notice n number of ship carpentcra laying down a new "dock" of hardwood.timber, about Sin in Uridines*. Tho wharf Ims been mult about 15 years; the docking is of Kauri, anil is, iu niy opinion, quitn good enough to outlast tlie life of tho piles. A groat many or them are nearly half-eaten through, ami the bolts for the ties or bracings are protruding from 6in to 12in. AVliilo writing, I m,iy as well call attention to the (locking of tlio wharves generally. Tho spikes, or thi> heads of thorn, rcquiro puncllliig.in flush. They are rather rough on the boots, and fomn people would almost imagine that the Harbour* Board is in league with tho knights of .Tune 21. St. CniBPIK. [We learn from (he engineer that tho decking of tlie tongue wharf has ken reduocd to such an extent by tear and wear that, dr.iy wheels Eonictiines break through tlie kauri planking. Tho hard wood covering is therefore necessary for safety. Wear and tear also .accounts for the projecting'nailheads. which are frequently driven flush.— El). O.D.T.]

TIIM AVERAGE NEW ZEALAND HOY. ' '10 THE EDITOR. | Bm,—My attention lias boon drawn lo a letter in your issue of this morning signed 'Moderation," in which the writer rays: " Exaggerated statements such as* these— ' His experience went- to show that the average New Zealand lwy was absolutely ignorant of the majority of tho plants growing at tho school door, not knowing a single name of ono of them. He might know the source of tlio Ganges was in the Himalayas, but - bo could not givo tlio nam* of any plant barring an ordinary bluegiuumade by Mr Uilruth need no comment, and carry their own refutation." I regret to say that my experience bears nut tiio accuracy of Mr (iilroth's statement. I do nt>t think that this cxpreiMon of opinion makes out the children- to be "donkey*" apd the teachers " incompotont mulTi?, but I think the fact shows that our system docs not encourage observation on the part of the children.—l am, etc., . Of.o. M. Thomson. Dunedin, June 28.