LETTERS I THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 5

LETTERS I THE EDITOR.

» ■ MOUNTAINEERING IN NEW ZEALAND. SlB,— Recently, while searching through somo old Nelson newspaper files, 1 came aorc«3 an interesting correspondenco referring to somo important explorations carried out a third of a century ago by a small band of Nelson citizens, and at once my mind recalled the rugged mountains of Western Otago and the splendid ecope they offer for similar exploration. The tragic death of Dr Hudson on Spooler's Range two years ago led Mr John Ward, himself an old Nelsonion, to furnish tho press with somo information about the doings of these hardy pioneers, mainly gleaned from J. T. Catloy. This infornui-1 tion I could supplement - with many details told me by J. H. Cock, who became a neighbour of mine, so to speak, after he settled in Wellington in 1884. Tho Nelson band of mountaineers included John Meeson, J. T. Catley, Bishop Suter, Aithur Atkinson, J. H. Cock, James Park, John Gully, W. Curtis, and J. S, Browning; and of theso stalwarte, alas, but two survive—Professor Park, of Otago University, and W. Curtis, of Nelson, Expeditions wero made to Mount Patriarch, Ben Novis, Gordon's Knob, Mount Arthur, heail-waters of the Karamea, Wangapeka, Mokihinui, Mount Owen, St. Arnand, and Spencer Ranges, Mount Franklin, etc., and much solid topographical, geological, and botanical work was done.

The party usually included from three to seven members, and the leader chosen on each occasion was Park, tho geologist. Tho journeys wero made on foot, and each member of the party carried his own swag and a portion of the camp equipment. At camping time each member cheeriLy betook himself to his allotted task, and at night all slept the sleep of the just tightly packed on a common bed of fern or bush twigs. There were doubtless many exhausting days, sometimes hardship, and often hazard, met with in scaling rocky peaks, crossing snow-fields, and in fording swollen mountain torrents, but, as Catley was wont to triumphantly to claim when he became reminisceni the trips wore carried out without accident or mishap of any kind, notwithstanding that they often found themselves in tight places. But the compensations more than balanced all the hardship endured and sometimes persona! discomfort; enduring life-long friendships woro formed. I can vouch from my own experience that by mutual privation and danger in the open for a few weeks you get to know the true man, often so completely by the artificiality of modern convention, bettra than by years of conventional association.

As I read of theso old adventurers, the thought that suggested itself was, could not a band of enterprising citizens of Dunedin be organised to do among the wide unexplored regions of Western Otago what was so well done in Nelson and Marlborough over 30 years ago? I know of no hobby or pastimo that will give the same enduring satisfaction, or that is more invigorating, 6anc, or health-giving, or that leads to tho samo good comradeship and lasting friendships. Tho' mountains have a fascination all their own. Tho gipsy life in the. open, with tho crackling camp fire, the soont of the woods, the roar of tho boulder-strewn torrents, tho baffling mist, _ tho call of tho weka, tho boom of the bittern, tho shrill discordant cry of tho kakapo, tho sweet note of tho trustful robin, tho driving rain, the blinding snowstorm, tho biting wind, tho physical hardship, tho risk from swollen rivers, from avalanches, from tottering frost-shuttered yock, with all the gipsy lifo possess an irresistible call to the primitivo instincts of tho average straight-limbed man. With such a land of promise at its back-door it should not be impossible to organise an Otago alpino club, perhaps less exclusive but no less useful than tho Nolson prototype. I venture to say that fow will deny that the lifo in the open breeds stamina and daring;, an-d that it nurtures the strong nerves which enable men to respond with fortitudo to tho call of duty in moments of cmorgoncy and stress.—l am, etc., ' J. Mac. Wellington, July 11. UNIVERSITY REFORM. Sib,—ln a recent issue, in commenting on the Chancellor's address in Duncdin on university _ matter?, you appeared to support his views on the external examination. May I draw your readers' attention to the following passages from the report of the Royal Commission on tho London University? Tho London Times described the report as ono which would hecome an educational classic. The Royal Commiaion consisted of Lord Haldane (chairman), Viscount Milncr, Sir Robert Ronier, Sir Robert Morant, Mr L. Curie, M.A.. Mr W. S. M'Cormick, M.A., LL.D., Mr E. B. Snrgant, M.A., and Mrs L. Creighton. "We arc convinced that both a detailed syllabus and an external examination are inconsistent with the true interests of university education— injurious to the studenk, degrading to the teachers, and ineffective for the attainment of the ends they arc supposed to promote. The insistence' on a system of external examinations is always based ujwn a want of faith in the teachers. . . . Hardly anyone now defends a purely external examination as a proper Inst of university teaching. The University of New* .Zealand, one of the last of the universities to retain this form of examination, adopted under the influence of the old University of London, is at present agitating for loform."

I trust, Sir, that when you recall the experience and ability of 'the memliers of the commission and of many of the witmwscs they examined, tho passages quoted above will lead you to consult the full report and to re-examine the position you have taken up on the question of university re orm.-I nm. etc., 'J'. IJ. Uny. " Wellington, July 15

THE COLORATION AXD ITS

EMPLOYEES.

•&li:,—LookrcL at olokclv. tlio lottrr inserted liy you over the signature "A Square Dral to the Worker*/' relative to mnic alleged unfairness in paying the corporation employee sixpence a day more than is paid to the ordinary labourer, affords plenty of evidence of the cnv.ionsnces of the leas'capable worker?. I should not notice tlr's persona! point were it not for flic fact, that of all workers in the dominion who" earl earn » livnur by unskilled labour, the employers of the local bodies are the most happily placed. They are not hustled; they fan look tip and enjoy the. sun. Not a few of them, however, if onco out of their employment, would ever he able to place themselves so comfortably elsewhere. Jf some of them would learn how to drain and were to obtain a license from the Drainago liftird, there are no doubt plenty of unemployed workers who would "clean up" after them. Uiilwa it is specified or laid down by iinstructions as part of a job or contract, few tradesmen over bother about cleaning-up. Anyhow, the envious and spiteful tone of the latter part of the letter by " A Square Deal to the Workers " would condemn the. writer if the ratepayers knew the ability, energy, and consistency of the worker roforrrd to,—l am, etc., A Deal foh the SquAHE Workeh.