THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1948. AN HONOUR TO OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26707, 28 February 1948, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1948. AN HONOUR TO OTAGO

The distinction of a doctorate in divinity, which has been conferred upon the Very Rev. D. C. Herron by St. Andrew’s University, is one that must be as gratifying to the Presbyterian community of Otago as to Mr Herron himself. He has been an eminent Churchman for many long years, has served his country in war and in peace, and in the educational sphere he has worked conscientiously, both in furthering the activities of the Theological Hall and in the important administrative post in general education of Chancellor of the University of Otago. The St Andrew’s University Senate specifically cites the service of Dr Herron in'the matters mentioned above, but makes the conferment of the degree of the widest complimentary application as marking the centenary of the province. The leadership of the Presbyterian Church in the formative years of the Otago settlement was the salient fact of the founding, and that Church remains a palpable influence in our midst.

But this recognition of the Otago centenary has even a wider bearing, as being the first distinction that has come to an Otago citizen in this year. It should not be required to be emphasised that honour to a citizen at such a time honours the province and its people. So far the Government, which holds in fact the power of conferment of distinctions, has not given any indication of intention to act in this matter; yet already many of the important events of the year have been held. We have previously suggested that the designation of the chief citizen’s office a Lord Mayoralty would be a most suitable gesture, and that likely to gain most popular approbation. It is to be hoped that the Government will allow neither a certain distaste, which must be suspected, for the conferment of titular distinctions, nor clamant parochialism, to deter it from marking this milestone in Otago history with an appropriate honours list.

BEFORE THE FIREWORKS The culmination of a week of gaiety and thanksgiving will be the spectacular fireworks display that has been arranged to take place at Hancock Park to-night. From the* information that has been made available by the organisers the display will be presented on a lavish scale and it promises to be a memorable finale to Carnival Week —a week that has been crammed with incident and spectacle and has drawn to Dunedin visitors from all parts of the Dominion. The success of the various functions and events that have been held during the weekmust have been the cause of intense satisfaction to those who planned and worked for so long oh the details of organisation. The people of Dunedin have entered whole-heartedly into the spirit of Carnival Week and have given the various attractions their fullest support. They have,' moreover, shown themselves particularly amenable to advice, and through their conscientious cooperation with the authorities a great many inconveniences and exasperating congestions have been avoided. The fireworks display tonight will be another occasion for tolerance and co-operation on the part of every individual who attends' i it. If the weather remains kind the area in the vicinity of the display will contain the greatest crowd that has ever assembled to witness a' night function in Dunedin, and when it is over congestion in some degree will be inescapable. Many thousands of people, including children, who have spent some hours in exposed and perhaps chilly situations will be eager to return home as expeditiously as possible and for a short time the transport services will be subjected to an inordinate strain. A great deal of careful planning has been done by the various transport authorities to cater for this demand, and if their recommendations are studied and observed inconvenience and delay will be reduced to a minimum. Motorists who intend parking their cars in the neignbourhood would be well advised to study the plan, and its explanation, which was printed in the Daily Times yesterday, and thereby assist the traffic control officers to maintain an orderly flow of vehicles away from the congested areas. Many of the people who must rely on the city transport services will naturally be required to submit to some unavoidable delays, but these will not be unduly prolonged if the same selfdiscipline and the. same tolerance that were shown on the day of the Cavalcade of Progress are again exhibited.