JOTTINGS BY THE WAY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3766, 8 June 1936, Page 8

JOTTINGS BY THE WAY

(By lan Rosach.)

The two important events since the last jottings were the opening and continuation of the Waikato Winter Show, and the Queen Mary's initial run. The Queen Mary, Britain’s most majestic ocean liner, is 6000 tons less than the Normandie, the French liner, the gross tonnage being, Normandie 89,000, Queen Mary 73,000. The Normandie wrested the blue riband of the Atlantic from the Rex, Italian, 50,000 tohs, by crossing to New York in 4 days 11 hours and 42 minutes.

Whilst there is justifiable pride in the Queen Mary as a superb piece of British, not English, production, for the Queen Mary was built on the Clyde, Scottish, ye ken, there is none ot the bombast that was associated with the birth and maiden run of the Titanic, hailed as being absolutely unsinkable. There was a rush among millionaires and distinguished -people to book for that fatal trip. The Titanic struck an iceberg and in a short space of time went down to Davy Jones’ locker, with an appalling death roll. Two noted writers. Stead ano Jacques Futrelle, were among the dead. A band of the Salvation Army that was aboard played “Nearer My God to Thee’’ as the boat finally sank below the waves. Thus did fate give the answer to the boast that the Titanic was unsinkable. As Kipling puts it, "For frantic boast and foolish word, Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord.”

Well, the Winter Show of 1936 has passed into the limberlosts of yesterday; it has joined the great band oi successful shows. The weather, like the entries and attendances, created something of a record, for it was ideal. The opening ceremony was, as the Mayor pointed out, unique in that it provided a new president, Prime Minister and M.P. The welcome • accorded the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage was somewhat perfunctory—not that that need give the Prime Minister any cause for worry, for New Zealand crowds do not pay much attention to politicians or statesmen, call them what you will. We claim to be truly democratic, like the Americans, but be it confessed we dearly love to see, hear and rub shoulders with persons of exalted rank, an Earl, Lord or something of that kind. The Americans have 1 that failing more highly developed that we have. To return, however, to the opening the show; the speeches were all commendably brief. The Hon. W. Lee Martin was the least of the quintet. Mr Savage followed in the steps of Messrs Forbes ami Coates by quoting figures (which can be made to prove anything) and by claiming credit for his Government because things are looking up. They all do it. Mr Savage was ever so much better speaking in person than he sounds over the air. Perhaps it was the inspiring occasion that accounted for it. There is no need tb write a detailed description of the show. Few people there are in the Waikato who have not seen it. I was interested in the school section. The work generally was of a high standard. The mapping, drawing and colour work was excellent. The writing section was weak. I have seen thousands of exhibits of writing by school children and mostly they have been very mediocre. In the higher forms at schools there is a fair am ount of note taking which tends to develop a hastily formed scrawl/ Perhaps it is a sign of our modern rush of speed that seems to mark all our ways. The display of work by the Hamilton Technical High School was most creditable. Parents inspecting the exhibits must have felt that their children were getting a sound, practical education. Evidences that the cultural side was not being neglected were to be found on the opening day, when the school orchestra entertained with well played selections. The exhibits of the engineering students were of a high standard. The exhibitions of the girls weaving are always a strong feature of the show, and this year’s is no exception. I like the idea of the school in yearly showing the public what it can do. It , must help to create the'right feeling between the two. The weakest section of the art display was the painting. Coming so soon after the first class exhibition of the Waikato Society of Arts, it was most disappointing. A judge’s task is often an unenviable one, but one mar veiled by what standards the judge judged the paintings in question. Again it appeared as if the judge saw something of that undefinabie quality that “arty” folk of the highbrow calibre pose about. Personally I would not give any of the exhibits consideration were I in search of a picture for my home. *****

There is a fascination about dipping into the future that seems to be an inherent part of our make up. A stall of the fortune telling character type (a penny in the slot machine arrange ment) did a roaring trade. Mr J. N. Peart, headmaster of the King’s Col lege, recently had something to say about the "sex consciousness” of secondary school pupils. He would have found ample verification for his contention had he watched the secondary school pupils of both sexes patronising the said stall. The slots promising information about marriage and offspring were most eagerly patronised by adolescent youth. Comment is needless, beyond saying that it does not convey to the adults, especially strangers, a high opinion of our vaunted educational facilities.

The failure of the Sunshine League’s annual appeal is regrettable, but those responsible certainly chose a most unsuitable time. The thousands of people thronging the streets during show time are too busy to pay much attention to such appeals, no matter how worthy the cause. I have no patience with those who for ever try to hoist everything on the Government of the day. There is still such a thing as faith, hope and charity, all of an individual nature. I feel equally certain that if an appeal was made other than on show days the response would be more generous and in keeping with the humanitarian ideals of the League. *****

Human nature is seen at its best and worst in two places, hospitals and courts of justice. I was an interested spectator at the Hamilton Supreme Court last week. As I left a young man charged with an offence was In the witness box, talking himself into a conviction. My long experience of Court press work has taught me several things, one being that loquacity is a dangerous thing. A plain yes or no in answer to counsel’s questions is

more effective than a lengthily worded reply, giving the legal fraternity many opportunities to discredit the witness. Shakespeare once said “Methinks he protesteth too much,” and that is true of many Court witnesses. The average press representative soon becomes as adept as judges and magistrates in assessing the value and truth or otherwise of the testimonies ot witnesses and accused persons. I have often thought that many of the latter must have thought the presiding judge or magistrate to be lacking in commonsense. *****

Why do the trains have to be late on high days and holidays? This query is called forth by the fact that the other day I cooled my heels, and patience for exactly one hour for a show special. In ordinary times if one has to catch a train at, say, 12.45 p.m., one has to be there at that time or he will miss it. During holidays and rush times one can stroll along anything from 15 minutes to half an hour late and catch it easily. Why? There is another aspect: it gives show visitors very little time at the show if they arrive so late as did the Waihi special on Friday. There is plenty of room for improvement in that phase of train running.

Though for the week: “I was through this world but once: any good deed therefore I can do, what I can do to beast or man, let me do it now, let me not hesitate or delay, for I will not pass this way again.”—From the Jubilee Court at the Winter Show.