The Week in Review.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 8, 23 February 1910, Page 1

The Week in Review.

NOTICE. The Editor will be pleased to reserve for consideration Short Stories and Descriptive Articles, illustrated ■with photos, or suggestions from contributors.

Bright, terse contributions are wanted dealing with Dominion life and questions.

Unless stamps are sent, the Editor cannot guarantee the return of unsuitable MSS.

pin Pricks of Kailway Travel in New Zealand. ¥HE ease with which the dignity of a well-known type of British military officer is offended, and the facility with which the genus may be spurred—all unwittingly—into a choler almost ferocious in its intensity is proverbial. One is, therefore, hot altogether astonished, but a little amused at the passionate tone of the letters of complaint addressed by Captain Burke-Davis to the Minister for Railways, and which, with the replies of Mr. Millar, he has contrived to get published in one of the leading dailies of the Dominion. The gallant captain, it would appear, recently booked a lower berth for his wife on the Wellington-Auckland express, and by an admittedly annoying blunder, a rearrangement of berths was made by a subordinate official, and the lady was allotted an upper, in which she was not able to travel. The natural aggravation incidental to such a mischance did not evaporate in sulphurous language, as is the case with many travellers, but found expression in a letter to the authorities, and a demand for a refund of the fare paid. This not arriving instanter, more letters were written, and published, and When the Minister's reply did arrive

though it win seem to the unprejudiced, both courteous and explanatory, it so far further inflamed the wrath of our visiter that he has decided to cancel all engagements in the Dominion. He writes: “ I have come all the way from England for an extended tear through the North and South Islands, and to enjoy the sport and fine scenery which abounds in different parts of the country. Instead of which, the management of the railway company has forced me to cancel such an idea, by chancing a repetition of the abominable circumstances which this correspondence relates to, and as soon as my fishing tour finishes at Taupo next month I am compelled to leave the Dominion.”

It is quite impossible not to smile at so complete and exquisite an illustration of the familiar figurative operation knows as “ cutting off one's nose to spite one’s face,” but at the same time the pin-pricks of railway travel in the Dominion are both frequent and hard to bear, and are the more aggravating because they are uncalled for and removable. The redtapeism, which rules that the ticket office shall —in many cases—only open a few moments before the train is due to start, is as absurd as it is irritating. Whether this is a Departmental regulation or whether it depends on the whim of the clerk in charge is not clear to the writer, but tickets for any journey should, at any of the larger stations, be procurable at any time. The difficulty of securing the removal of luggage from the train to cab, express or other vehicle is still a grievance which cries aloud for rectification. Outside .porters are not allowed ea the ■ platform, and the railway serVanbe themselves will not, and probably cannot afford assistance. The state of things at Wellington or Auckland, on the qrrival of the express beggars description, and is decidedly in the direction of checking travel amongst those who do not go through • course of preliminary atheltics

and weight-lifting. The insufficient accommodation for smokers is a perennial grievance which the Department seems determined not to ameliorate, by any addition of carriages. A mitigation may, however, be suggested by the adoption of the rule in vogue on the railways of ■the Commonwealth, which prohibits the use of smoking compartments by children under the age of 15. This by-law, if adopted, would eliminate the family party invasion of the smoking compartments, an affliction under which most smokers have probably suffered more times than enough. The Value of English Grammar. Our educational experts have been discussing the value or otherwise of the formal teaching of English grammar. One speaker said that it often happened that those who knew most grammar both spoke and wrote the vilest' English. Correct speaking is largely a question of ear, and an old saying reminds us that in writing the style is of the man. The Maoris, with their intensely musical nature, bat have little difficulty in speaking our language fluently and correctly, though their knowledge of formal grammar is often very limited. They are by nature a nation of orators. On the other hand the Indian native works hard at his grammar, and stores his memory with choice excerpts from famous authors. Yet because he possesses no sense of style his efforts at composition often border on the ludicrous. In the December number of “Indian Education,” a Bombay educational magazine, some new and amusing examples are given of English “as she is spoke,” or rather “writ,” by budding Indian students. The following are some extracts from an essay on “The Town in Which I lave,” set to matriculation students. One youth boldly commenced with a paragraph from G. P. R. James, beginning, “Towards the close of an autumn day, a well-equipped, though small cavalcade, might be seen winding down,” etc., to the boy's native village. Then follows a description from a cheap guide of the Taj Mahal by moonlight applied to the village school, somewhat marred by the concluding sentence, “And we bewholed the hole phermament of heavens and •stars and School sticking reflected upside down in the pond errected by our worthy Collector.” The schoolmaster is described in the words of Addison, with appropriate quotations from Goldsmith and Cowper; but again the effect is marred by the concluding and original piece of composition, “He was a sternfaced peddle-gog.” A more independent class of writer revels in flowery expressions, such as the student who says the trees of his village “groan beneath the weight of ripe and golden fruits, while birds of entrancing song flash like living jewels through t'heir umbrageous foliage.” This high level is not maintained when he says that a certain official, “a nice majestic gentleman, inhabits in a most pompus bunglaw.” There is a strong vein of local patriotism. "My

village, says one writer, “is a blessing to India and adl mankinds.” Others observe that "The sight of my garden transpulses all miseries of soles," and The site thunderstrikes the amazing eye of the at-looker.” Here are some other specimens of undeveloped Babu English:

The weather of Belgaum is congenially fdicitious to Europe peoons. The Municipality is good at heart, but very dirty.

This museum is full of dead corpses and such other beautiful things. He is a well defined, stout King. Many of the buildings of Ahmedabad are never seen anywhere else. Osr collector checks the population. There are so many tanks in this place that there is never any water. One student, who proves a false prophet, begins, “I am about to give you great' delight,” while another states that the inhabitants of his town are all either beggars or servants. Interprovineial Athletic Sports. It is very gratifying to note the revival of the Interprovincial Athletic Sports, which are to take place in the Auckland Domain on Saturday next, 26th inst., under the auspices of the N.Z. Amateur Athletic Association. This Association has been working hard to make the forthcoming meeting a great success, and keen interest is being manifested in it amongst all lovers of athletics throughout the Dominion. Otago, Wellington, and Auckland are all fully represented in the list of entries, and the fact that many new names appear in addition to the list of old favourites will

excite an unusual amount of curiosity as to the capabilities of the rising generation. Both in Auckland and in the South the competitors have been in hard training for some time past, and some of the visitors are already arriving in Auckland so as to get “fit” after their journeys. The sports are in the hands of a strong committee and experienced officials, and given fine weather shoulC prove a great success. J* Concerning Personality. “Personality is altogether too vague; it's a kind of charm.” Thus, the criticism of Professor White at the School Inspectors' Conference in Wellington, when, in a new system of grading teachers, it was proposed to allot 20 marie* out of 100 to this particular qualification. It would be interesting to know further particulars of the professor** contention in this matter. That personality and charm are difficult to define and describe may at once be admitted, but assuredly the possession of personality-—one takes it to be a fine one in this connection— is one of the most easily identified, as it. must always be the most important in the equipment of a teacher. At the bar, in the pulpit, in the consulting room, in almost every profession, and in many trades, personality is recognisable as an asset of the first magnitude, the pee-

•eesion or non possession of which enormously adds or detracts from a man’s utility and the use he is enabled to make of his other powers. But assuredly to none is personality so vital > necessity as to those who have to «win the confidence, enjoy the respect, and merit the affection of those under their care as school teachers must, if they are to be worthy of the most important trust they have undertaken in their too little honoured profession. Youth is a keen, often a cruel critic, and unless a man really possesses the faculty known as charm or personality, no amount of other qualifications are of real avail. A man may possess teaching proficiency, for which 40 marks are to be allotted, and be able to show a surprising amount of passes on examination lists, but without personality he is useless in the turning out of good citizens and citizenesses, countrymen and country women, which is the higher aim of any teacher worth his salt. The mere book learning, much, at all events, of the teaching which, according to the ever varying syllabus, is crammed into children, is forgotten often within a few years of leaving school, but the personality of a teacher will probably leave its impress on many of his pupils—for good, or evil—all their lives long. In recognising per* souality, therefore, even by 20 marks ire the 100, the Conference did exceedingly wisely, and it is a matter for congratulation that the report recommending it unanimously adopted. J* New Zealand Direct, via Suez. Though the somewhat adolescent exuberance of delight manifested in Auckland over the arrival and departure of the I’, and O. mail steamer Malwa may provoke a gentle smile in some quarters, it will be an entirely good-natured one, and general satisfaction will be felt' from one end of New Zealand to the other, at tho inclusion of a Dominion port in the itinerary of so famous—and, it may be added, so conservative—a company. For though the extension of the Suez service direct to New Zealand is only experimental—and here we may mention that the duty of supporting such enterprise should commend itself both to shippers and passengers —it is an experiment which marks a distinct advance, and which will doubtless lead to very important future developments. The Suez route, more especially for those who have never made the journey kefore, offers advantages in seeing the ■world which can scarcely be over-esti-mated, but there is a very large class w'ho have a rooted antipathy to changing »hip, and who at the same time dislike the long weeks of sea, with but one or t'wo possible breaks to vary the monotony. To these the direct Suez service will come as a boon indeed, and will unquestionably be well patronised. (Again, though the steamers on the Austral ian and New Zealand service have kept pace reasonably well with the requirements of inter-colonial passenger traffic, and certainly do not deserve to be dismissed as ‘'practically coasting steam-, era,” as a morning daily has ungratefully and ungraciously described them, t)he fact that they are good boats of respectable tonnage, and providing—when not overcrowded - good service and an excellent table, is exceedingly hard to bring home to meditating travellers in the Old Country, who have not infrequently the weirdest imaginings concerning the class of cockleshells into which they will be required to tranship at their terminal Australian port, anil who hesitate to take a trip on this account. To these, the knowledge that they can step aboard at Tilbury and disembark at once in New Zealand, seeing the East on their way, will be a strong persuasive and perhaps a determining factor, and an exceedingly profitable class of tourist will thus be added to those who annually visit the fortunate isles. The longer sea route crossed by the superb and mammoth •iners, which have served us so long and so well, will in no way suffer by the advent of the newcomers, for those who tome via Suez will scarcely fail to take the. advantage of the chance of returning via South America, gaining the opportunity of seeing Monte Video and (uaually)j Rio, which is certainly one of the most marvellous and progressive cities of the world, as it is undoubtedly the most exquisitely beautiful harbour iu existence.