THE PANAMA CANAL

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1921, Page 3

THE PANAMA CANAL

MISS LULU DYER’S IMPRESSIONS

“TOO MARVELLOUS FOR WORDS.”

In recent letters received from Miss Lulu Dyer of'Wellington, from London, she gives some interesting impressions of her recent trip through the Panama Canal. Inter alia Miss Dyer says:— “Last Sunday we came through the Canal, you simply must see the Canal, it is too marvellous for words, too great-a thing to describe, .it simply must be seen. AVhat appealed to me, and would to you, was the orderliness of the whole thing, everything worked as if by clockwork. The concrete walls were freshly painted, Eie grass newly cut, the brass fittings bright and shining, the donkey engines freshly greased ; and even the workmen looked freshly washed and were neatly uniformed. The whole* thing gave one the impression of thoroughness. That appears to be the keynote of the Americans. “AA 7 e anchored off Balboa on Saturday evening, hut were not allowed ashore, so prepared for an early start in the morning. “Tn the first lock the ship rises 20ft. Once the great gates are locked the water begins to rush in from underneath and bubbles up, reminding me of Rotorua. Looking at the wall you can watch it, eat up the feet until it is level with the top. The gates are then opened, and on you go to the next lock where the same performance is repeated. “American soldiers were strolling along both banks, and a very fine type of soldier they are too. Fortunately the day was not too Lot ; 1 believe it can he suffocating. The lake which we passed through is very pretty, studded with hundreds of little islands all thickly wooded with beautiful plants. It is curious to see tho tree tops sticking out of the water in the part that has been flooded. “The Culehra Cut is very hut the banks still look most unsafe, and they have many dredges dredging there all the time. “AAe came to the Gatlin locks just before lunch. Gatun is quite a. big village, and there are tenuis courts within 20 yards of the banks, and a 9-bole golf equrse, also there were lots of cars parked there whilst the cricket match was going on. “The railway is in sight at several points during the cruise through, and it did seem strange to Ik- running races with a train. To my mind the Gatun locks arc most wonderful; here one drops 80 feet. To see the water gradually subsiding 40 feet before your eves

v. as a queer experience. “Then you SSO on to the last lock and drop another 40ft, and soon to the Atlantic. AA’e passed clear of the lock just alter lunch. I brought up some apples and threw tlium to the soldiers just as wo loft , and they ran along to the end of the bank waving to us.

“AYo berthed at Cristobal at 3 o’clock, and got ashore half an hour later. It only takes a few minutes in the train from there to Colon. AYhat struck me most here was the civility of the negroes ; a porter to help one out of the train and offer all information, etc. etc. “Later in the day we motored hack to Gatun lock and saw the locks from the land side. AYe stood on the spot that my soldiers had stood on, saw the tennis courts and walked over the parking ground ; got back to the hotel at 8.30 f, )r dinner, which was a most excellent one, served from 6 till 10.30 o’clock. (No servant troubles there). AAe then walked through the town. The houses are most ■ curiously built—right on to the footpath, and the inhabitants seem to live right on the doorstep. AYe saw swarms of black babies in very scant attire; and everywhere there was a distinctly oily smell.” Since her arrival in London, Aliss Dyer has been presented at Court.

plies under Section 237, Land Act, 1908 for permission to improve by tailing, burning and grassing, 30!) acres within above run.—Adjourned. Pas L. 937, Run 69, Cascade River. 17,000 acres. P. Nolan, Agents, Park anil Murdoch, applies for permission to improve hv falling, burning and grassing, an area of 240 acres within above run.—Granted. Pas. 1/. 830, Run 46, Turnbull River. J 11 Harris, applies for permission to improve by falling, and grassing, an area, of 1,00 acres within above run. Adjourned. N.L. 1406, Lot 1, of Sections 280 and 282, Town of Cobden. E. K. Batty, v hose lease over above sections, expires 0 „ 31st July next, applies under Section 8, subsection 5. F, 8. Reserve Amendment Act, 1910 for a new license. . Adjourned for valuation of Crown Ranger. , Misc. L. 1622, Flax Lease Mocks VIIT and XIT, Waimea S-D.; 100 acres \ nml E. A. Fens on, agent C. • ■ • Sellers apply to surrender above license. Accepted. ' Misc. L. 676, O.L. Block XIII, Mawheraiti S.D.; 150 acres A. McDonald, agents Guinness and Kitchingham applies for issue of copy of license m lien of original lost.-- Granted at £1 10s. subject to necessary advertisement. Misc. L. 1184. Section 2925. Blocks XV and XVI, One One S.D.; A Jamieson, agents W. Duncan and Co., applies for' issue of copy of aliove license in lieu of original lost.— Granted. The Commissioner placed before the Board schedules of runs expiring 28/2/22 and 28/2'23 as classified by the Classification Commissioners/Messrs Galbraith Clayton, and Adamson. Approved.