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Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1922, Page 2

Ten Railway Department has a good measure of the probable trade through tlie (Lira tunnel, once the line is in complete operation. In addition to the extensive works carried out at Stillwater on this side of the range, vpry considerable improvements are being eflcctcd at ,Springfield on -the other side. A deviation is being put ill to serve a new railway station to he built, which will he more conun'odious in every way, and will include a long desired necessity -a comfortable refrosmnent buit'et. At both (Hint iuid Arthur’s l.'ass large station yards are Ik ing laid out. mid very complete arrangements wili be made to handle the through traffic. At Arthur’s l’hss the permanent i eireshment rooms will he

established as part of the station, with arrangements somewhat akin to those of OUmuru. Both the East. and the West Coast train of the .Midland service will be timed to arrive at Arthur’s Bass station to permit of the passengers having lunch there. At HbkitLft extensive re-ar-rangements of the station yard are to be made also, increased accommodation for standing trains will be provided and the station itself moved back and extended in length. The Department is said to have in contemplation also the doubling of the line from Jackson to Otira to ; liable the goods’ traffic to lie handled more efficiently. Owing to the grade, there will be a limit to the length of trains, requiring more frequent running between the two points referred to. All these works in build or contemplated; indicate the large volume of trade and railway trails,. to result !hmil the linking up. of the two Coasts. If suggests that the line will be a very busy thoroughfare, as ail hoped iL would buy and not a few so prophesied. The. hopes and expectations arc in a fair way of coming to dusk once the through line is in permanent operation.

Tiik Chautauqua season now in pro gross brings to us year h.V year a form of entertainment something different fi-oin the usual run of pleasurable performances. There is first of all the pleasing strain of pure entertain ment. Good artists render vocal and instniniciiini music which delight. ’J he performances'are essentially artistic and pleasurable. The selections art lyell chosen invariably, giving a range of music which meets the tastes of all This side of cliautauqua is very well organised indeed. But there is another side to the organisation and that :■

the effort to elevate and uplift the minds of the people attending the enI tertainments. The lecturers have a mission quite their own. In the first place their eloquence and style of oratory is educative. The art of puH : speaking is always worth cultivating and the speakers at Chautauqua pro sent many phases of Hie art—all in teresting as examples of conveying to an audience the points which it is sought to drive home. In the second place their subject matte) is intended not so much as to instinct, but to create thought, in the minds of their auditors. That is in point of fart the most important mission to Chautauqua —to make people think. N T owaanys people are disposed mainfy to let other people think for them, but they owe it to themselves to reverse this, and hearing arguments and statements of fact, think out for themselves the import of the business of life as it presents itself day by day. The most useful citizen is the thought, fill citizen. If people work out in their own minds the problems of life, tin 1 saner will be the collective conclusions arrived at. So wo regard the lecture side of Chautauqua as of the greatest import, and whatever the subject. patrons will always derive pleasure and instruction from the handling of the matter in that it is presented in such a way that all will find, some appeal for wider thought and a clearer understanding .of the subject.