British Ship Adoption Society

levels at the end, and too often the picture was badly lit, a common fault with "arty" directors.

Pabst's famous silent film "The White Hell of Pity Palu" proved surprisingly popular despite an unsatisfactory cut at the end : the building up of a situation by purely visual effects was often slow in the silent days, but in the hands of a master it could be most moving and effective.

The third programme was a substitute for a French film that failed to appear; there were two travel films from the American Embassy, one on New Jersey in colour and one on the North West; the colour film was the more popular, but the other was technically far and away the better film. "Woodland Ways" was a charming animal film, made in Siberia, and there was an amusing commentary by E. V. H. Emmett. Two Silly Symphonies rounded off an unexpectedly entertaining evening.

There is not a deal to say about "Sitting Pretty", a competent commercial film with a style of humour that is funny at least on first acquaintance; being more sophisticated than the usual offering, it proved more acceptable to the older members of the Society.

An encouraging development this season has been the increasing number of day boarders who have thought it worth while to stay on for these showings; boarders we expect to be keen to attend, but when others stay behind we take it that we have something positive to offer. F.J.W.

This term the "Mountpark" has completed her charter by a New Zealand firm by loading at three Australian ports and discharging at four in New Zealand. It is an interesting commentary on the rate of working in these ports that the whole term has been occupied in this one service, although the actual time at sea from Sydney to Lyttleton for a ship of this type is only six days. Details of arrivals and departures are given below.

Our correspondent, Mr. Ellis, has forwarded some packages of New Zealand tourist guides and illustrated newspapers which have been put in the School Library, while more which came after the end of term are being retained for the Geography Section of the Science Exhibition next term. These are of great interest and give an excellent impression of life in the Dominion.

As term ends the "Mountpark" is proceeding to Sydney for fuel before proceeding to the Queensland coast to load sugar for the United Kingdom. The passage home will probably be via Suez, and on arrival the ship will have been away just two years. 35