ROUND ABOUT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 189, 22 July 1940, Page 5

ROUND ABOUT

I (By Aitchel)

s>o we have a War Cabinet at last. Of course there has been a tremendous pressure from all over the coun try but the Government apparent-"

ly was able tc withstand it until last week. There is only one con-» elusion, i.e., the reference in last week's Round About mus.t have been in the nature of the last straw on the political camel's back. Going a hit further than that, we can almost imagine the scene as the Ministers got together. One says: "The Freedom League does not worry us and jf we had only Professor Algie to deal with it wouldn't be so bad. (Ministerial brown furrowing) The National Service Movement can be checked,", he continues, "and although we promised Messrs Barry and Burnett that their public meeting's resolution would be care" fully considered and forwarded" on to the proper quarter, they're only

chicken pie, too. "But,'* his voice quavers and Ministerial fingers run ' through Ministerial hair, "here's Aitchel 1 , in the Round About, con-« demning us." (Faces are becoming increasingly drawn and -haggard). "•What are we going to do? There is only one thing, gentlemen, we will have to- do the awful thing—• call Adam and Gordon in!'" One amusing incident at the Band's social on Monday night occurred after the haggis had been piped in and served to the assembly. Two stalwarts of the Citizens* Band, unaccustomed to the Scottish mainstay, viewed the- haggis with . anything but favour. Of course, it would have been bad .taste to refuse, though they wondered whether that would not be preferable to the taste if they did not. Credit must go where it is-due and the lads disposed of their anything but meagre helpings. The rest of the gathering; roared three minutes later as the pair made their exit. To the others there was onty the one explanation. •.• • - -In a contemporary . I came across. an account of~a Hunt. The part that caught my eye was: "While work-* ing back, a lively hare was put up which gave the followers, a fast run for the best part of an hour, over some very stiff fences, with the" hounds keeping oiv the scent.. They had to be called off on 1 account of afternoon tea, which . was served at Mrs ——Is . and which was greatly appreciated by all." , Pll bet no one appreciated it. more . than the hare. Apart from that i will not comment.. * • m at ' ' m m ~ The battle of the streets on Friday _ and Saturday was characterised for. the most part by clean fighting.' But what I considered to be quite unfair tactics was the appearance . of the ladies in nurses' uniforms., I say 'unfair tactics,' because "Is there a man with soul so dead, -Whty never to himself has said; . ~ . : and all that sort of thing. Who ■ • could resist? . ' , * SH » . ■ There is one thing that Ave are learning from this war, that being our dependence on the farmer and the land. Despite science, Britain would not be sending requests for more and more primary products if synthetic substitutes could take their place. The way things were going the human race would in "ai few years have been existing on syn thetic foods, masticated by synthetie teeth, synthetically digested in synthetic stomachs. Result: A race with sj-nthetic complexions and, alas, synthetic brains. « • m' « » According to reports, the German Government is going to take repri- , sals against all journalists in all countries who have ever made a dirty crack about Hitler. Well, well,, well. We used to exchange with the . Beryner Boebachter, the Dlplomatij Correspondenz and Deutsche imagne Zeitung but fortunately Ave discontinued that some time ago. I'm trvi'ng to remember whether I've ever mentioned Hitler's name at all in this column. I wilt do my best to get a few more cracks together by next Monday. B * * « And so the Farmers" Union branches are to bs invited to return -to the fokl of the District Council of Primary Production. Amazing! And the cause of their withdrawal was more amazing still. Apparently all ' these calls for a united front in <a common effort; increasing produc'f tion for the benefit of Britain—and thus, the Empire; stresses on the gravity of the situation and the urg- ' enoy of a collective push without regard for political or sectional. ' policies are n °t heard; and, if heard, are certainly not heeded.