WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 131, 2 March 1928, Page 8

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT RANDOM

(By

T.D.H.)

One good thing about the new motor regulations is that the fees that motorists will have to pay under them will probably make them forget all about the other motor taxes. A professor claims to have found 200,000 useless words in the dictionary. —He could have counted ten times that number if he had turned up New Zealand’s Hansard. The Chicago churches, a news message states, are to have a day of prayer on account of the crime in that renowned centre. We hope the prayer meetings won’t be too exciting, for they get worked up in their religious proceedings in Chicago. Consider the following' from a San Francisco paper of February 11:—“The choir of the Friendship Baptist Church of Chicago played an entertaining variation on the amenities of social life in that cicy on Sunday, January 29, when one of the brethren sang a wrong note. Deacon Thomas Chapman, a true Chicagoan, had a blackjack in his pocket. He removed the instrument and laid it accurately, and not too gently, on the head of the singer, Mr. Casey McGurck Jones, who was thereby made incapable of further disturbing the churchly harmony. Mr. George Washington McGavock, basso, tore a telephone out by the roots and did for Deacon Thomas what the Deacon had done for Mr. C. McGurck Jones. The police found the conscious members of the choir singing ‘Throw Out the Life Line, Someone is Sinking To-day’.”

A correspondent writes : “Anyone who has time to search the records of the Royal Geographical Society can find something about the rope trick. I have no time, but can assist. Many years ago—sav, between the years 1868 and 1871—a friend took me to a meeting of the Roval Geographical Society. Clements Markham was the principal figure there. I think it was he who read a paper summarising the ‘Chronicles of Bohemia’ then recently published. Many things in the chronicles had nothing to do with Bohemia, but gave the experiences of an Eastern traveller.

“This man,” our correspondent adds, “narrated his experience in Eastern China, or thereabouts. The rope story was graphically told. My impression is—but here I mav be mixing this up with another story—that the conjurer threw up a rope until it reached nowhere, and then sent a boy up the rope who went out of sight. The conjurer followed the boy, etc., and then bits of the dead boy came tumbling down. ■ The conjurer finally descended knife in teeth, covered up the bits with his cloak, waved his haini, and the boy sprang up alive. I have since seen this story dished up in various forms, but the true original is in the ‘Chronicles of Bohemia’.”

Italy, according to recent messages, is not at all loved by the 200,000 Austrians who have come under Italian rule since the war, and relations are now said to be decidedly strained. These Austrians are being taken firmly in hand by Signor Mussolini, and it is worth noting that the Fascist dictator regards it as part of the day’s work that the kindly Austrian peasants of South Tyrol, annexed to Italy to give a “stragetic frontier” after the war, should henceforth be forbidden to possess German Bibles or prayer books homes, schools and churches. The decree is part of the enforced Italianisaticn of the subjugated province, and as such may be logical enough, but quite a lot of people will sympathise with the Austrian peasants who are objecting to being thus liooted about in their habits and customs..

A correspondent wants to know .when a man is drunk and when he is intoxicated, as according to evidence in rec**nt court proceedings locally' these states appear to be distinct. Our correspondent does not state whether the “man” he refers to is a motorist or not. In the case of a motorist it is now generally accepted that he is fully and completely intoxicated for lecal purposes if a police constable or traffic inspector can smell liquor in his breath In the case of non-motorists some authorities maintain, we understand, that drunkenness is established if the suspect cannot successfully state that the British Constitution is a wonderful institution. If this fence is taken the suspect. may still be regarded as intoxicated if he fails to repeat without blemish that “She stood at the door of Burgess’s fish sauce shop welcoming him in.”

Some new “howlers” by school children are given in the “University Correspondent” : — , “The sun never sets on the British Empire because the British Empire is in the east and the sun sets in the west. “The Minister of War is the clergyman who preaches to the soldiers in the barracks . “Alfred the Great started a Chronicle and this still exists as a morning newspaper. , . “The King wore a scarlet robe trimmed with vermin. “In the eighteenth century travelling was verv romantic; most of the highroads were only bridal paths. "Algebraical symbols are used when you don’t know’ what you are talking about.” “The mechanical advantage of a long pump-handle is that yon can have someone to help you pump. “Artificial perspiration is what you make a person alive with when they are onlv just dead.” . “Ambiguity means telling the truth when you don’t want to.” A well-known woman, says “Everyhodv’s Magazine,” is a famous Mrs. Malaprop as regards her speech. “And what in France,” asked a friend, “did you enjoy the most, Mrs. “Well, I think,” said the lady, “it was the French pheasants singing the Mayonnaise.” NOSTER PUER. Young boy, strong boy, all the world is waiting for vou: Chances flying, voices crying, “Come quick here!” Young boy, blithe bov, all the ships are tugging anchor; Timbers' creaking, whistles shrieking, “Seaward steer!” Eyes true, lips firm, chin like rock and neck like iron— Hopes are winging, doors are swinging; push one wide. Young boy, bold boy, see your horse is fretting, straining; Mount, ’tis morning; slumber scorning, onward ride. Young boy, fine boy, pluck no flowers that scent your pathway; Peaks are shining; through entwining weeds, climb on. Young boy. brave boy, self’s the steed and self the rider; Honour craving, pleasures waiving, heights are won. Young l>oy, kind boy, when the star of Hesper glimmers, Let your roaming thoughts fly homing to our place. Cliffs pale, mists veil; island harbour* all are hidden; But from flowing darkness, growing, comes vour face. _R. Graham, in the London ••Outlook.”