RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 654, 25 March 1914, Page 3

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker

King Country people can hardly be said to take their pleasures sadly, but tbe.'e is an air of thoroughness about their sport might earn the term strenuous as applied thereto. Strenuous is a much-used term, the hearing of which is weariaome to the spirit, but it is peculiarly appropriate to happenings, and individuals. Tt.t>. strenuous 9port may evince his c-xubdrance of spirit iu many and various ways, but the patient and placid angler who endeavours to coax the sky and ,wily trout from the cool depths of a sequestered pool is about the last person in the world to whom the opprobrious term would ordinarily be applied. However, the King Country sport may be relied upon to inaugurate a strenuous variety of any pastime. A party of devoted fishermen the othsr day gave a striking object iesson of the strenuous method of fishing. Several trout had been booked and bad escaped when some of the members decided that the fish were having the sport instead of the fishermen. Special conditions always bring out the best in human nature and the King Countryman is nothing if not resourceful. The swimmers ofthe oarty decided to co-oper-ate with the anglers, arid when a fish was hooked a shimmer was always on hand to plunge in and capture it. Possibly the ordinary angler would hardly term this true sport, but the orator of the party is quite prepared to debate the question on it-i merits.

The elements are evidently fighting hard for the river deviation scheme promoted by the Te Kuiti Borough Council. Floods have done their work ftfcrly well, and have eaten away the river bank until only a portion of the road is left. The protective measures adopted three or lour years ago no doubt helped to hold the fort, and enabled the ratepayers ti get a breathing spell in which to become accustomed to the habit of carrying out town improvements, but the time is now considered ripe for leading the river into a straight and narrow way. The project will doubtless be hastened as a result of the fire which attacked the old embankment the other day. When flood and fire become concentrated on any particular object, the end of things is in sight for the recipient of the attentions. Moreover, it requires little imagination to beli«ve that another of nature's forces in the shape of an earthquake would be requisitioned to complete the demolition of the breastwork which has withstood the attacks of flood and fire. Tha ratepayers will probably be in a hurry to vote the money for the scheme in order to prevent a seismic disturbance which might extend its influence beyond the river boundaries and shake the foundatoins of the palatial stuctures in the brick.area of the borough. Incidentally it is to be hoped when the borough by-laws are being revised proviuon will be made for dealing with unauthorised earthquakes.

Reference to the revision of the bylaws leads to speculation concerning th 6 manner in which the Borough Council is attacking municipal questions generally. By-laws are usually the pet aversion of the councillors who are quite awars of the many pitfalls encountered in producing local laws and regulations suitable to the exigencies of all occasions. However, the specialist is looked to to solve all such difficulties.and the committee appointed contains enough specialists to deal with far more important subject* than local by-laws. Some doubt was thrown on the ability of the committee to complete their self-appointed task within the time limit, but there

are pessimists in every walk of life. Moreover, seeing that the suggestion to BUpply refreshments to the committee met with a dignified refusal the chosen band of enthusiasts'evidently intends to allow nothing to stand in the way of the prompt and successful accomplishment of their important task. I must admit, however, the refusal to take nourishment while at work fills me with forebodings Those by-laws will be scrutinised with interest when they appear. The work of the wowser is always open to suspicion.

The taking of medicine is gradually coming to be recognised as probably a greater evil than the illness which the spechic is supposed to cure. Still, it is hard for civilised man to become convinced that he is not a martyr to something or other which involves special treatment, and the patent medicine continues to afflict mankind. The majority of the dopes are advertised to cure anything from a braken leg to a hob-nail liver, and the perann with morbid tendencies is irrestibly attracted by the adroit wording of the advertising. A departure from the beaten track has been made in connection with paraffin oil which is said to be not a medicine but a lubricant. Auto-intoxication is said to succumb to paraffin without a kick, and there is such a run on the oil that Standard Oil shares are in dangerof exploding, so great is the altitude to whicn they have risen. The King Country is not yet sufficiently civilised for the form of intoxi cation mentioned t) have become popular. The district, however, is highly progressive, and any new form of becoming mellowed is worthy "f a triai. The next Ministerial banquet would probably be a good oppovtunity to put the new brand on the locnl market, and a stock of paraffin could be laid in beforehand. Th u moaning after the night before couiJ be devoted to handing round the oil flask.