RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 742, 3 February 1915, Page 6

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker.

Show day is of immense importance in most country districts, and tomorrow should be a gala day at Te Kuiti. To-day, of course, ia merely the preparation for the real day upon which the public sets out to enjoy itself. On the first day the majority of the Btock exhibits are judged and the second day may be Riven over to criticism of the judges' verdicts, and admiration of tbe various exhibits in which the observer may feel interested. People's Day, to the borselover, should be a time of unclouded happiness. Well-bred and nicely turned out 1 ackß, hunters and harness horses are always pleasing to the eye, while the draught animals, in their massive beauty, brine; joy to the heart of the farmerß. The day of the motor may be approaching, but a mere man-made machine will never evoke the sentiment of the public in the same manner aB the horse.

The downpour on Friday last brought much joy to the hearts of the farmer, but to those interested in the Te Kuiti raceß the rain came as a direct gift from Providence. Some people may object to Providence being associated with racing, and it is well known that a highly qualified course committee are exercising a watchful care over the local course. Still, before the rain fell, there were some very extravagant suggestions thrown out concerning the manner in which to g«t water on to the track. One frantic individual went so far as to suggest burning the gran.lstand in order to induce the fire brigade to rush to the conflagration with the manual and pump water from the stream. Imagination is said to be a heaven-sent attribute, but in a course committee it ia apt to develop into a danger. However, the rain saved the situation, and the responsibility on the imaginative committee is reduced to the normal.

Monday evenings are ear-marked by the local Borough Council, and judging from present appearances the City Fatherß will be fortunate to escape with a seance of one night a week. The by-law revision committee can easily produce material sufficient to account for an many Monday evenings bb the average individual cares to look forward to, while the electrical committee should by this time be prepared to answer an imperative call at any hour of the day or night Members of the works, water and drainage committee are never safe,, and even the reserves and sanitation committee should not be lulled into a falße sense of security. Verily, and of a truth, the man who undertakes the task of working for the public is deserving of the goodwill of his fellow man. In certain bright instances he gets it. A deep, mysterious silence seems to have settled over the roading question of late, but with the approach of winter we may look for things to happen. Possibly the settlers are realising that they can get their roads made by paying for < them, and as long as the money ' market does not become too tight there is no cause to worry. Possibly, however, the silence betokens resignation in face of the importance of outside events. Having little faith in the reßgination of energetic settlers, I am looking for strenuous agitation in certain districts which have yet to be roaded. Fortunately, our settlers are having a prosperous seaßon, with every indication of priceß for produce being maintained. When Parliament Bits again the member for the district may look for the usual crop of applications. It may be unwise to assume that Parliament will sit again. There is a striking similarity between the political situation and (he borough bylaws. Still, there is Baid to be an end to everything.

He is a typical bowler; modest and unassuming, as all true bowler* are; yet fully conscious of his own prowess, and with a heartening confidence of bis ability to do just what was required. He was skipping a team at a tournament, and his demeanour was that of the man who was leading hi 3 team to victory. Hi» manner alao conveyed the impression that he wbb doing it all himßelf, and that the team was very fortunate to have such a Bkip. What the team thought, and how he had got into the team, constitute quite another Btory. The third man in the team was a Scot, who had evidently been devout before he took to bowls. As the skip went down to play his bowls, after hia first three men had played, he said to his third, in his airy manner, "Well, Jock, I won't tell you what I'm going to do this time," and the glint in his eye, and hia air of suppressed pride prepared his team for direful happenings to the head. His first bowl hurtled up the rink harmlessly, and found a resting place in the ditch. The team were dumb—all but Jock, who drawled, "Aye, mon, what you're going to do is a secret between you and your maker."