Genial Pair

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 6

Genial Pair

IF you should at any time drift across the Tasman to -Sydney and. by chance meet William Fraser Beckrecently holiday-making m New Zealand—of that ilk, you will know ; him for a man of genial spirits. Not that he takes life as one huge joke, but he. certainly sees the brighter side of its' progressive journey. A small man with &■ human streak and an; iron grey moustache about sums him up. ■' ' If a cold world has given him little, he, at least, has' given the world something- — pr ratheiy someone. Syd, the inimitable Syd. Beck, now tickling Fuller audiences m New Zealand undei; the chin, is a son of . William F.B. You can't get the father to discourse on . his own accomplishments and abilities but mention Syd. . and he'll throw put his. chest with pardonable paternal pride and speak his piece. Syd's spot iii the. sun, so lie will tell you,,hasn't always been confined to the arduous task of making other people laugh. As a swimmer: he is no tyro, Dad says, and . Svas once back and breaststrpke champion of Australia, before he lost 'his laurels to Harry Hay. .' /' .. ,;/'■ .'. - : -., -.;'■■■ ■.- ''.' " .No mean feat, for any man, that, but one can't, remain a natatorial ex-, pert always and at the same time deliver the laughs over the footlights, too. Besides^ age has a habit of creeping on and we hand : the zest arid laurels of youth over to others as Syd. has done.