MISCELLANEOUS.
!Mr E. .1. Howard. M.P., became somewhat mixed in his figures of . speech during the course of his ad- ■ dress on ih.g Education vote at the Masonic Hall in Christchurch on Saturday night. When lie was a boy at sea, he said, he used to marvel a 1 the accuracy of. the old sailors in (heir predictions of rough weather ahead. "They knew what was coming by the little ripples on 'he sea, and it is the , same wit'h politicians—they can tell by the little ripples on the sea when there is going to be dirty weather at !the cross-roads." Parliamentary elections are insight in different parts of the Empire today., and political stories are accordingly receiving extra prominence. I The following appeared In a recent I issue of an English paper: \Yhen KLord Palmerston was Prime Minister (■ and Dibraeli was his chief opponent, a fr dog got into the House of Commons P one day and began to bark lust as <• Palmerston rose to speak. "By what !j new opposition am 1 now attacked?" | exclaimed the veteran statesman, ' with a scornful glance at the Opposition, members. "By the member from P.arkshire." retorted Disraeli, and the roar of laughter was so great that Palmerston, who was supposed to be cool enough for any emergency, was disconcerted.
! Some amusement was caused in a law f case, when a Chinaman took the oath |by wringing the neck of a chicken. What happens in a Chinese court is that the witness" strangles a fowl, saying. "If I do not speak the truth, may the gods kill me as'l kill this bird." similar oaths are taken in many parts of the world. A Siamese Buddhist f says "If I lie, may I be cast into pur- \ gatory, and there be made to carry wai tcr through fire in a wicker basket." In Assam a witness stands within a coil of rope and says. "If my words arcfalse, may I perish by this." Savages in various parts of the world usually swear, either by beasts of prey, upon whom they call to devour them if they are lying, or by weapons, which are invited to strike them dead if their evidence is false. i
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Otaki Mail, 6 November 1922, Page 4
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370MISCELLANEOUS. Otaki Mail, 6 November 1922, Page 4
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