FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 41, 11 May 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By the LOOK-OUT MAN FOUR AT A TIME The mother of four babes who came all at one time told an enquiring reporter that “he ought to hear them all crying at once.” The remarks of father when this infantile jazz band begins at, say, 2 a.m., ought to be worth listening to, also. Mother declares that she would not part with any of these, her latest joys, but no man has been bold enough to ask father. Mother is entitled to our congratulations; but father deserves our deepest sympathy. “Bill, you’ve got to give me the money for four pairs of boots this week,” or “Bill, the Four must have all new clothes to start school with !” Poor old dad! AIRMEN AND ORANGES Hats off .to the Royal Air Force for an example of departmental efficiency and economy! A striking illustration of its methods was cited recently in the House of- Lords by Lord Midleton, who mentioned the case of a 75-horse-power hospital lorry being sent 15 miles to get a dozen oranges for the Air Force. That disturbed the somnolence of the aristocrats in Sleepy Hollow, but they really woke up and took notice when the noble Lord related another case where a 4J-ton lorry was sent 16 miles to a place and back to bring a cap and coat to an airman who had left them behind. It is this sort of extravagant nonsense which is compelling the British taxpayer to demand why Great Britain has to pay £ls in taxes a head against £ 6 in the United States, and only £5 in Germany. But, then, Britain always loves to muddle through. SARTORIAL BHOCKS London fashions have introduced suits of tomato red, sea blue, purple and yellow, with jazzy shirts, for smart young men. We are certainly getting away from drabness. Even in Auckland young men now effect ties and sox which a generation ago would have caused all the horses to shy and hopelessly dislocated the traffic; and when we are suddenly smitten by the colouring of some tailored coat, and observe the slack of “Oxford breeks” flapping in the breeze like the sails of a ship being put about, we feel glad that nearly all the horses are dead. And the hats! Plainly the covering of some heads is worth more than the interiors. THIS CIVILISATION Civilisation has its drawbacks. Here’s Dinizulu, chief of the Zulus, suing the “Natal Mercury” for £5,000 damages for having said he insulted the Prince of Wales by "butting-in” and taking a Royal salute from 60,000 black warriors. Old Cetywayo would have marched his impis on Durban and washed out in blood the insinuation of discourtesy to a brother Royalty—the editor of the offending newspaper having his first and best attention, with the aid of knobkerry and assegai. But civilisation has done away with romance, and his descendant issues a writ for libel. Shades of Rider Haggard! What has it come to? SEAGRAVE TAKES TO WATER Major Seagrave’s decision to retire from the track after having broken the world’s record for motor-speeding shows a discretion that is lacking in most record-breakers, who usually persist in breaking times until they break their necks. Having done what he has done, the gallant major is entitled

to seek safer avenues of enterprise, and he will now seek to accomplish for British motor-boats what he has done for British motor-cars. If persistence and pluck will regain the motor-boat championship for Britain, Major Seagrave will handle the cup. In any case, a spill into the water is not so risky as a spill on a concrete speedway, and all will wish him the long life that could not reasonably have been hoped for had he remained breaking records on land. LOP THE TOP BRANCHES At a time when the Government finds it difficult to appease the clamour arising on all sides for more money to finance farming and industries, the appeal of the president of the New Zealand Education Institute for greater expenditure on education, so that the size of school classes may be reduced, will hardly find a welcome in Ministerial ears. Yet the arguments used by Mr. Blake, of which a resume is given in another column, carry considerable weight. He points to the retardation of the pupils caused by the overcrowded class, and declares that an average of a year’s study on the part of every pupil might be saved if more individual attention could be given. A less problematical saving could be effected by calling a halt to the almost indiscriminate admission of pupils to secondary schools and their retention there, even when their progress does not justify the cost. Many young people who have no liking or aptitude for the higher branches of study are kept hammering away at them so that they may be thrust into already overcrowded professions in which they are never likely to make a success. If the top branches of the educational tree were lopped a little, it would allow of more sunshine and freedom for the roots.