FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 153, 19 September 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” PAYING OFF The Ship of State had an uncertificated master at the helm, and was manned by a crew individually too old for their jobs. —Mr. Thomas Parker, Liberal candidate for Raglan. When they sailed to sea on the Ship of State through the shoals of politics, They were stout young tars and they learned to steer and to splice—and other tricks. But the salt sea spray and the salt sea pork and the ration of rum all told, And their joints came stiff and their muscles slack and their whiskers worn and old. And, sad to relate, the Ship of State, was unable longer to stick it, When there came aboard, green from the sward, a master without a ticket. Yo ho, there my lads, yo ho! Belay there and pipe belotv ! You were hardy salts in the days gone by. With hearty haul, and a hearty cry Of "Keep her to the wind there V* And "Steer her full and bye !” — But it’s time now you’re told, That you’ve grown too old For the legislative ship—Yo ho! So tumble down <ieloiu there, With your skipper slim and slow, If you, don’t xcant a wreck, Don’t cumber up the deck— We'll ship another crew—Yo ho! WHY? Mention was made at a meeting of the Employers’ Association on Saturday of the fact that for some years local bodies have customarily made agreements with their workers at rates equivalent to Id an hour above the Arbitration Court rates. Does the local body employee customarily have a larger family to maintain than the worker in private employ-—or is the extra Id an hour to pay for the laundering of the cuffs and collars he wears while wielding the local body pick? The custom referred to either indicates local body opinion that the Arbitration Court does not provide a proper living wage, or it implies that local body employees as a class are superior in earning capacity to the average worker. How does this strike the average worker? WHOLESALE MARRIAGES. LTD. The amendment to the Marriage Act, providing for the conduct of the marriage ceremony by one of a group of any 10 persons who haven’t a minister handy, opens interesting possibilities. The group must be a religious body —but any 10 people can form a sect, and there may be a vast extension of the list of religions. There exists a rare opportunity for the formation of a (religious) company for the performance of the marriage ceremony at cheaper rates than are charged by the registrar or the regular clergy. “Marriage for the Million —Let Us Unite You —Why Remain Single When We You For Five Shillings? (Ring Included) —Do It Now — The Quick and Busy Marriage Mart (Religious Qualification), Ltd.” NO BITTERNESS One of the unexpected features of the Irish Free State elections, according to cabled news, is the absolute lack of bitterness connected with them. This statement is reinforced by a further cable, which tells of an election fight at Strabane. Three persons were shot, one of whom died. They are a fine race, the Irish, when they can even shoot each other without the slightest bitterness —just like they shoot landlords, for the sport of it. A; 7>n X ¥& : n & 3K ¥6 rH