FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 210, 24 November 1927, Page 10

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” TOO GENEROUS “You ought to make good money,” observed a visitor at Alexandra Park yesterday, to an old chap who was selling race-books. “It's good money, all right,” said the seller, “but there's not much of it.” “I suppose you ought to get 2d or -Id a book?” queried the visitor. “We would be glad to get Id a book, but we don’t,” replied the seller. “We get 4s and 4s 6d a 100. A favoured few get 5s a 100. It’s a starvation rate, and the public ought to be told about it.” The visitor paid for his book and wandered away, musing on the astonishing generosity of the rich racing clubs —one of the factors which make them so popular -with the people and enable them to pay such high stakes and erect such substantial buildings. To sell a race-book worth about threepence for one shilling and to pay a whole 4s (sometimes as much as ss) a hundred to salesmen is indeed philanthropic. “VENGEANCE IS MINE" The arguments of those who advocate the abolition of capital punishment should be reinforced by the latest hanging in Adelaide, when William Henry Francis was executed for the murder of his 20-year-old wife. It was not a cold, callous murder, with robbery or revenge as the motive, but apparently a crime resultant on mad jealousy. The wife was found lying on a bed with her throat cut, and Francis, aged only 24, was on the floor with his throat deeply gashed and both wrists cut. The slayer and would-be suicide was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but skilful surgery and Intense nursing saved the man’s life —so that It could be taken .on the gallows! It wouid never have done to have allowed the unfortunate wretch to die from his self-inflicted wounds. Yet it is claimed that the law is not vengeful! The wonder is that Francis was not made to serve six months’ hard labour for attempted suicide before he was hanged for murder. * * * THE GLOOMY DEAN

Dean Inge is gloomier than ever. 1-Ie has returned to his favourite topic of the decadence of England, and says that the miserable physique of the British is unparalleled In Europe, the Germans and French being superior as a whole, “although the upper-class Englishman is still a line animal.” Still, it was the miserable ordinary British civilian, turned soldier, who won the war, aided by the miserable British sailor and the miserable coal miners who produced the coal (and who were well kicked by the mineowners afterwards) and the miserable men and women who ploughed the fields and slaved in the factories and munition works. And after the war, it was these same miserable British who went to work again and, despite fearful trade depression, produced the wealth that was taxed to fund Britain’s war debts and restore her economic balance. Now the miserable British have almost regained their pre-war prestige in finance, trade and shipping, are lauded by the thinkers of other nations for their industry, tenacity and courage in adversity, and are held up as an example to the world of what a proud and resourceful people can do. Yes, Dean, a misable lot, these British!

?r. rli 7ii rr rl? r!~ rr rr rr FROM A WATER DIVINER “A.C.C.”, Tokoroa, Waikato, writes to the L.0.M.: “I have read the paragraph in your issue of November 14 about water-divining. Though not a professional water-diviner, I have something of this gift. I was shown how to hold the green switch —manuka or any green light switch —by a professional diviner, and he told me, after seeing results, that I would be fully qualified to take on divining. I first practised in a hot mineral bath with a spring bubbling through from below, and achieved first-rate results. Since then I have repeated!}' had a go at it, including on pumne plains, with very little water anywhere, and in many depressions, which I took to be ancient creek-beds. Here the pumice I knew to be 40ft. in depth in places. Yet I found water. I always notice a distinct ‘drag’ upon the switch when approaching a likely spot, and, provided I hold the switch tightly enough, it will turn and snap off in my hands; or, when held slackly, will turn in my grasp right down. With some swatches that will stand a good twist, I find they come back to the original position, apparently when the water has been passed over. I know of one instance in this district of a diviner, after expecting failure and yet not claiming to give up because many tests always brought him back to the same place—and this after his plant had gone down a long v'ay—obtaining water and bringing it to the surface from as deep as 240 feet. I have heard of cases of water being located at even greater depth.”