FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 238, 28 December 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” OVERSTOCKED HIS LARDER Intending to liave a really substantial table at Christmas time, Samuel Crawford Rodgers, of Christchurch, stole a total of 26 fowls. He overstocked his larder, in the opinion of the magistrate, who sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment. It was very unfortunate, for they do not supply prisoners with poultry, and Crawford won’t even have a wing to toy with this Christmas, despite his enterprise. ELECTRIC RAT RACING Yes; this is the very latest. The London Stadium Club intends to instal an electric rat, which will run over a course of 100 yards—chased by terriers. No longer may the greyhound look down "with sniffing superiority at the little “foxie.” The next sport will doubtless be the electric mouse, climbing a pole -with cats in pursuit. There may yet be a good market for agile cats, most of which now end their days in a bag, with a brick for company. AN ANNUAL OVERHAUL There is a great deal of wisdom in the advice of Dr. P. C. Fenwick, of the Christchurch Public Hospital, that persons who have attained middle-age should have an annual overhaul in the medical sense. Dr. Fenwick points out that many patients apply for treatment only when their disease is so far advanced that neither surgical nor medicinal treatment can do more than alleviate their condition. There are so many diseases that are insidious in their progress that their victims do not know they are affected until the symptoms become pronounced. It is then often too late for cure. Medical examination would probably reveal the presence of disease in its early stages, when cure would be probable. With a birthrate that is falling annually, the preservation of life is more important than ever, and any measures that can he taken to prevent the development of diseases and so prolong the days of man in the land should be welcomed. Therefore, the “annual overhaul” can be recommended. SPOOF — The old-bone business continues to play strange pranks on archaeologists and antiquaries. Recently a vast excitement followed the discovery of mysterious tablets at Glozel. Antique objects in bone and stone bearing inscriptions were discovered. An international commission has now found that the tablets had been buried since the war. The scientists who, in the first place, had given -a period and dynasty, as it were, to each stone are most indignant. It will be remembered that a man describing himself as a Buckinghamshire farm-hand, recently admitted that he had made some of the “prehistoric” drawings by scratching the stones with glass and old razor-blades. There seems to be a rich field for the hoaxer, as yet untouched, in the Dominion. We may expect to hear before long of a mysterious pre-taniwha monster with Mongolian eyes carved in one of the lesserknown caves of the Northland. At 2s a head (less amusement tax) the proposition should be an excellent one. The ballyhoo men who make such an excellent livelihood at country shows with mermaids, petrified women and 19-legged cows should turn their attention to prehistoric carvings as a revenue-producer in the off season.

A BIRTHDAY The Reds of Moscow celebrated the tenth birthday of the Revolution by spending a fortune on festivities. Georgians, Indians, Chinese, Mongolians and representatives of many Asiatic peoples were present. Irish and English delegates were in Moscow. A Mexican group was headed by the national painter, Rivera. A party of German intellectuals were invited and included Erwin Piscator, the director of one of Berlin’s leading theatres. The only American of note to be present was Theodore Dreiser, distinguished author, who arrived in defiance of his physicians’ orders. Sinclair Lewis, creator of “Babbitt,” stated that he would go to Russia only when the celebrations were over, as be wished to see Soviet rule under normal conditions. Mr. Lewis, as one might expect from his hard-hit-ting, purposeful novels, has no Intention of being put off with eye-wash. He wishes to see Russia as it is and not Russia as the commissars would like him to see it. And if the photographs of the unfortunate wild children of Moscow which have recently been published by the great American papers represent even onehalf of the truth then the spending of a fortune on festivities—or the participation in such festivities—re-Uou-nds t@ on one’s credit.