FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 298, 8 March 1928, Page 10

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” “ E.C. ” Rail way men strike a respectful attitude when E. Casey, Divisional Superintendent for the North, is about, for “E.C.” Wows his job, and with railwaymen that goes a long way. “E.C.” rose from the lowest rung of the ladder by sheer merit, and if there is anything he doesn’t know about railways, somebody else has to learn it *too. Thorough to the last word, he yet thinks and acts with astonishing rapidity—there is no man who can “size things up” more quickly or more accurately. Apart from his professional ability—unsurpassed in the service—he is a genial and a kindly soul, with a generous share of the humour that is peculiar to his race. There is a rumour that he is to be a member of the new Railways Board. If it be true, it will he a great gain for the railways. * * * BUTTER-PATS “There are 20,000 or 30,000 different germs known to science,” said Mr. Veale, of Taranaki, when addressing the dairy factory manager’s conference yesterday. “Only about 20 or 30 of these are numbered among the causes of disease. We come into contact with millions of germs in every phase of our daily life.” This is most alarming. How are we to distinguish the harmful score or so from their innocuous brethren? There is a chance for fame if any scientist evolves a simple form of identification badge for the most dangerous of the little chaps to wear round their necks. Something must be done about it. Mr. R. Harris called attention to. the difference in weights of various makes of butter paper. “If you use a heavy paper the net weight of butter in so many pounds is quite appreciably less,” he said. Unfortunately Mr. Harris said no more. The “Look-Out Man” wonders whether he was drawing the attention of his hearers to the iniquity of their ways, or whether he was making a suggestion, which, in these hard times, factory managers might find it advantageous to remember. BIG GAME SHOOTING Big-game shooting is unlikely to develop into a popular sport at Auckland Zoo, the public being very wrath at the bulleting of the £1,700 polar bear there recently. Councillor Murray alleges that the authorities “faked” an excuse —that the bear (which escaped from a flooded pit) had to be shot because it took epileptic fits and was “chewing the other teddy bears.” Not a bad excuse, either. In view of the fact that a handsome young tiger was "chewed up” by the lively tigress with which it was too prematurely mated, the public would readily have swallowed the tale. The death of the £I,OOO giraffe, which strangled itself between some bars or palings, was harder to explain, however. Giraffes, as a rule, do not have to be destroyed because they chew elephants or violently assail lions, tigers or bears. ALLEGED CRUELTY Councillor Murray says he has seen things done at the zoo that should be followed by a prosecution for cruelty to animals. What were these alleged cruelties? And, if things were as bad as he says, why did not Councillor Murray do what was his plain duty—which was to have initiated a prosecution? The keepers of the zoo, or their employers, are not above the law. In any case, regular visits to the zoo by the S.P.C.A. inspector (strictly incog.) would be a very excellent thing in the interests of the animals confined there.

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT From “Hoof It” to the “Look-Out Man”: —Sir: That the motoring fraternity has not seen fit to send up any great howl against the new regulations seems to me to bode ill for humble “foot sloggers.” Perhaps we should remember however that motorists either at home or on the road—especially an the road—are people of few words. We know that on numerous occasions they have been prepared to go—and some have gone—very far, merely to avoid answering questions. Pedestrians, on their part, must try to refrain from waxing unduly restive under alleged wrongs, that are such only when viewed from hopelessly biased standpoints obscuring all sense of proportion. What if a hundred or two lives per annum are lost? To quote the recently reported pronouncement of a Supreme Court judge: ‘The advantages of their (motor vehicles) use outweighed their disadvantages’ ... a lucid exposition, indeed, establishing the fact that in this age of hustle and push-buttons a few hundred lives per annum are neither here nor there—certainly nothing to go off ‘pop’ about. The powers that he, taken ‘by and large’ have done much for the motorist; much, however, yet remains to be done. One urgent matter is the amendment of the Sixth Commandment.”