From The Watch Tower

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 308, 20 March 1928, Page 8

From The Watch Tower

By

"THE LOOK-OUT MAN."

THE LUCE OF HEENEY Tom Keeney, the New Zealand boxer, is alleged to have arrived in the United States eight months ago without an overcoat- Then it rained dollars, and he bought one; now he is returning to London with £15,000 to his \ credit, and the prospect of a fight with i the world's champion and many more thousands in cash to come. Lucky Tom! Many another Xew Zealander has gone away with an overcoat and ; has come back without one. INS TRCC TING AFGHAN'IS TAN Roaring loudly, a flight of great j bombers climbed to a dizzy height, i then dropped and loosed bombs on a j dummy camp, which was soon reduced to ashes. This was at air evolutions, near London, and the King of Afghanistan was much impressed by the fact that every single bomb hit its mark. If the display was intended as a warning, it should prove most effective. King Amanullah may now have a little restraining advice to tender his wild Afghan tribesmen next time some of i them contemplate a raid over the i Indian border. * * * THE FLIGHT OF THE PENGUIN If a new custodian is ever required for the Auckland Zoo, there is the very man for the job on one of the j Tinned in newspapers. Describing the sad incineration of a “penguin” (“a pathetic sight”), he wrote: “A wearyi looking penguin was noticed flying toward the vessel. The bird landed on the windward side of the funnel and was immediately overcome by the smoke, and disappeared down the funnel.” It is highly probable that this is the reason why penguins never fly now—they apparently found it 100 dangerous. GOOD BREAKFAST ! The bill for the "accommodation” of the Samoans recently made prisoner by the Administration should be ■ a tidy one. The Samoans swore they would rather die than be incarcerated in Vaimea Gaol; but they changed their minds and went there without resistance. The doctor got them out; he condemned the gaol as insanitary, and the whole 400 “Maus” were taken to Mulinuu, where they were fenced in. But we are informed that Mulinuu did not make a very effective prison, for every night a. large number of prisoners walked out, to return in the morning in time for breakfast! Must have been a good sort of breakfast —what? Wonder ; how many of the prisoners at Mount Eden would be enticed back for ! breakfast if they managed to get out ; overnight? [ANOTHER EXAMPLE i Another example of the results of the poor-wage policy of this country ; is seen in the announcement that Mr. I T. H. Patterson, senior instructor for ! the Auckland Province in the Department of Agriculture, is leaving Xew Zealand to take up a lucrative appointment at the Hawkesbury Agricultural j College, Xew South Wales. One after : another they go, the experts and m- ! structors of Xew Zealand, drawn | away by higher salaries. The experience they have gained here is to j the good of the country to which they i emigrate; it is lost to the Dominion, j Science, agriculture, education, engineering, all are being impoverished ! in the same manner, and if the proj cess continues, Xew Zealand will be j left with such a paucity of instruction ; in the things that matter that the consequences will be disastrous.

THE ADMIRAL COMES ABOARD It is alleged that the language used on H.M.S. Royal Oak by Rear-Admiral St. G. Collard aroused the bitter resentment of the captain and the commander, especially as the admiral reprimanded them before the crew. When the admiral came aboard, it is said, his language on seeing what he saw (which evidently was not to his taste) “shook the ship from stem to stern.” This being maintained, the officers refused longer to “bend a silent and respectful ear” to his bitter blasts. Did their ears, then, cease their silence and burst forth into reproach? Anyway, Captain Dewar and Commander Daniel informed the admiral that they were “fed up,” or words to that effect, and the result was that all three were suspended. It’s a nice little squabble for the Admiralty to settle. But how squeamish these naval officers are becoming! In the days of the “wooden walls” of England, a mere captain would have deemed it an honour to be sworn at by Nelson. It would show that the great admiral noticed him. And in the navy there is nothing so discouraging as to pass unnoticed by your admiral.