FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 353, 14 May 1928, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” CAROL’S CHILL, No doubt the chill caught by poor Prince Carol of Rumania was caused by the sudden freezing of English hospitality. Such a warm young man would feel the change. Winter’s bitter blast is nothing like as depressing as the cold shoulder. STRONG CRITICISM Mr. T. B. Strong, Director of Education, says his department is still open to receive criticism of tile new primary school syllabus. It is understood the director does not wish the criticism to be too strong—otherwise it will be like the too frequent guest—received but not welcomed. CELLS PROVIDED The petty officers and seamen of the French Navy who have been sentenced to imprisonment for having attempted to form Communist “cells” on a cruiser should now be satisfied. They are now provided with cells for Communists by the French Government, which has always been noted for Its encouragement of communal enterprise. THE EFFICIENT HOG A Kio Kio settler declares hedgehogs to be a real pestj and gluttons on eggs, and he denies that they are good for clearing gardens of snails. The only things that can be relied upon are road hogs, which are wonderfully effective in clearing the roads of pedestrians. POTATO MARKET “RHEUMERS” Caption in local newspaper: “Toll of Rheumatism.” At the same time the L.O.M. hears that the potato market is firmer. Of course, “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” but it is about time the old superstition of a potato In the sufferer’s pocket bringing relief was exploded. “SPEEDING” TRAMS The humorist who wrote to The Sun regarding the “breakneck speed” of Auckland trams must have come from those easy-going isles of the blest where they use tortoises for motor-cars. For extreme safety in this dangerous city, he is recommended to try the narcotic effect of the Great South Road tram, which takes 28 minutes to travel from the terminus to town, a distance of slightly over four miles. A speed of eight miles an hour ought not to scare anyone to death. * * * HONEST MERCHANTS There are only two or three green diamonds in the world. One of these, we are informed, was discovered in an antique shop in Sydney. The shopkeeper was unaware of the true value of the jewel, which is said to be worth £2OO, so a large firm of jewellers bought it from him for 15s. That’s what some people would call honest trading. * * * SKIMPING THE MAORI It is well that there is a Te Akarana Association to watch the interests of the Maoris. The association has just made public what, on the face of it appears to be a mean trick on indigent natives. The Pensions Department, it is related, deducts from Maori old age pensioners part of their pensions on the ground that the wants of the Maori people were simple and did not necessitate the full amount paid to Europeans. The luxury in which European old age pensioners riot is too well known for comment. Our political equal, the Maori, cannot, of course, expect the same affluence. In the official eye some shark and kumara should suffice our brown brother. * * * LIFE AFTER DEATH It is not surprising that even the most distinguished medical scientists are quite unable to offer any evidence at all to support the universally comforting belief that the spirit or soul of a human being survives in a better world after physical death. To expect doctors to provide evidence would be asking too much from them. They themselves admit frankly that they do not know everything about life before death. They do not know the cause of cancer. Rheumatism is beyond them. Indeed, that world-wide vulgar ailment, a common cold, is still to medical science as deep a mystery as the immortality of the soul. In any case most people, like the wily Disraeli, when nations were excited about the Darwinian theory—most wise people will prefer to be on the side of the angels. DESERVES RECOGNITION The enterprising Wellington gentleman who conceived the idea of making much money by selling for 2s 6d each cards which contained tips for the races—and went bankrupt—is deserving of recognition. If the thousands who bought his tips and backed them would only subscribe some small portion of their immense winnings to a fund in aid of this Turf seer, he would soon satisfy his creditors to the full. The poor man’s present impecuniosity can only be attributed to the theory that he was too busy successfully selecting “certainties” to back them himself. * * * FROM “HECTIC ” TO PALLID When moving picture patrons find that “Military Defaulters and Others” is on the theatre’s bill, they will probably expect to see the screen version of the Presbytery’s views on the subject. Then the film censor will have a quiet laugh in his sleeve, because this is the title he bas chosen for the film originally called “Hamilton’s Hectic Husbands.” In Hamilton Mr. Tanner demanded only that the adjective “hectic” should be deleted, but so that there will be no libel on the married males of the Waikato when the picture is undergoing “general exhibition,” he has changed the whole of the title. Who says film censors have no sense of humour?