FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 361, 23 May 1928, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By "THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” LUCKY nr AX! A burglar who broke into the Marton railway refreshment room obtained some tobacco and sundries for nothing. He rvas a lucky man. Regular patrons from the express, ready and even eager to pay for their requirements, are often unable to secure even a cup of coffee. LESS JAM Fruitgrowers deplore the decrease in the consumption of jam. Those health lecturers will go on emphasising the danger of sweets to the juvenile digestion. The fruitgrowers, however, are inclined to blame the sale of attractive substitutes. Yes; we have tasted some excellent substitutes in those 13oz to the lib jam tins. HARBOUR PATROLS Yacht-owners now want a police patrol for the harbour, the habit of plundering moored pleasure-craft having grown considerably. Commissioner Mcllveney will doubtless be glad to provide a couple of additional policemen for the suggested patrol—if the yachtsmen pay them. THE NEW SERGEANT-MAJOR A speaker in a public debate at Devonport declared the army ser-geant-major to be a grossly-libelled man. He had been accused of all sorts of terrible things, and it was said that he swears viciously. The fact was that no class of man had so improved since the war. Quite true. The sergeant-major is a perfect gentleman, just the type to put in charge of a kindergarten (if you’ll believe it). The other night the L.O.M. heard one drilling a section of the great New Zealand Army on a square. "Please form fours (thanks!),” said the sergeant-major. “Kindly return —‘as you were’!” said the sergeant-major. “Would you mind numbering off from the right (sorry to trouble you!) ?” asked the sergeantmajor. “Private Brown (pardon me for mentioning it!), your top tunic button has come unfastened —would it be too much to ask you to rectify the matter? Thank you, very .” Then the L.O.M. awoke, perspiration pouring from every pore. It was the worst nightmare he had had since boyhood. CENTENARIAN COCKATOOS The late “Cocky Bennett,” of Tom L'gly’s Point, Sydney, was a chicken compared to the parrot “Jacko,” who was fatally injured by being run over by a cart at Brighton, England, at the age of ISO. "Jacko” was once the property of Marshal Massena, and had the honour of meeting Napoleon, and his last owner refused £ 1,000 for the antiquated bird. Lots of Aucklanders who visited Sydney met “Cocky Bennett.” He was a rare bird and could swear with the best. Said to be over 100 years old, he had lost all his feathers, and looked like a bad old bald man. "If I had a feather I’d fly!” was a favourite boast of “Cocky’s.” Instances of longevity in the parrot family are fairly common. “Peter,” of Earl’s Court, is 136; “Cocky” of Amersham, is 105, and “Samson,” of London Zoo, is 102. MUST GO STEADY Miss Georgina Moselmans, who inherited £8,000,000, has obtained her fourth divorce in Paris —from the Count Bertier de Sauvigny, who succeeded a Turkish prince in the role of husband. The Court is now deciding whether or not the count is entitled to half his wife’s fortune, which is usually shared upon divorce. That £8,000,000 must have been reduced very considerably by this. Georgina had better go steady in husbands for the future. You can’t go halving things for ever. A twentieth husband would just about bring her to the last franc. BROOKES AND THE LEGION OF HONOUR Norman Brookes, famous Australian tennis player, joins most distinguished company as a member of the Legion of Honour. The Chevalier has been decorated in recognition of his distinguished tennis career and his services to French tennis players in Australia. It shows that the French now take their sport seriously. Lest any may scoff that a man should be made a member of the famous Legion because of his tennis abilities, let it be recalled that Brookes, when rejected for active service in the Great War, was not content to stay at home and wield the racket. He joined up with the Red Cross and rendered splendid service to the troops in Egypt for three years, subsequently serving in France and, later, in Mesopotamia, where he was appointed Director of Stores for the British Army, with the rank of lieutenantcolonel. Probably, these military services were taken into account in honouring him. Brookes represented Australia in Davis Cup contests for many years. With the great New Zealand champion, Anthony Wilding (who was among the gallant slain in the war), he captured the Davis Cup in England, and brought the trophy to Australia, where he helped to defend it for four years, until it was again lifted by the English representatives, in 1912. The Legion of Honour is the French order of merit, instituted by Napoleon in 1802, and adopted by Louis Phillipe, the Second Republic, Napoleon 111. and the Third Republic. Various changes were made at the various epochs. The order now consists of five classes—grand cross, grand officer, commander, officer and chevalier or knight. The president of the republic is the grand master, under whom there is a grand chancellor and a council. The badge is a five-branched cross, with a medallion bearing a symbolical figure of the Republique Francaise, crowned by a laurel wreath. When instituted, it bore the figure of Napoleon, surmounted by the imperial crown. Military members are entitled to pensions. It was awarded in the Great War to distinguished Allied commanders and to certain .towns in Belgium and France.