FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 365, 28 May 1928, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” ARE THEYt According to Mr. Allan Moody, George Washingtons are in a distinct minority. Mr. Moody asserted in the Children’s Court on Saturday that, like most men, boys were liars. The present pupils of Mr. Moody’s old school may have something to say on the subject. DUNEDIN WANTS A BYRD Dunedin never permits sixpence to sail past: it has offered Commander Byrd the use of its port as a fittingout base for his Polar expedition, reminding the American explorer that the port of Otago was used by Scott and Shackelton. Commander Byrd has replied that he will probably call at Dunedin. The Auckland Harbour Board has been guilty of lack of enterprise in not getting in first with an invitation. Dunedin ran a huge exhibition and enticed Aucklanders down there to spend their good Auckland money. Now they will be planning an excursion to Dunedin to exhibit the Antarctic expedition in their port. A cute city, Dunedin. MUST A DOCTOR TELL? What he discovers in a patient, yes; but what the patient confides to him, no. Such is the law of New Zealand, as propounded by Mr. Justice Blair in the Divorce Court last week, when he said that a medical man’s evidence was admissible as to his own observations, but he could not speak as to anything the patient had communicated to him. As four-fifths of a doctor’s diagnosis is made from what the patient tells him, doctors must find themselves in a dilemma when called to the witness-box. But what a doctor discovers by his own observation cannot be kept secret if the law demands the knowledge. Some time ago a medical man who claimed professional privilege in an English Court was given the alternative of telling or going to prison for “contempt.” He told. SOMETHING DONE With “something accomplished, something done,” in relation to the Morningside Reserve, the Mount Albert Council may now consider itself to have “earned” a year or two’s repose. A children’s play area has been provided at Morningside as the first instalment of a general recreation reserve. The land was presented to the Mount Albert Council 20 years back, since when, until a few months ago, it was devoted to growing gorse and blackberry. But for pressure applied to the borough authorities in the columns of The Sun, it might have continued a public eyesore for another 20 years. Now that something has been at last done to improve the area, the general scheme should develop. THE SENTENCE

“Although I must do my duty to society and sentence you to five years’ imprisonment, do not think the sentence a harsh one,” said his Honour, in ordering the Incarceration of two burglars. “You will find Mt. Eden an agreeable home, with good food and beds, work which is paid for, and a choice of excellent books (Including the life of Charles Peace) from the library. And the beauty of it is that, if you do not like the place, you can leave it —though there is a rule against going out by the gate. Several prisoners have tired of the place for some unknown reason, and gone away without saying the usual good-bye to the governor; but most of them prefer to remain until discharged in the regular way by the Prisons Board.” The prisoners were quite visibly affected, and left the dock laughing heartily at their good fortune. “ UNNECESSARY ” THEFT Peculiar logic is embodied in some magisterial decisions. In defence of a IS-year-old boy who entered a shop and stole cigarettes and money valued at £3 7s 6d, it was stated that the offence was “quite unnecessary.” The boy was reprimanded and discharged. If there is no punishment for an “unnecessary” theft, what should be the punishment for a “necessary” theft—such as that which might be perpetrated by an out-of-work father with a family of-hungry children? A plea of “necessary” would receive the magisterial rejoinder (as it actually did a few months back) that there is no need to steal when charitable aid is available. The theft would then, of course, be proved to have been “unnecessary,” and, logically, the offender would have to be discharged. But would he be? SAVED HIS COUNTRY

The elimination of the Americans from the British rmateur golf championships by superior British play shows there is “life in the old dog yet.” Britons take their golf even more seriously than they do most other games. It is recalled of Lord Northcliffe that he was a great enthusiast. One of England’s finest players was Mr. Bernard Darwin, a grandson of Charles Darwin, who was golf reporter for Northcliffe’s papers. When he was creeping up to the championship at Hoylake, and had to play one or two surviving Americans, he received frantic messages from Lord Northcliffe to keep fit and not to write any more. When he won a less important trophy he received this telegram: “Your colleagues share your joy.—Northcliffe.” There was a caddie at Aberdovey who used to carry Ovid in his pocket; he has since become a dissenting minister. A foreman of a timber yard used to act as “amateur professional,” and always began the lessons on a stony, sandy ditch, saying: “You’re sure to get in here, so you had better learn to get out as soon as you can.” After some championship games, when it fell to Mr. Darwin’s lot to defeat successively the last two of some dangerous Americans, he was held up when walking in the street by an old gentleman, who said, with feeling: “Allow me to thank you, sir, for having saved our country.”