FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 604, 5 March 1929, Page 10

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By

“THE LOOK-OUT MAN.”

THE STICKLER “They were very particular about the initials,” said Mr. C. R. Sinfield, a milk supplier, describing how his name and initials were demanded when he telephoned the police with news of the Mount Eden reservoir sensation. ‘'Hullo, Hullo, Hullo! Is that the police? Behold, I hring you tidings of disaster. A dam has burst , ar\d'in its mad release The deluge on its breast bears many a piece Of mischief-making timber, steel, and plaster. "Here, whence I ring, the tawny waters surge — Pints upon pints, in turbulent commotion, Flooding the streets. Oh, officer, I urge That stalwart Johns be sent at once to purge The district of this dangerous-looking ocean.” “Noic half a mo V’ a voice above the spate Says, “Prithee • Sire, consider the officials. I want your story down in triplicate. Floods, death, damnation—each and all must wait Till then—so come across with your initials !” McSHOVEL. THE SOUVENIR A hired car abandoned after hitting a post in Wellesley Street contained a bunch of grapes. Sour grapes for the owner? SEATS OF THE MIGHTY “You can’t sit on rocks, lawyers, scrub, or bushes,” said DetectiveSergeant Kelly, during cross-examin-ation by Mr. A. E. Currie at the police inquiry. As well try to sit on a'detective as on a lawyer. A. GLEAN SWEEP Thieves who entered a barber’s shop at Hastings removed everything of value, and left a note to the proprietor urging that he should not call the police too soon, but should give them a chance to get away. By one of those delightful circumstances that contribute so handsomely to the gaiety of nations, the name of the barber was Whisker. He was evidently well trimmed. THE SHORTEST WAY The long-distance cyclist who last night completed a trip from Wellington to Auckland in 422 hours acted on sound information when he followed the Napier - Taupo* route as the shortest route between the two places, hut it will be generally imagined that he might have had far better running conditions had he followed the excellent roads of CheWest Coast route through Taranaki. This route, again, avoids the precipitous hills of the Napier-Taupo road, where Turangakumu and Titlokura saddles present some of the heaviest pieces of road-work in New Zealand. However, the cyclist may have had special reasons for following the eastern route. In any case, the average citizen, who has now come to regard a bicycle as a peculiar muscleraising device, and regards a walk from the Ferry Buildings to Karangahape Road as a long overland tramp, would not expect a long-dis-tance cyclist to devote to the choice of a route a grain more logic than he gave to the choice of a means of locomotion.