FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 776, 24 September 1929, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOKOUT MAN." BOUQUET “I had no intention of infringing the laws of your glorious country.”—A Canadian, at the court yesterday. The scenery he used to know, The undulating prairie, The bounding streams that swiftly flow From mountains tall and airy, The shining lako. the sylvan wood— All scenes of beauty acting To make their setting understood— Would make his judgment pretty good, His standards most exacting. And yet that graceful compliment He handed out. so neatly Relieved not his predicament, But let him down completely. The magistrate was not impressed— What use to prate of glory? And yet, we lap it up with zest; We love it all, for here's the test— It made a front page story’ SOMEBODY’S DARLING If there Is any theme on which opinions differ more widely than they do on the form of footballers, L.O.M. would like to hear of it. Next year when the British team comes, the old battles will be waged all over again. It will be most exhilarating. Incidentally, it is observed that the West Coast, home of many a well-loved fancy, has one Holder for whom much is hoped. The other day a wire from the trusting Press Association agellt In Westport mentioned that Holder “Is regarded as a certainty for All Black honours.” Unfortunately the name of this fancied candidate does not even figure in the South Island team. Blind prejudice again; * * PATRIOTIC As noted above, the latest Canadian retort to the New Zealand butter which has successfully invaded the large Dominion is a bookmaker. Unfortunately this country’s hospitality to the bookmaker suffers by comparison with Canada’s reception of our butter. Had the gentleman been sponsored by the Trade Commissioner things might have been different. At least he would have learned that we already know our country is beautiful beyond compare. That little play about “your glorious country” would not then have been wasted. It is true that there are certain Canadian products we heartily appreciate. Canadian wrestlers, now, are justly popular, and “Parmer” Vance is almcst a civic institution. But wrestling and bookmaking are two entirely different callings. When it comes to bookmaking we can patronise the local man. * * » THE WAY OF ADVENTURE

The concerted efforts of the judiciary and shipping Interests the world over seem at present to be directed against the formerly romantic practice of stowing away on ships. Yet even the weighty remarks of the Bench cannot invest the gay hazard of stowaway with the true character of crime. There is the case of two New Zealanders who tramped all over England looking for work. Stowing away was obviously the most attractive exit from their troubles, and food and shelter in Mount Eden gaol are doubtless better than a crust of bread under a haystack in England. Now and again a stowaway who is (1) of noble birth, or (2) of prepossessing appearance, or (3) of both, manages to prevail on a susceptible mariner and thus escapes punishment. Sometimes it Is just by sheer readiness to toil that the stowaway comes through unblemished. But even when none of these factors acts in his favour it is difficult to see how the stowaway will be checked. Perhaps there is a certain fascination in chancing one’s fortune on the high seas. A stowaway on the Aorangi got to the New Zealand coast before detection overtook him. How many get all the way? HEARTS OF OAK Though there is an irresistible charm about battleships when not belligerently inclined, it is heartening to read that Captain Fraser, senior naval officer, considers the Dunedin and Diomede still have seven years’ life in them, and that consequently it will not be necessary yet to replace them with new and more expensive types. Men-o’-war are expensive luxuries. and the cost of upkeep soars for every extra ton of displacement. The substitution of the 8,400-ton Exeter and York for the Dunedin and Diomede would make local politicians perform more lively gymnastics than ever in order to make their budgets balance. Docking expenses alone are very heavy. The Diomede, refitted only a year or two back at huge cost, is now being overhauled again at Calliope dock, in order that she may make the trip Home to be overhauled and refitted once more. A trim ship, the Diomede, and it would be a pity if she were allowed to deteriorate for lack of due care and attention. Incidentally she just missed being called either Dargaville or Dannevirke. It was thought she might have been given a local name to match Dunedin, but according to her class it had to be a “D” name, and j finally It was decided that there wasn’t ! another d— name good enough.