ARE WE POLITE ?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 818, 12 November 1929, Page 9

ARE WE POLITE ?

Some Say "Yes But "Noes" Have It INQUIRIES IN THE CITY Are we growing mure polite? After due consideration, following several inquiries, a few rebuffs and provoking a good deal of amusement, the "noes" have it. We are nor growing mure polite. Idealists, of course, think that we are. These are the people who give up their seats in tramears to women who don’t even consider a “thankyou" necessary. But ask the men who don’t give up their seats! “Why should I? I've paid for this seal. Anyhow wot's all this talk about equality for?” they will tell you. A perspiring tram collector elbowed his way through the 5 o'clock straphanging throng. It might have been the wrong time to approach him. “Perlite —blimy, you oughter try ami take the cash un the way back from trots." (An unfortunate woman with a parcel of sausages removed

them from the point of his elbow with some slight show of contempt.) “Dear. dear, dear” (or words to that effect), he murmured under his breath. “They give you a thrupenny bit and expect change for a tanner.” THE POLICEMAN’S VIEW The muscles of a policeman’s arm seemed to rise automatically itnder his blue serge when he was questioned. Yes, people are more polite as far as the force is concerned. The law works automatically. “Men—yes; most women —no.” confessed a waitress. But then she was demure and rather pretty, and her thumb left no dusky imprint on the edge of the soup-plate. “I’d rather serve men than women.” There was no waiter available to find out whether a change of sex results in a change of opinion. One felt that nobody would take liberties with the man who controlled a lift and travelled several thousand miles in it every week. “They do what I tell ’em,” he remarked as the cage closed on as many people as it could uncomfortably hold. “Yes, I have seen men waiting for women to enter the lift first.” he confessed, after giving the subject his full consideration. “Most times they do, but it’s always a bit of a rush at closing time.” There was a distracted look in the eyes of the girl who was replacing box after box of some sort of wearing apparel back on its shelf in the* drapery store. “Not. nearly so polite as you’d think,” she remarked rather wearily. “The bargain hunters are the worstmore like head-hunters, I always say.” Then out into the street during the rush between 5 o’clock and 5.30. just to watch the behaviour of Mr. and Mrs. Man-i n-tli e-Street. Everyone was trying to reach the North Shore ferries or the suburban trains in the least possible time. Nobody seemed to care, nobody seemed to worry about anybody else. It was just a wild rush which footpaths twice as wide would 1 not alter. —G •