FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 890, 6 February 1930, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.”

CROQUET INVASION The Auckland Cricket Association is endeavouring to prevent the Devonport Ladies’ Croquet Club from encroaching on portion of the Domain which actually is part of a cricket ground.—News item. Pity our desperate defenders of cricket There on the North Shore side, Waging a battle of hoop versus wicket, Facing an Amazon tide. Mallet and sunshade, cushion or pillow— Hark to the batsman’s scorn ! Y T et. in the face of defiant King Willow, “Ground” may be titled “Lawn.” —M.E. CRICKET BALLS! One of the arguments used in support of the North Shore Cricket Club which is endeavouring to prevent the Croquet Club from becoming established on the Domain is that complications would arise if cricket balls became mixed with croquet balls. Aside from the fact that a ciiicket ball is appreciably smaller and considerably lighter than a croquet ball, there are differences of colour. Still, in future years, we might hear of conversations like this:—“What caused all those scars on your hands, daddy?” . . . “My bat flew’ to splinters while I was playing cricket at Devonport, my son. ”... “Why did the bat come to pieces, daddy?” . . . “A fast bowler sent down a yorker with a croquet ball, my son.” SUPERSTITION There is a close similarity between the inscription on the Surrey stone left intact by a superstitious council engaged in road-widening, and part of the absurdly-crude epitaph on Shakepeare’s tombstone. The first runs: “Cursed be he who moveth me”; and the second —an example of uncouth doggerel—is engraven in a mixture of letters large and small, thus: “Good Friend for lesus SAKE forbeare To diGG T-E Dust EncloAsed HERe Blest be T-E Man y-t spares T-Es Stones And curst be He y-t moves my Bones.” Whether or not the Surrey stone was originally a burial stone is a question for local antiquarians to answer, but, if so, the warning probably alludes to the early custom of removing skeletons to charnel houses after a certain lapse of time. In any case there is a certain grim finality about the Surrey inscription that persuades the L.O.M. to favour the decision of the council rather than the somewhat cheeky act of the famous Thirteen Club.

* . * TEMPERAMENT TEST At one time certain, people, particularly in England, took a morbid delight in placing weird and ominous inscriptions on tombstones and the like. One noted inscription is regarded by psychologists as a test of temperament. It was found engraven on an old and weather-worn sundial in a gloomy and overgrown garden. (This description is necessary in order to recapture the atmosphere of the discovery.) The Under saw on the side of the sundial the words: “It is later than you think.” If this creepy little message does not cause cold shudders to run down your spine you are, experts assert, lacking in creative imagination. Would-be novelists, please note. * * * CORONER—MACHINE GUNS In investigating circumstances surrounding the use of maehine-guns in the recent Samoa trouble the Chief Judge, Mr. J. H. Luxford, who sat as coroner, tackled a subject with which he is uncommonly well acquainted. By a curious coincidence the man chosen to inquire into the shootings wrote the “Official History of the New Zealand Machine-gun Corps.” In addition to his legal career, which began at Te Awamutu when he was 22 years of age, Mr. Luxford has a distinguished military record, during the course of which he gained administrative experience both as a Territorial officer and on active service. One of the fruits of his military training, which included specialised machinegun work, was his book, which takes an important place among the recognised records of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. THE “MAU EATER ” E.S.G.—According to an Auckland evening paper General Richardson was the guest of honour at a reunion of re turned soldiers at Kawhia last weekend. The distinguished soldier addressed the “peace-makers and peacelovers,” as he called them, and on Sunday the feature of the programme was the presentation to the Maoris by General Richardson of a flag from the returned soldiers, hearing the strange device, “Kai Mau” (be steadfast) worked on it. Kia Mau might he interpreted as “stand solid” or “be steadfast,” but Kai Tangata in the Maori is man-eater or cannibal, and Kai Ahi, fire-eater; so that Kai Mau could only mean “Mau eater.” With Sir George officiating this interpretation would seem to be a virile tribute to his past Samoan exploits.