FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1044, 7 August 1930, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

“THE LOOK-OUT MAN."

By

rutE,\ia N'S xiairr-CA /■ “The Oamaru Fire Brigade is a volunteer unit and it has been the custom after attending fires to gj.ve the men a ‘nip’ on their return to the station.” —News item. I would that I were a fireman bold with a uniform of blue. A trusty axe for brave attacks, And a shiny helmet too. I’d leap at the sound of tile street alarm —the call to a job that's risky— Then stake my claim to a "Mine’s the same"—in a popular brand of whisky. When the sombre midnight sky was lit by an arc of living red, When a clanging gong passed the word along And we looked to the task ahead, I’d pray for a swift, triumphant end to our S.O.S. migration— A quick return and the sesty burn of a big one "on the Station.” If I were a fire chief trained and tried, * with whistle and flash-light torch, I’d take delight in a reckless fight ’Mid the Demon’s smoke and scorch But I’m just afraid, if the hour grew late, that I’d blow an order shrill — Let the darn place flame, and hurry hamo For the "Docli-Im-Dorris Drill!” M.E. DRESS SUITS—DUTY Clearly there is some compensation in volunteer circles tor the risks taken by firemen. The fact that the men of the Oamaru brigade have been successful in their demands for a better whisky shows clearly that there is more in fire-fighting than water. There are occasions, too, when professional firemen enjoy the good things of life, although their pleasures are tempered by the knowledge that a call may come at any time. Oil one classic occasion in a New Zealand town, now elevated to the dignity of a city, the local brigade was being treated by the council to a very formal dinner and most of its members were wearing full dress suits. During the celebrations the alarm was sounded, the appeal being one of exceptional urgency. Two main-street shops were blazing, and a whole block was threatened. There followed one of the most disastrous and spectacular fires on record, and thousands of citizens gaped at the sight of firemen working feverishly in dress suits topped with regulation helmets. In the end the brigade won Its battle, but at great sartorial expense. The L.0.M., who was present, said a sympathetic word to a dripping figure with blackened shirt-front, torn jacket, and scorched trousers. “Next time,” it replied bitterly, “I go to civic dinners in me uniform—Mayor or no Mayor.” That was what they all felt about it. OLD RUT GOOD Although stray hail’s are apt to come floating out of the best of Japanese shaving brushes, there is nothing trashy about the quality of warships of the Rising Sun brand. Take the case of the cruiser Akashi which, on Saturday evening, withstood 90 minutes of aerial bombing and was not sunk until the following morning. Although the Akashi proved a tough proposition for the airmen, she was built as long ago as IS9S —before a menace from the skies was more than dimly visualised by naval designers. She was a ship of 2.700 tons—about 100 tons larger than the Philomel and of not entirely dissimilar vintage, although her armament was heavier. The Akashi fought in the Battle of Tsuschuna, the last big naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, in which the Russian Fleet was practically annihilated and, during the Great War, she took part ill convoy work In the Mediterranean. She belonged to the same squadron as the Idzumo and the Yakumo, which visited Auckland in 1925. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND At last there has been evolved a method of dealing with wrestlers who run amok and imperil the lives of referees or nearby onlookers. In Sydney after a referee had been knocked unconscious a disinterested wrestler took over the control of the bout and “when either man offended he applied vicious holds or smacks.” One can only speculate as to tile outcome of the affair had the wrestlers-in-chief decided to sink their differences and unite against tile common foe. One thing, however, is certain: a happy time would have been had by all wlio witnessed the battle royal. In View of everything, on future occasions, it might even be better to dispense with referees altogether and attach to the waist of each wrestler a stout rope, the other end of which could be held by a large group of seconds assembled below the ring under the control of a compel i r judge. When tactics became dubious a signal could be given and the raving giants hauled apart by main force. This idea is presented free of all charge to Australian and New Zealand wrestling associations.