FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1057, 22 August 1930, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” LORDS OF CREATION “Parliament can do what it likes.” —Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. We are monarchs of ail we survey, Of the town and the country alike; For the public obeys us And does what it’s told, The citizen pays us To govern and bold The community under our sway. And to do what we jolly well like# Our life's a perpetual snore— A life full of comfort and ease. The sort of existence That’s really sublime. We meet no resistance And have a good time. For we know no prohibitive law. And can do just whatever we please: PAKITI. RUGBY AND COWS In dairying districts it Is literally true that they play Rugby until the cows come home. And as soon as the cows come home or, to be more precise, demand regular milking, Rugby must play second fiddle to the game of butter-fat production. Take the case of Wanganui. “We find It difficult to field a strong team as the cows are coming in,” was the reason advanced by a Rugby club in a letter to the Metropolitan Rugby Union when applying to have a player reinstated. Members of the management committee sympathised but decided that the suspension could not be lifted. In view of the fact that this is a seasonal misfortune the committee might have shown more practical sympathy. No wonder our rural brethren claim that they are not well treated! “UNCHARTED SEAS” X.N. —Most of us who know anything of the South Seas will smile at the description of> the Tahiti’s plight in the words of an American passenger: “A tough outlook in a vast, uncharted sea,” The facts are that every detail of the Pacific trade routes has been carefully and thoroughly charted. Some of the past work has been done involuntarily by American schooners which have run aground on unknown shallows, and struck hidden reefs! It is true, however, that off the beaten track there are localities only vaguely known, some of which have not been charted for many years. The island of Vanikoro is one example, and the island of Utupua another. When warships, whose duty it is to bring Admiralty charts up-to-date, visit such places, they are obliged to proceed exceedingly carefully, for, with the passing of the years, existing charts are apt to become completely unreliable. MUSIC HATH CHARMS L.R.: Sincere compliments are welcome even if they are somewhat “lefthanded.” Last evening 1 celebrated Music Week by attending the concert by the Auckland Choral Society and the Bohemian Orchestra in the Town Hall. The place was packed and, as I looked for a seat. I passed the time o! night with a police sergeant who had lust entered. Said he, looking at the big audience: “Well, well. They wouldn't get a crowd like this even' for the wrestling!” These days. L.0.M., musicians must be grateful, for even such a grudging admission as this. * m * CONFIDENCE As long as people persist in accepting total strangers at their face value; the trade of the "confidence man” will remain a lucrative one. Of course, some people are more easily swindled than others, but the professional trickster has many cards up his sleeve. The New Zealander who arrivted in Sydney on the Maunganui the other day and handed his wad to new-found! friends who promised to “change it into Australian notes” was not only inviting, but imploring trouble. he been a harder nut to crack, the confidence men might have tried the "trusting trick” which is rather more subtle. Let’s move down into another paragraph and see how it is done. . . . “YOU TRUST ME . ■ ■” First one of two swindlers establishes friendly relations with the intended victim, and informs him that he is looking for two witnesses of the transfer of a number of valuable papers. At this moment Confidence Man No. 2 strolls by. C.M. No. 1 greets him as a stranger and draws him into the discussion. When the victim and the "stranger” have agreed to act, C.M. No. 1 produces a sealed packet of papers and is about to hand them over and depart to find the other party in the transaction when the “stranger” interferes and expresses doubt as to his wisdom in trusting two unknown men. C.M. No. 1 explains that he does not wish to take the papers with him as be has no safe pocket. But he is very gallant about it. Of course he trusts the gentlemen! But the “stranger” insists that the situation is irregular. He demands that C.M. No. 1 shall accept a personal security of £lO. C.M. No. 1 accepts it protestingly. Naturally the victim feels bound to offer like security and away goes C.M. No. 1 with his £2O. By and by the “stranger” is called to the telephone. He fails to return. He is miles away splitting a “tenner” with C.M. No. 1. The hopeful victim is sitting holding a packet of blotting-paper.