"WHILE SHAVING.”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1939, Page 6

"WHILE SHAVING.”

(The Editor.) Sir,—As I wear a beard, and all my ancestors have worn beards since the days when Sir Francis Drake (who also wore a beard) heard of the Spanish Invasion and "stopped a bowl oi two” before going out in his war canoe to meet it: it is just possible the "While Shaving” section of your correspondence column is the wrong one for me to make an appeal to. your Tuesday evening’s correspondent Ratepayer" to link up with me in resurrecting the once-more numerous membershipped Society of which I am now the only survivor —the "Antediluvians whose slogan. "Progress Without Raising the Rates," was a terror in outcivic affairs until the local cemetery

began to take its part in reducing outranks! Only for this,, our town might have been “half” its present size and importance, without “any” raising of the rates. Now, why all this talk of Town Planning, new baths, new bridges, crematoriums, and all this, that and ’tother—it gives me the “jitters.” You ask my old friend “Charlie” Bannister (who writes such interesting articles about “Early Masterton,” to your columns) and “Charlie”—though never one of us—l will say that about him—will tell you how long things last “when left alone.” For instance, what a story of thrilling interest centres around the old Dixon Street baths—both northern and southern end of it. Fol - one I’ve never tried either baths yet, as my regular morn, noon and eve ablutions are still satisfactorily provided to my convenience in the “old iron tub” Mother washed us in as kids; but, from what I’ve heard of the men’s bath (from men), and the women’s bath (from women), I think I can safely say that (with careful handling and not too much use) both are good enough for the people of Masterton for the next “hundred” years, and the “next” hundred years after that! Then, look at our Gasworks! I was always against progress, and h gasworks in- particular, from the very start, and have not changed this opinion in any way. We never needed a gasworks in those days, as there was plenty of cheap firewood about and rush-lights, candles, and kerosene at our disposal according to our means: and only for a progressive Mayor and Councillors (backed by their gas-loan supporters) we might be using such luxuries still! Again, look at electric light! What has it done for us. I’d like to ask. be yond further burdening our rates. In fact its introduction has been a century ahead of time, as far as Masterton is concerned, and even some of its ■‘advocates” could well do without it, whose ancestors (like mine) once could safely find their'way all over Masterton “in .the dark” and some of them without ever missing the keyhole of a 10 p.m. sharp-closing pub! Like my friend “Ratepayer” I say: “If we must have gasworks, let's use thorn to the greatest extent,” and therefore suggest calling in the aid oi “Beautifying Society” funds to move the old Bannister Street (too-soon-abandoned) gasworks, across over to the south end Dixon Street baths, and thus emulate the modern proposal of the, “Antediluvians” of Dannevirke who. by this means of raising bath temperature, have anticipated expectations of "adding beauty to smell,” without any prospect of unduly raising their rates! After trying the old works on the best bath of all (in Dixon Street) and it proves effective, we might then experiment with the present gasworks near the railway station, and warm up its near-at-hand creek, where us old-time “Antediluvians" mi ;ht regain the lost ardours of youth, bv paddling in its "tepidity." now and then! Trusting some other aspiring "Antediluvian" will come to our town’s aid [before the "Progressives” run it on the i rocks —as they seem anxious to do- — ,1 now close this, my first letter to you. I with an "Antediluvian's” warmest of i thanks, I am. etc. "IN THE LION'S DEN." Masterton, April 5.