Carbine Greater than Phar Lap?

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 15, 20 October 1933, Page 42

Carbine Greater than Phar Lap?

Forty Years Since Carbine was Foaled, and Yet His Name is Still a Household Word in New Zealand--Will Bishop has a Reputation . as a Writer of Comic Songs.

‘AS to whether Carbine or Phar Lap was the better horse is an argument settled for all time, and this was so before Mr. J. W. Heenan concluded his talk, Although it is 40 years since he was foaled and 19 years since his death, Carbine’s name is still a household word in New Zealand. Since Old Jack’s day tracks have become faster and newer methods have displaced the old, but no horse ever possessed such a combination of unique qualities. The speaker admitted that there may have heen horses that in particular distances and circumstances might have beaten Carbine, but none ever equalled him for the rough-and-tumble of handicaps, classic events, and all distances. In his day he competed ‘with champions, and when four years old, the period of his worst defeats, he suffered from a split hoof and, so handicapped, was yet capable of beating the best, even after having a fall,in a race. His blood is in the winners of every great classic, and his progeny have accomplished deeds that were never done before. Weight, distance, or terms made no difference to Carbine, he was a sprinter and a stayer-and he was a great sire. Ly % * "THD discursive analysis of the world situation as revealed by sex or sox or sex and sox, in which Mr. Will Bishop reviewed the times and the outlook from an impecunious and personal standpoint, was quite as convincing as the views of manv whose

treatment of the subject in serious vein gets them and their hearers as befogged as Mr. Bishop. It was all good fun, and it’s to be hoped we shall have more of the type. I don’t think any New Zealand comic song has previously reached the standard of "The Manx Cat and the Kiwi," and in saying that I am not belittling any of Mr. Bishop’s earlier creations. Comic song-writing is nothing to him, and I have heard that six recently sent to the English publishers were accepted with an earnest request for more. I wonder if "The Manx Oat" was one of them? * * * N days of sail a vessel fitted with a large num. : ber of masts may have impressed a

landsman without arousing the slightest admiration in an old shellback. With him it was rig that counted and on occasion a long row of sticks might even imply an insult. At the Finnish port where the Antiope lay there was but one cafe, and here in the evening gathered the sailors from all the ships. Although an implacable conservative, the old-timer was a cosmopolitan, and providing a man was a competent sailor his race or colour mattered not. When, however, the sailor from the French seven-masted schooner began to fraternise with the crew of the Antiope, who were proud of their competence to man a squarc-rigger, the masonry of the sea blossomed until the Frenchmen presumed to meet them on equal terms. That couldn’t be tolerated and rancour developed. No row was engineered, said Mr. Renner, but a donnybrook exploded, and afterward the French were perforce required to seek relaxation where oldtimers were not. ue » nt AILORS don’t go to sea to remain in port where long hours of idleness foster the seaman’s prerogative to growl and breed discontent. It began by someone taking notice of the everlasting recurrent remark that the food was not good enough. Unmeant threats to desert were made, and the narrator and another improved them by being a little more emphatic. That did it! They were then dared, and bravado compelled two unwilling lads

to stow away aboard an American steamer loaded with pit-props in such a manner that she was unstable. When they clambered aboard the steamer had a 17-degree list to starboard, and when under weigh ‘each reversal of the helm reversed the list. Upon reporting themselves they were threatened with fearful punishments that did not eventuate, for the captain put them to work, and when they were allowed ito depart at Sunderland by connivance between the "old man" and the boarding officer, they went with 10 dollars. each in their pockets. * se QNE of the quaintest of old States and one that has withstood modernism for 700 years is the republic of Andorra, where recent revolutionary happenings prompted Dr. Guy H. Scholefield to convey to listeners something of its history, customs and problems. Population remains at about 5000, and the severity of the winter, together with the general barrenness of a depleted soil, make life extremely hard. The modern capitalist system has never obtained a footing in Andorra, but recently a powerful utility company has been formed to exploit. the river system of the State for an immense hydro-electric scheme. With promises of roads in exchange for permits to control the waters, the company introduced seven or eight hundred men to further the project. This army of foreigners was one disturbing factor, and recalling that the absence of roads

was responsible for their remaining "free and neutral" during the Napoleonic wars was another, When, however, the company endeavoured to interfere in the customary system of government all Andorra was in opposition. % a * "TINGE Dawn in the South," by Miss N. BE. Coad, was a valuable contribution to the broadcast talks, Incidents of our colonisation may be widely known, but there ig usually a vagueness about them that is regretable. Deuling firstly with the type of emigrant which left Scotland where life and outlook had become circumscribed the speaker laid emphasis upon the spiritual vision of the leaders, Burns and Cargill, whose (Contd. op page 45,

Static, by sSpark'

Uncle George’s Work Appreciated

(Continued from page 42.) Courage could not but react upon their band of indomitable men and women. Material comfort held a secondary place in the motives which had formed the resolution to depart from old associations and unbroken country with strings to indicate streets were obstacles encouragifig the corporate and brotherly spirit that actuated the pioneers in the home land. The mistakes of Wellington were obviated and Otago was laid on a foundation that can never be moved. o Rt a (SANTERBURY settlement was from ‘the very beginning a success. Profiting by the errors of the New Zealand Land Company and with aims above cupidity some of the leading figures of English life gave their aid to the movement. England was in the throes of disorder. Burdensome taxation and Chartist: agitation were the despair of the traditionally conservative new poor when altruistic leaders stumped the country with a new message of hope. The prices of land were fixed, and no haggling in the market arose to creat doubt. With that genius for organisation which characterised the ruling classes of Hngland, the new settlement was surveyed and planned to avoid preventible hardship, and when the ships arrived at Lyttelton, barracks, an hotel, and a store had been erected to make pioneering as little irksome as possible. The transformation in 70 years is. the monument that fittingly commemorates the ‘spirit that actuated the Canterbury Association. y Q fn] THROUGH all the years that Uncle George has conducted the children’s song service, he alone knows how much labour it has entailed, and even he does not know quite how much his work has been appreciated. There are many more reticent listeners than responsive ones, and thousands added their felicitations when Mr. Booth at the final service spoke on the Broadcasting Board’s behalf. a nt J * TuAT art is a humanising factor of life that cannot be dismissed as the relaxation or obsession of.a few was the burden of Dr. A. D. Carberry’s address relative to "Art and _ the Craftsman." No phase of human endeavour has created greater amity among nations than art and the generality of mankind’s conception of the beautiful. The increasing importance given to the subject in the school curriculum indicates a realisation that creative artistic expression is essential in any country that desires to receive the notice of the world. A field of art which appeuls to all is caricature, an instrument of immense potentialities, and the speaker referred to the great influence the cartonnists during the war had upon the people. ©