CENTRAL AFRICAN COMPOSITORS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

CENTRAL AFRICAN COMPOSITORS.

A very amusing article appeared in the "British Central African G-afcette," published at Zoniba, recently on the eccentricities of the native compositor, who, it appears, is a fairly good workman so long as the copy is printed or typewritten, hut as he often composes without understanding, and tries to identify each letter in a word separately, some very curious results are obtained when the manuscript copy Is more or less illegible, and were it not that the proofs were read by Europeans, many startling announcements would be made. For Instance, when a recent postal notice was being issued, the native compositors set up the following:—"Postmen are being equipped with metal boxes for. the purpose of collecting correspondents,'" and again that "no ulky (bulky) articles would be accepted." When setting up a medical report It was stated that the patient's temperature rose rapidly to 1,004 degrees, and then he became 'delicious, " (delirious). In another medical report the doctor was said to have "put four stritchers (stitches) In a wound," and then he "left two tribeg (tubes) 'in situ.'" It sometimes happens that a first proof is such a fearful jumble that it has to be re-set, it being-easier to do the whole thing over again than to put In the corrections. The following is taken from a first proof of a medical report of March 1, 1898: "Theee has belti an average attendauci at the Disfeusany. in in !2om Beinclu Diny Eunfeans, sikhs, and nallvea of 23 fer diew." What was meant .was:— "There has been an average attendance at the Dispensary in Zomba, including Europeans, Sikhs, and natives of 34 per diem." In a recent number of the "Gazette" there was a letter from Mr Poulett Weatherley. in which he refers to Kampolombo Bay, Lake Bangweolo, and Mr Crawford's statement that "Giraud ran round this large bay in his boat." The native compositor rendered it as follows:—"Giraud rah round this large boy In his boot." The head priuter made a marginal note on the proof:— "I should like to run round this large native printer with my boot!" ( ''i