TEMPORARY FINALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

TEMPORARY FINALITY.

At a Transport Board discussion Mr. Phelan asked: "Is this final?" To which Mr, Allum replied: "It is final—for today!" (Laughter.) When our prehistoric fathers wore their overcoats ot' skins, And a stone or knobby clnb was used for cracking lieads and shins, I will bet a bag oC peanuts that when those assembled brav«H Were discussing modern- progress by the fireside in the caves, The consensus of opinion on their schemes of work and play Wpuld -agree that they were .absolutely final—for the day. . Bows and arrows, spears and helmets, catapults, and coats of mail, Cannonballs and blunderbusses, muskets with their leaden hail, Bayonets and bombing parties, aeroplanes and poison gas. Each invention of destruction that the time has brought to pass, Has been -thoroughly supported with the optimists' O.K. As the ultimate of science and the final— for their day. When they built the tombs of Egypt or the catacombs of Rome, When Jasou brought the Argo and its hardy sailors home, When Columbus found the Indies, when they loosed the power of steam, 1 When Marconi pierced the ether with the magic of the beam, There were current observations, so the _ faithful records say, Which extolled these great achieve meats as the final—for the day.. All the wisdom of the ancients—take • whatever you prefer—• Hieroglyph of Babylonia, cuneiform of buried Ur, Strategy of Alexander, science of Copernicus, All the heritage of knowledge that has filtered down to us As revolving wheels of Progress swung tbe world along its way—Every, milestone bore the legend, '"Twas the final—for the day." 'Mid the turmoil ' of the Present, where our troubled lot is cast, We enn fincJ un inspiration in the struggles of the. Past, And we. face the glowing Future—"What's that? Coins down off m;t perch I Ihe paper goes to press to-day! We'll leave you in the lurch 1" - • All 1 iglit, all right,; don't bustle nxe. I'm now well under weigh. Just tell tiie boss this verse will be the final —for to-day. E.A.