"SHOE POLISH KING."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 280, 26 November 1931, Page 15

"SHOE POLISH KING."

NEW STRUGGLE IN PARIS.

STRANGE CONTEST PROPOSED,

Republican Paris probably boasts more titles of royalty of one kind or another than any other capital on the surface oi the globe. There is going to be trouble now concerning the right to use the title of "King of Shoe Polishes.." . For years a familiar figure in, the Place Blanche has been one M. Aufray, who, dressed in evening clothes, and wearing a silk hat, has eold literally tons of shoe polish. He has also been one'of the'centres.,of free entertainments, for apart from his purely .commercial transactions he hais established a reputation for his "patter." , After having explained to a crowd how proud M. Aufray was of the purity of his shoe polish he :would demonstrate his f-aitli by eating with apparent relish a slice of bread oil which he had liberally plastered the contents of one.of his tins. He would'ask the ' assembly to choose either black or brown polish. Either seemed to taste equally good to him. . 1 \ , ~ ■ ; But it has just come to his notice that a well-known comedian named Milton has appeared, in the title role of film entitled "The Shoe Polish King. M. Aufray contends that in this film Milton ha! not only copied his gestures, but has imitated his. professional uniform and has usurped _ his title. M. Aufray has announced his intention of suing for damages. He proposes further that there should be a contcet between Milton and himself, the one who could eat the most tins of shoe polish being proclaimed kind in his own domain.