THE PASSING SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 282, 28 November 1932, Page 6

THE PASSING SHOW.

(By THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.)

A man wlio has been in Germany since the new sabre rattling lias been one of the features of social life mentions that cigarette smoke shows the way the FRITZ'S SMOKE, wind blows. Formerly the German cigarette manufacturer contented himself with exotic names for his products. You could buy a packet of "Senoussi" or "Manoli" and so forth. however, 110 von Papenite would be seen without a fag of the "Colonel" brand between his lips. The picture on the front is of the oldtype Prussian officer with the monocle and the bullet head. Reicbbanner Socialists, Hitlerites, Communists and what not lind inspiration in gaspers bearing the names of "Storm,' "New Front," "Alarm," "Drummer" and many other brands indicative of the tendency to kick up a row. America is aware of this reaction and is aiding in the invention of expressive titles for the fag of Fritz.

The little lady who knows little about form, and who couldn't recitc the pedigree of Pliar Lap, Carbine or Eclipse for the life of her, went to the THE TIP. Takapuna races. She did very well, indeed, while a lieaven-born punter who can give you lists of winners for the past forty years b6rrowed a shilling to get back to the wharf. The little lady's congratulatory friends discussed her good luck. She had backed Maori Boy in the Alison Cup, and, as you 'are no doubt aware, the horse gave a handsome return for the speculation. A friend asked the little lady what made her back Maori Boy, and she said, "Well, I Vent from the wharf to the course in a taxi. The taxis were not allowed -to carry more than four passengers at a time. I got into the front seat with the driver and turned to see who were my fellow passengers. They were three Maori boys. No one could have a better tip than that!"

It is curious how many diverse people regard beer as a sacred institution, almost too solemn a thing to jest about, although for so many generations— MODEST before motor cars came — QUENCHER, seventy-five per cent of comic pictures were based on this article, its effects and defects. At a moment when the masses of the United States are preparing to welcome (at any price per "schooner") a pathetic imitation of the ancient drink there have been thousands of thirst marchers in Belgium agitated by the constant upward trend of the price of the pint. The Belgian is rather German in Ms beer manifestations, ancl the quart mug with the top that closes is common to the beer gardens of both big and little country. The simple habit of leaving the lid opened so that the hurtling kellner may fill her up again prevents a great deal of explanation. The Belgian or German who closes his jug means that his thirst is quenched. In the absence of statistics as to the price of beer in Brussels, one does not know the price, but since the war it has been common enough for Fritz and Jean to pop a copper in the slot and to be awarded with quite a drink. France, which catered for the ale thirst of the British soldier and his colonial helper during the war, has almost nationalised the practice herself and, of course, there have been complaints from the 'winemakers and the dealers in absinthe and other stimulating compounds. Francois noted with pleasure during the war Mr. Fernleafs partiality for ale and produced a bottled brand with, a New Zealand soldier on the label and a Maori exclamation—but you simply coujdn't expect a demonstration of beer thirst marchers in Paris. There must be a considerable infusion of Berlin in Brussels.

The two men who sat in the public vehicle aud passed the time of day, agreed that we are all snobs. One mentioned the case of obscure persons THE SHOP. who carry legal docu-

raents in the street, men who boast of the aristocracy of theij; forbears, people who don't "know" their next-door neighbours, and all that sort of thing. The other pointed a manicured nail to the news cablegram conveying the breathless news that Daniel Buckley had been appointed Governor-General of the Irish Free State. As the apparently rather hurt cable man naively remarks, "The appointment has caused tremendous surprise." But the cable gentleman hastens to impress his democracy on the readers of Empire by explaining that, although Mr. Buckley had been a shopkeeper, he was no longer a shopkeeper, and that his son was the shopkeeper now. It was further pointed out that this Mr. Buckley, although he had been a shopkeeper, "is esteemed by all classes," a profoundly significant thing, and maybe exonerating those peers and duchesses who permit their names to appear on shop windows in London and elsewhere. It was considered excellent foou for the groundlings a week or two ago to proclaim the glad fact that the son of a famous peer was going to work for his living. Many no doubt dropped an emotional tear at this extraordinary condescension—not so much a condescension perhaps as a bit of bait for the said groundlings. ' There was temporary horror a while since at a mere Australian being made Governor-General of the Commonwealth, and when a Labour member was made Governor of Tasmania social climbers drew a hard breath until they found that the Captain didn't drop his aitches or eat soup with a fork. We are all snobs. We love to discuss the other snobs.

Will whistling come back? The persistent siffieur says he didn't know that it had ever gone out. In a momentary pause of commercial machinery a nonWHISTLING whistler distinctly heard WIVES, at least three mellifluities within the compass of a single working flat. Mentioned that whistling connotes the happiness of the whistler; It also connotes his nervousness. There is the case of the immortal boy who whistled going through a churchyard at midnight to keep his spirits up—and the Spirits down. If there has been any diminution in the pastime of whistling it may be largely attributed, to the remarkable advance in artificial Ventures. Men who as youths made the outraged air tingle with shrieks, once fitted with top and bottom plates, become practically innocuous as whistlers. Bowlers who remark with surprise that somebody has whistled within the sacred precincts of the pavilion will be old enough to remember when professional siffleurs —aye, and professional siffleuses—travelled the world whistling for money. They did it very well. New Zealand had its crack whistler 111 Borneo Gardiner, and these professional whistlings absolutely sowed a passion for amateur whistling 'that has lasted to the present moment. Who pretends that the whittling produced by pushing four digits of the human hands between the teeth and blowing is outworn ? It is still the call for dogs and men— it has been the call for the same since the days of Eden. There is one compensatory aspect of whistling. It can be done in a whisper. Singing is absolutely toneless doue in a whisper. It is easy to beat out a tune with the whispered whistle. Curious, too, that whistling is not universal to man. Many aboriginal races can't, do it at all. Many civilised women cannot become siffleuses—and wo have poetic assurance that "the whistling wife and the crowing hen are neither good to God nor men," a classic silliness that has come down through the ages and will go siding through tlie ages still.