ST. VITUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

ST. VITUS.

"Money is no longer stable; it seems to be afflicted with St. Vitus' dance. The traveller notices this .more than anyone else. It is a great joy to come to New Zealand, where the humble Britisher gets about 24/6 for his pound. Hating gambling as I do, I have been gambling ever since I left Southampton. But I don't believe in this, fluctuating exchange business. It is sheer robbery. Wo are all gambling, repudiating, defaulting—it is a symptom of post-war disturbance."

—The Rev. Dr. F. W. Norwood.

How sad it is when currenclcs All suffer from St. Vitus, When Timothy is short of cash, But not his brother Titus; When British pouiwls in dear Enzed Fetch twenty-four—a tanner, But our loud notes in London town Fall in a frightful manner. What fun when one's own modest sum (Raised by tho purest gumption), Will sicken with the worst T. 8., Just galloping consumption ; When Fernleaf sells his silver discs To Bull, who seems quite willing, To swap tho bobs of baser sort, At several for a shilling. How rum to find that paper notelj All from the Bank of England, Suffer from adiposity In this our fair young Sprlngland; Hoav more than quaint when Aucklanders With poverty are undone, But who are Croesuses at once If they but go to London. And universal brotherhood Enhanced by Empire rambling, Consists* in meeting relatives, And beating them at gambling; ■How sweet to rook the other chap For several hundred dozen Of buckshee quidlets (per exchange), Especially from a cousin. How glorious now that justice reigns Each day (including Sundays), To know it's right to beat,your mate For anything, bar undies; To rook him for his shirt, lilb home, His jol>— his very nation, To justify the same and say 'Tis merely reparation. I often think at close of day, When hanging up my trousers, No happier life than mine could be, Including my dog Towser'S; No brutal cousin steals my purse, . I have 110 anxious minute, 1 have a good zipp-fastened purse, Thank heaven there"# nothing in it. —C.J.