THE PASSING SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1936, Page 6

THE PASSING SHOW.

(By THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.)

The next ensuing Olympic Games are to l>e lielfl in a German stadium—-at Brunewald, to wit. An English Press person, who seems to be bosom pals with GAMES— all sorts of German AND AFTER, swells, says he was personally conducted round the whole shooting match by a German general and that it is all the last word in efficiency and permanency. The stands are magnificent and the athletes' village, which has been constructed at Doebcritz, a wonder. The English pressman who was personally conducted by the famous Gorman general remarked to him that the Germans seemed to have spent enormous sums of money on what, after all, was but "a temporary affair." The great general smiled, and not without pride. "The buildings are not temporary," he said. "After the Games are over they are to be converted into barracks."

Someone leaves a clipping herein reprinted. There is no indication of its source or author, but tho Parliament referred to is the mother of them all. Evening THE WHITE TIE. clothes and a boiled shirt can look and feel extremely garish in the cold light of morning. Members of Parliament fresh (or rather stale) from an all-night sitting are alone inclined to flaunt their inappropriate attire before the photographers. The white shirt and the night's crop of whiskers are emblems of a devotion to duty which should impress constituents. After the week-end's all-night sitting—it ran on until after midday—the story was told of one member who encountered domestic trouble. He left home after dinner the previous night, telling his wife that an allnight sitting was probable. Unfortunately, his name was not ticked off in one early morning division, and a Whip thereupon rang up his house from Westminster about 8 a.m. and asked that he should > come along and help. His wife said she understood her husband was at the House of Commons; anyway, he was not at home. The conversation became a little difficult; so was the domestic situation when the member did at last go home.

Tf "the colonel's lady and Bridget O'Grady" are "sisters under the skin," the University graduate is own brother to the tough, the hooligan and the rioter. THE "RAG." A cablegram tells of the

Edinburgh students' "rag" with an actress as the victim—a story hardly gentle and wholly lacking in chivalry. Other University men have during past years made solemn compacts not to go to war if war breaks out, but this apparently does not prevent those hilarious peace battles that indicate the blood brotherhood between 'toucrh and gownsman. The fairness of youthful high spirits in University melees has often been doubted, and a celebrated writer mentions with perfect enjoyment of Oxford students' methods, that in a "town and sown" fight the "gowns" hired a professional bully—a prizefighter—dressed him in cap and gown— and won the battle against the "cads" by his aid. Many noble ragsters possess battered police helmets won in fights against the law which they afterwards administer. Manv a subsequent judge would put his finger 011 his lip and murmur, "Xot a word!" You may not remember that when Edinburgh first made lady doctors the whole man element of the university behaved with such violence and lack of chivalry that the world rang and foreigners referred to "these savage Englishmen." A noted Xew Zealand chancellor who objected to "rags" and disciplined graduates was hardly popular—and the occasional savagery of potential highbrows demonstrates how nearly related is the "cad" to the "nob."

It has been fearlessly declared that as the King while still Prince of Wales went home to England from the Continent wearing

a green hat, green socks GREEN JACKET, and a green tie, green

will predominate in men's clothes during the ensuing season. Green, in which Mature most indulges, of all colours the most suitable for suits, but in the coming .-eason i;Hn will rossibly not lnduLfi so mu'/h in an altogether of verdancy, but will begin with mere allusions per stripe, speck or other modest greenery, sr that at a distance a la>i'.ion:ible man will look as dull of usual. \ou may wager that when the King re-entered his realm from the Continent *he didn't go the whole leaf—he wasn't green all over like a patch of new grass—or a total job like a Grannie Smith apple. And yet why not? A stripe or a speck or a spot of green is greenish, but the real Hood business. Bankei s- in suits of Lincoln preen—even with g'reenhide jerkins—would refresh the urban sceneiy. Robin Hood and those other merric fellows wore whole green—and were thus the heialds of khaki. The forest ruffian wore green so that he would blend with the leaves, just as Tommy wears khaki to blend with the brownish distance. The French "horizon blue" to blend with the skies, and so forth. If the King would lie more definite—if lie would go the whole leaf or the entire field of grass! Ihe King s Rifle Brigade wears "invisible preen in full dress—and you can see it for miles.

The Man AA ith the Blue Eves, the round hoi n spectacles and the enpapinir smile went to Wellington from Auckland on business. With others he stayed THE DOUBLE, at a hotel. It was ob\ •ions

tli*t his presence caused a mild sensation. His friends, maybe, were initially responsible for this universal curiosity, and there was ;tn obvious inclination to bask in his presence and to shake hands with him. A certain element of pleased deference was present, and there is 110 doubt that those who enjoyed a new acquaintance with the new "Prime Minister" were quite impressed with "Mr. Savage." Thereafter ".Mr. Savage" went with friends to a picture show, and here npain those present evinced a deference highly gratifying and rose with great politeness. He might have had the whole seating accommodation if lie had said the word that the l'rime Minister was indulging in this innocent people's pastimes. Ultimately the man from Auckland and his friends gatlicied iu a nice glass room—only semiprivate. Little processions of people passed the door and gazed curiously in and retired whispering. A clergyman politely knocked and said his friends in the next room would take it as a great compliment if the riwht honourable gentleman would look in. °He looked in. The gathering rose as one man, and the Auckland man with the blue eyes and the engaging smile was introduced—and a handshaking ensued. He felt that the joke had gone far enough and owned that he was merely an apparent double of the Prime Minister—and both parties enjoyed the incident. Recently this gentleman entered an Auckland hairdresser's saloon. He was received with uncommon deference, and the hairdresser, thoughtfully gazing at his client, said at last, At first I thought you were Mr. Savage— but you aren't, are you?"

THOUGHTS FOR TO-DAY. There are two Worlds; tTie world that we can measure with line and rule, and the world that we feel with our hearts and imaginations. —Leigh Hunt. Sitting still and wishing Don't make the country great. Jhe good Lord sends the fishing, But you must dig the bait. Religion is no more possible without prayer than poetry without language or music without atmosphere.—James Aiiu'tineau.