RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30092, 28 March 1963, Page 24

RANDOM REMINDER

DON’T READ THIS

We are a regulationridden mob. It’s bad enough learning to live with Archimedes’ Principle, Boyle’s Law, Occam's Razor, Finagle’s Factor, Anderson’s Constant, Parkinson’s Laws and the Police Offences Act, with amendments, without the crushing burden of by-laws, regulations, orders, instructions, restrictions, requests and by orders. Indeed a bedtime story of the future about our age might well begin: "Once upon a time gentlemen please keep off the grass and don’t

pick the daisies.” It would probably go on to explain that no dogs then were allowed to loiter under the age of 21. They had to pay here, queue there, push this door, pull that one, keep to the paths, use the opposite stairway, cross now, slow, give W’ay, stop, stay between the flags, keep to the left and keep moving. By order they could not consume ice-cream nor any other confection in the bus, unless on a leash. They had to move down the back, give up their seats, shut the gate, stand clear, watch out for motors,

keep clear of entrances, use the exits, cross now, get a licence, stick no bills, give way to the right, register, get on the roll, shop early, change down, post now, avoid the peaks, keep quiet and vote early and often. There was no singing here, no running, no shouting, no smoking, no entrance and no exit. Indeed life was regulated like life in the zoo (please don’t feed the animals). But revolution was in the air when the authorities announced their final edict: don’t feed the meters.