POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 44, 20 August 1930, Page 8

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

By PERCY FLAGE

Marino architecture is progressive! but its greatest invention seems to b« radio.

Henry Ford is credited with the view; (with which we agree) that women, should keep house and look out fo* their husbands. One flaw in the notion: is that many of the husbands are s»; long in arriving.

Latest news from Doom. The cxi Kaiser is comparatively poor. He hai nineteen families to support.—Tl«j world would 'be more interested toj know how many families across th«j border are keeping Wilhelm. -

Apropos of a reference of ours yestew day to hard-faced sportswomen, Mrs* S. M...p..p writes us: "May I suggest! that you have missed the vital pointi of the matter. It is this. There's many] a hard faeo looks out from a warm; heart."—We had overlooked , thas aspect.

• * «• • Dr. Sutherland, of Victoria College^ in. an interesting address on "Primi* tive Art": "Prom the Bronze Age ofl Europe curious seven-foot trombone* come down to us winch suggest sonm sense of music." —We think that thaj same can fairly be said of the* modern; instrument.

It was cabled yesterday that tin) British air exercise ended in tho minuai '■ Powers agreeing to accept the mediation of the League of Nations.—lt lookj as though the League will have to b«i taken more seriously in future. » * •»

Several days ago a woman witness] told the Arbitration Court that hen. husband's average earnings were &'$ 15s a week, and they paid 26s a weelsj of that for the rent of two rooms.—Sym« patby, however, must not blind us .taj the fact that the Government' has giveaj tho people an outstanding lead in eeo« noinising—in expenditure.

Trade note: Uncle Sam's last "glorious 4th" celebrations resulted in 17J| deathsj "many other hundreds were in* jured."—This is a record. It is coniw dently expected, however, among proi prietors of mortuary parlours in par* ticular, that new figures will be hoists ed nest year, and the morticians arij preparing accordingly.

If there is anything in the legend that the stork brings the new baby] brother or sister, a general fall in th«; birth-rate is in prospect. It is report, ed from historic Strasbourg that thaj storks themselves are showing signs ofl being affected by the modern craze- fo^ small families, or no family at all. lii| a neighbouring province the birth-ratu of 87 families of storks fell from 257j in 1928 to 218 last year. We commend) this fact to the good bishops at Lam.-, beth Palace.

There have beea high jinks dowis Dunedin way, according to a relentles^ investigator. His disclosures put th«j Southern city definitely among th<* "white lights." Tho story resounds with "shrieking inanity," the crash o$ discarded bottks, ana liquoi-Btained revelry generally. It occurs to Us tlial| these bright young things in the oncedour South would find the social gaiety of the Eskimos rather small beer sfteij their hip-pocketed hectic revels. Not that the Eskimos do not dance; they; do, after their own serious and circumspect fashion, and make a night Of it into the bargain. But so far as Caa bo gathered, everybody is on his fee* When the accordion (the orchestra) wheezes to quiet and nobody needs aa ambulance. The explanation is that there is no vestige of liquor presents (though "refreshments" are provided). Dried figs are served now and then, with! a meal of boiled seal and plenty ofl water to dissipate weariness. And.whei^ strangers aro present there arc ehapevons Who do not go to sleep on: th<* reindeer rugs, half-way through: th* carnival.

Moral stimulus from a topassionatf and thoughtful hillsider: "If. neves rains but something gets wet.- Mjj fellow-patriots (and ratepayers) 6tt th«§ Moi-nington and Melrose-Houghton Basj way are beseeching the City Council for improved transport facilities, but in; vain. Up go.es the slump sign . . 4 the deputation departs with nothing bu| ; A sense of duty done. To those whoj hav.e thus been sent empty sway; I offeq this suggestion, which, reinforced by, genial weather, may help, to encourage the sturdier minds of MelrosG and Morn* ington to sing and be strong again. Th« idea emanates from one of those heroii* climbers who recently attacked th«j seemingly impregnable slopes of Kimchinjunga. The South "Wellington ridge* are not even miniature Himalayas; cvea so, the principle may bo said to b«f none the less applicable. Here are tha mountaineer's own words: 'Men who will force a way to tho summits 0$ Everest or Kinchinjunga will be capable of disciplined minds as well a$ bodies. They will be genuine philosot phers, who experience in mountaineer* ing something far greater and finer thai< the mere physical joy of struggling with' an inanimate object.' To yoti hills, Q philosophers of Brooklyn! Forsake thgi trams and buses of your imagination. 5*

This morning's mail brought us ri letter from a gentleman signing hilngell "Delectable Dan." The address in«crib« ed—we are at liberty to make publioj these details—is "Tho Pines," overlooks ing the Hataitai tunnel. Our hew clientf states that he has read this cOluuiaj over since it was established. He likes it, "fragtueutarily", (his own tetfui), bu<j is of the opinion it could be improved,; and offers the help of his stub oi 4 pencil to that noble end. "Deleetablsj Dan" reads something like a vebel wity ideas of his own. He has found thai winter rather distressing, because thai roof of his cottago leaks, and tha; place itself is scandalously draughty .... so much so that he has been com* polled to seek shelter in the tunnel* Hia experiences there have convinced him that tunnels ought always to ba constructed at right angles to the prevailing winds. He enclosed with his communication his genealogical tree, whiah has obviously proved a god-send to a borer community, though the heart wood is sound enough still. Wo are empowered to add for the Information of a visualisod expectant public (hat "D.D." is not interested in (1) whales, (2)" McndelLsm, (3) the Welfare League, (4) ( vcrs libre, (5) Soviet culture, and (6), tho Bulgaria to Switzerland "chicken; express" as subjects for Postscripts. He regards the in em Lor for Waitomata as the uio&l. promising prospective Prime Minister in sight, anil says that li« ("D.D.") is fit work on a corker yam about a cave-woman's nccklneo made of tho joints of a, centipede. We hope t» hear moro of him. ■