POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 127, 25 November 1935, Page 10

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FUGE

"Winsh": Definition—figure of speech: Politician. • • '• • All members of all political parties * know what they want; what the i>eople need is a secondary consideration. ' . • * * These days, that party slogan,' "Bet. ter the devil you know than the' devil you don't," leaves the elector a devil* own choice. • • • A Prohibition advocate states that "men now drink who never drank before the war." And a lot of fellows shave who never shaved before the war. "Flapper" sends this one along with an appreciative reference to thif column:— DON'T KILL YOUR WIFE— Let*— do your dirty work. Suits, Frocks, and Costumes Cleaned and Pressed, 3s 6d. *. • • . .• TALKING OF SLIPS— "Drum."—Reports come to band, sometimes with disturbing frequency, of serious slips in many parts of the country, and it is. therefore with satisfaction that we learn that, as a rule, they are all rapidly cleared away. Yet, while this may be so, the gloomy forebodings so apparent at present in certain political quarters can only be accounted for by the imminent danger of an overwhelming landslide. *■* ■ • FAVOURED SOUNDS. Dear Mr. Flage,—A few sounds to swell your collection: A bee busy on a sunny (?) morn; a mother hen calling her chicks; Christmas carols played by band in street; church bells chiming" on a still Sab- • bath morn; a child saying its prayers; a new-born babe's first cry; Hubby's voice when he homes home to tea, at 5.30 p.m.; Paul Lukas's voice over the wireless; the hen telling us she has laid another egg.. Kind regards and best wishes FROM MOTHER; Locusts on a hot day,- friendly jingle of a pocketful of silver; impatient gurgle of beer slowly poured out; the closing of the oven door on Sunday morning; working of. winches on the ships on a quiet day. MULLIGATAWNY". • ■ . * •■ • • INQUIRY DEPARTMENT. E. Carroll.—There was a "He" Bible, a "Vinegar1' Bible, and even a "Veer" Bible, and each so-called because of misprints. The first edition of the King James version, Ruth HI 15, read: "As 'he' went into the city." The mistake was corrected in the edition that followed. In another unauthentic edition "vineyard" in a headline was printed "vinegar"—hence the "Vinegar" ' Bible. Another edition became known as the "Beer" Bible for the reason that "strong drink" (in Isaiah xxiv, 9) was so printed. M. E. Train.—Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen, America's representative in Denmark, is not the first woman to hold an ambassadorial office. .The Karolyi Government of Hungary established such aprece'dent in 1918 when it jappointed : Mme. Rosika Schwimmer to represent : it in Switzerland. .: ' ■ • ■ ■*.■/♦ .... . AUCKLAND -NEED WORRY! , Dear Sir, —L.A.8., of Ngaio, produces the unerring figures of a Government Department in order to give one in t'eye for Auckland, but he doesn't tell the full story. The following facts, are from the Year Book of 1928. In more recent years this fuller information is not given, although there is no reason why it should not be. Anyhow, here are some more presumably unerring figures:—(l) Over a period of seventy-four years to 1927 the mean annual rainfall in Auckland was 44.44 in on 184 days (page 28). In Wellington over sixty-nine years it was' 48.11 in on 166.7 days (page 30). (2) Sunshine over the same period shows 1947 for Auckland against 20 18 for Wellington, but observe that Auckland has more sunshine during June, July, and August when it is more needed. Further than that, and in spite of the oft-repeated statement by Wellingtonians that Auckland is so terribly hot, the mean temperature there is only four degrees above that of Wellington. The notes in the Year Book specially mention that in Auckland cumulus clouds are frequently formed in the afternoons, and while tempering the heat of the day also cut down sunshine records somewhat but add considerably to the beauty of the land- and seascape. As against this we know from experience here how many otherwise beautifully sunny days are spoiled by a really cold wind, even in summer. So on the whole I don't know that the Aucklanders are \n need of much pity after all. WAIKATO. HORACE AND OSIE. LINE SERVICE—AND LONDON. We went on then to Verreinging anj camped on the' Val River just do ia out-post dooty while peace negootegr tions were being held. When peac* was declared some of our officers went across the Val River shoot in Springbok a course the Boer's out-back ditf 0 not know peace had been declared anjj a course they staged a war between themselves we lost a few men and sj» did the boers We then came back tj> N.Z. all Ero's a course. I got a medaji 3" as big as a frying pan with Barj !;' on it and a ribbon, was that line servic* "? I asked Horace. ... I signed off i« , London after the Great War and ft r aj must tell you of some of me life> , istory when I was travelling a boarcf I stayed in Russell Square in a Toff Hotel were the button boys open thw door for you and the ladies bow t(r you so prettily and you wish you wer» a milion air so as you could mingl* with them for ever I got an under- ■ ground train and as I had passed th<» ,R station I wanted to get out at I.though! I had better stay in the carrage till I came to it again as the train wen» UP round and round. The peojle 11* ns underground trains in London ff.'e very as quiet you could hear a pin drop if. gh em. Not like the trains in N.Z. where all ands is talkin and nobody listenin 'or owever I goes Home to me Hotel lie at larst never had to open any doors «d the button boys did that. I went into ds Dinner at 7 o'clock and I was ungry 1W not being used to aye ing me meal's be so late. There were four of us at he my table and each person had about 1r- twenty different knives and spoons 2W and falks. I was not sure of picking an up the right instriment so I just of watched the other toffs I thought I was set to take my part and no one of would wake up that my education had ■he been neglected when a big Toff kept or- puttin big words to me. (He said you to are a antopedian I presume) well I *ar | have seen centipedes and of course I of thought lie was speaking of reptiles I )ds said I dont think there are any m ea- New Zealand you might find them m India. They all laughed so did I when it I had a look at the dictionery wishing nd you well. Lyall Bay.