POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 12

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

By Percy Flack,

Suggested cable business address for Lord Nuffield: Benefactions Unlimited. It is obvious that when Bradman is f in his element the bowlers are out of theirs. Herr Hitler reiterates that Germany was not responsible for the Great War, Maybe it was Andorra then. * « * Also, most cheerful Brigadier F. P. Crozier, there are people who go pompously silly while gas masks are still unnecessary. LOOKING FORWARD. Harihaha.—l walked past the G6v» ernment Life building this morning— ■ having missed my free car-ride to the city—and an illuminating thought was inspired by its massive girderation. In the distant future, when the civilisa-tion-after-next has ploughed in the last fragments of the Great Pyramid, some archaeologist will find his way deviously into our steel and stone labyrinth and wonder how it was built, and what on earth it was for. « * * LIFE'S CHANCES. (Filched from a contemporary.) I gaze across the street so wide; I start, I dart, I squirm, I glide, I take my chances—O, so slim — I trust to eye and nerve and limb. I scoot to right, I gallop through, I'm here—l'm there—l'm lost to view. My life, I know, hangs on tht toss, Another plunge—and I'm acrossl O, give me pity if you can; I am a poor pedestrian. BLACKFEATHER'S END. Warrior blood ~ surged darkly through his veins. Royal blood. Blue blood. All kinds of blood. He smiled up at the executioner. . .: -• For years he had been held captive in enemy territory, until he had been lulled into a sense of peace which in his innermost being he knew was false. What security was there to be found among such ferocious foes? He smiled up at the executioner. He smiled up at the executioner. He saw beyond the menacing face the uplifted axe; he saw the bright sun and the blue sky. He heard the mutterings of the remnant of his tribe, with him in captivity, but not to share his release. He was the prince among his fellows; he was the first to go. The axe was falling. He smiled up at the executioner. ■ • Came a female voice, piercing the stillness, commanding, shrill. The axe was suspended, held impotent as it were against its own volition. "Man," cried the voice, "not that wizened creature! We want a Christmas dinner! There's not enough meat to feed a cat on that old rooster." .HORIRI. INQUIRY DEPARTMENT. "Bodyline" (Paekakariki). —All we know about it is that in an article for the "Cape Times" (South Africa) Hobbs temperately expressed the opinion (early in the Test series) that Bradman did not make a good captain. As to why, Hobbs was not quite clear. "Sceptical'"— The facts are as stated. The original name of the "daft" village, Hazel Grove, was "Bullock's Smithy," but back in 1836 the villagers won a long battle for a more picturesque name. F. Cunninghame.— Singapore's civil airport, which cost a round million, will be opened on Coronation Day.^y The site was reclaimed from swamp and mangrove flats. Shall try to obtain further details for you. "Old-Timer" asks for particulars of the remains of Maori pas on the hills around the city, with special reference to their sites. By 'phone, "Slim Sam" (no relation to "Slim Jim") wants to know if anything ever came of those proposed physical training classes for politicians. MORNING TEA MONOLOGUE, r see that on the 'Onours List My name, as usual! 'as'been missed. I ain't surprised, becos, like flats, Bill-'n'-me joined the Demmercrats At larst election, an' you bet, Savage ain't likely to forget.. It must of made 'im very sore. -I'll 'aye to live that dow^n before The reckernition that I pray An' long for, dear, will come my way. I think I'll write Joe an,' explain 'Ow I won't do such Afrings again. An' that nex' time 'c can rely On me-'n'-Bill to make the sky The limit on hees best be'alf. You see, my dear —an' please don't laugh— There'll be more 'onours 'anded round When our noo Hemperor King is crowned. The Furore's speech? There's nothink there For me, "but 'igh-compressed 'ot air, Jest blather, bally'oo an' bunk— Stallin could beat that if hees drunk. But, bein', dearie, what I am, That 'and out'eld by Uncle Sam To John Bull (meanin' England) sent A thrill right through me, for it meant If 'Itler steals the Kaiser's cloak (Hees an ambitious sorter bloke), An' starts hees funny tricks, why, then, Hamericans an' Henglishmen Will rise in mass to right the wrong,. An' put those 'Uns where they belong. The Stars-'n'-Stripes an' Union Jack Could sweep the 'osts uv 'Ades back, If it should 'appen 'ell broke loose . I've lorst five pound—on orange juice. * * * GLOW-WORMS. Last week, towards evening, we encountered in the Botanic Gardens two visitors from Island Bay who wanted to know where the -'.'glow-worm caves were. There are no caves, of course; these creatures have their most populated colonies along the banks of the creek and other damp depressions in the valley that leads up to Glen Road. Though our chance acquaintances had lived in or about Wellington for the last 17 years they had not heard of the glow-worms until a few days ago. Moreover, they didn't know that there was such a beauty spot in the Gardens as the Begonia House. Like most people, these tourists thought that the glow-worm was a worm until - ( we enlightened them, as an F.Z.S. authority had enlighted us. The glow-worm is in fact a beetle. Its chief food consists of snails and slugs, believe it or not. The glow-worm will follow a snail to its lair, then it attacks its prey at the opening of the shell and eats away the juicy matter. That accounts, in part, for the empty shells in some secluded spot. When the grub of this beetleattacksaslug.it likes to destroy its victim by biting at the back of the head. The small grub will find it a difficult task to climb up the slimy back, but it overcomes this with a set of brushes it has near the tail.. By pressing these against a snail's back it gets a firm support to pravent it from slipping while it travels onward with its exceedingly short legs. After a meal o(T one of these succulent creatures the grub is covered in slime, but is able to brush clean its own • body.