POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CCXV, Issue 13, 17 January 1938, Page 8

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment BY PERCY FUCJ Nudists arc the boys (and girls) to run baresark! * * « » France's Popular Front has the appearance, of being a little "dicky." » # * At Trentham tomorrow the going threatens to be as hard for some horses as for many punters. « * # We were rather thrilled at th« coincidence that • Anthony Eden and ourselves returned to the treadmill about the same time. * » * It was Horace Smith who coined this aphorism: Speculation—an invest* ment which ofttimes Results in the los of its first letter. * * # AEROPLANES FOR ALL. One of our Cabinet Ministers loGks for the time when every family will run a car. Hitler seems to be heading the same way with a State-built £65 machine. And now aeroplane* would appear to have arrived at th« stage where they v/ill no longer be tha rich man's toy. At the Paris Exposition a single-seater sports plane W33 offered for sale at £112. It is a twocylinder, 32 h.p. gadget, built for safe piloting by the amateur, and is claimed to have a landing speed of only 12J m.p.h. Two-seater sports planes with a cruising speed of 105 m.p.h. were offered at £180. * < • IRISH BULL. (Author Unknown.) A worthy baronet, of Erin's clime Had a famed telescope in his possession, And on a time Of its amazing powers he made profession. "Yon church," cried he, "is distant near a mile; Yet when I view it steady for a while. Upon a bright and sunny day, My glass so strong and clear Does bring the church so near That often I can hear the organ playf » * 9 NOBLE TRIBUTE. This from J.I. (Lower Hutt):— Dr. Johnson paid the following noble tribute to his wife: "Her wit was never employed-to scoff at goodness, nor her reason to dispute against truth. Sh« had a just diffidence of her own reason and desired to practise rather than dispute. Her practice was such as her opinions naturally produced; she was exact and regular in her devotions, ex*. tremely charitable in her judgment and opinions, grateful for every kindness that she received, and willing to impart assistance of every kind to all whom her little power enabled her to benefit." •» # • ' ■ NEW YEAR MESSAGE. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch wrote thesw lines 'for J. D. Beresford, well known, as a novelist and story writer with ■■ philosophic mind:— As the Zodiac circle revolved Bringing . Capricorn round tori Aquarius, My faults year by year I resolved To reform (they were frequent an*1 various).; ■•■■•! But this life is a catholic ground, ■ ■, And a trespass so like usus fttte-j tuum, That a way with my faults I hav« • found — Rechristen 'em "habits" and stuck t»> 'erri. • ■" ' We like that piece of light-hearted* ness, don't you? * * * GREETINGS. "Hello" all you friendly folks, "Hello" boys and just plain blokes, "Hello" everybody (that Is what we were driving ati. There you are, and here are we At the desk—the year-end spree Ended, and once more we face With, Postscripters, no good grage, Work—which we should litfe tfe mention Is man's silliest invention. Still, they say what can't be cure* Must be suffered, or endured. Anyhow, it's nice again— Speaking in a serious vein— To be here and talk to you As it is our wont to do. How are things? Okay? That's great! No wolf snuffling at the gate? Splendid! Top hole! Posh, etc.rThings get betterer and betterer. No pain after heavy dinners? One or two (or three) nice winners? (Lucky people!) Happy times Where the green wave slowly climbf Up warm beaches? Loads of fun Everywhere for everyone? Good! We had our share of it, And have come back fighting fit, Keen to put this crabbed world right With some well-meant blatherskite. * * * PLEASANT INTERLUDE. One of the most pleasant surprises o\ our vacation happened yesterday evening. With the aid of a cigarette, we Were mentally discussing the column with ourselves when ■ the 'phone burred. At the other end of the line was one of our earliest contributors, a lass with a sprightly mind, who, after a few months of postscripting, had married and gone to Melbourne. She returned to New Zealand, on business, towards the latter end of the year, and,. coming on to Wellington, thought she would ring us up to see if we were still on the job or had been sacked, or had become a permanent resident of the local crematorium (as she put it). We talked of manythings and places and people. ... She asked for a tip for Trentham. We replied that we took tips (of the palmoil brand) but rarely gave them. She told us that she had 5s on Wotan when he won the Melbourne Cup, and intended to back him for the Wellington Cup. We warned her that he had no chance and when she asked us why, we informed her that Wotan did not happen to be starting. That question dealt With, she said that she had seen the Prime Minister in the Botanic Gardens before lunch that day. "He had a nice grey well-cut suit Oft—no cuffs to the pants—a swell grey hat, and tie to match," she explained. "He was accompanied by a young man, but it was Mr. Savage who made the pace. "I notice he did not appear to be interested in the brilliant colours that Were everywhere. As any woman would do, I followed them up the centre path and saw Joe try his weight on the machine near the bandstand. I'm certain he put his own penny in the slot," she continued, and we added: "Of course, he would," knowing that the P.M. has a conscience in such matters. Our caller-up concluded an interesting half-hour by assuring us that the columnist of the "Australasian" was' a belter man than we were, Gunga Din, and when we agreed she seemed somewhat disappointed. By the way, we almost forgot to say that the ladyinquired as to Mr. Forbes's political whereabouts and prospects, but, playing safe, we referred' her to the gentleman himself. Mr. Forbes need not fear meeting hor;-she-has,''j>osßs»« f ality" plus.