Oddments

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1947, Page 6

Oddments

The boss is the man who is early when you are late and late when you are early. *s* * * Sometimes —very, very occasionally—the Opposition thanks a Minister for doing something or not doing something, whichever appeals at the moment. Mr E. P. Aderman (New Plymouth) was grateful for the cooperation shown by the Minister, in Charge of Termite Control and Allied Pests (a strictly unofficial portfolio) in contributing to the cost of telling termites where they get off or out. Mr D. W. Coleman (Government, Gisborne): “Aren’t you well this evening?” Government voice: “The termites have been at him.” The life’s work of a termite is by no means a monopoly. *****

An example of the grim conditions under which the Battle of Trafalgar was fought is provided in the following incident related in The Times, November 7, 1805: A midshipman of the name of Price was brought into the cockpit of the Victory (Nelson s flagship) with his leg cut off up to the calf; he was an heroic youth of 17. The surgeons could not attend to him at the moment. He drew out a knife and cut off the piece of flesh and the splinter of the bone with great composure. “I can stay, said he; “let me doctor myself.” When the surgeon attended him, it was found necessary to amputate above the knee. He submitted to the operation without a*'groan. “It is nothing at all,” he said. “I thought it had been ten times worse.”

—The Seeker