ODE TO THE PRESS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 August 1926, Page 6

ODE TO THE PRESS.

[The following verses were recited by Alderman W. Canadine in proposing the toast of “The Press” at the anniversary dinner of the Mayor of Lewes in England recently.] Who is it, when we air our views, Unmindful of our P’s and Q’s, Will edit and revise the news? The Press. Who puts the crosses to our t’s, And dots our i’s and things' like these; Reports us in a style to please? The Press. Who, when we “li’m” and ”er” and stutter, And o’er our speech get in a flutter, Will make it read as smooth as butter? The Press; And when we flounder by the way, And all our notes have gone astray, Who prints just what we meant to say? The Press. Who is it, when we have a leaning To lengthy speech with little meaning, Restrains us ' from too much selfpreening? The Press. And when we make our hearers choke By springing on them some old joke, Who does its best the crime to cloak? The Press. And when we’ve done and take our seat, With pride in utterances so neat, Who sifts the chaff from out the wheat, And strips us of our self-conceit? The Press. Who to our virtues oft is kind, And to' our faults is sometimes blind, And thereby gives us ease of mind? The Press.