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Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1939, Page 4

Atticus in the Sunday Times writes that the wizard of B.rchtesgaden has; not- only challenged our destiny, hut is interfering, with., .our habits. AU ft dignified private dinner party the other night 1 was. shocked, when ■the men joined the ladies, to find one of the ladies oil her face on the drawing room floor and the others all gathered around her in a heated and, it seemed, inhuman discussion. AVe learned that all but. one of the ladies had taken a first aid course and were demonstrating their mutual skill on eacli other. A few days before I had stood respectfully and admiringly as a fire engine swept recklessly round the corner. One of the firemen, whose balance seemed unusually precarious and whose rubber boots were as large as bis hat was small, waved to me. It was my friend Sir Shirley AVorthington-Evans, whose father was Secretary of State for AAhar 15 years ago. A day or two later I was nearly run down by an ambulance driven by a. most comely young woman. While learning to drive the ambulance she had suddenly decided not to lose touch with her skill with lipstick. A friend of mine who possesses a most fastidious nature persuaded me to watch him at- work with the decontamination squad of which he is a member. Dressed in rubber overalls and gas mask, one of them spread a chalky substance on the pavement. At this my friend poured water on it from a small hose while his colleagues carefully swept tlie unpleasant substance away. After that it seems .perfectly natural to find gas-proof doors on the terrace level of the House of Commons inviting us to pull them toward us.