THAT PIPE!

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2802, 18 November 1931, Page 5

THAT PIPE!

STRICTLY PROHIBITED? DIVISION IN COUNCIL. The even tenor of business was interrupted at last meeting of the Coromandel County Council, when one of the councillors, almost overpowered by the potency of the weed in his neighbour's pipe, protested against the habit of smoking while at the table. It wm* not etiquette to pull out a big pipe and blow smoke all over one’s neighbour. He himself was “ nearly full of foul smoke” (laughter from the smokers and the clouds of smoke increased in intensity). The half asphyxiated councillor appealed to the chairman, who stated that although smoking had been prohibited in Council in the past, every other kcal body provided ash trays all round. A voice, muffled in the depth of a billowing smoke screen, observed that “it was great stuff to keep the moths out.” One councillor, observed that he didn’t mind his neighbour smoking, so long as hi? smoked tobacco!” (Laughter from non-smokers and the ’""freeze cleared away the cloud brooding over the table.) Now that they could all see one another, one councillor discovered that there were three non-smokers and one smoker on one side of the table, and three smokers and one- nonsmoker on the other. He suggested change that would balance the feeling and customs of all the councillors at the table. Habit is habit, however, and his suggestion to change seats did not meet hearty support. One of the teetotalers suggested borrowing pipes. They became rather potent after » few years of regular attendance at council meetings, (Nonsmokeis laughed again and were joined by the cigarette consumers.) The pipe smokers, although in the minority, had command of the most, powerful ger/erating plants, and thieatcned to smoke all dissenters into obedience. For a while longer the camp was divided, and then a united decision was reached to adjourn for a "smokech!” The ncn-smokers welcomed an op-r-riunity and an excuse to escape into fresh air, while the smokers, aware of the fact, laughed together as they re-loaded their destructors and continued to foul the purity of the atmosphere. .