The Inside Story

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Inside Story

by the “PRIVATE D

N.Z. GIVES CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

ORINKERS of whisky and other liquids from overseas have reason to appreciate the prompt action of the

trade in protecting their supplies in view of a threatened restriction

drought. We all remember that black Friday when spirituous liquors disappeared and bars were given over en-

tirely to the display of fermented hops. It was shortly after the policy

of the half open door was first introduced. But a fe(w days afterwards it was happily announced that the tide would continue to flow, the importers having made arrangements to pay the British distillers at some future date —presumably after the little matter of the £17,000,000 had been attended to. The “Private D” and his 5 o’clock school wish sincerely that patrons could enter into some such similar terms on the slate with local tavern-: keepers. However, apparently big j finance of this kind can only operate" on a nation wide scale. f

* * * fjpHE perspicuity of those who order, transport, store and vend our bottled nourishment from overseas—in fact those who do everything but the final act of absorbing the contents—is greatly to be commended, more especially in view of an official statement issued last Iweek. Some of my kind readers may have missed the import of this, but it was to the effect that unless previous arrangements had been made all imports had to be paid for, c.0.d., it not being desired further to pledge the exchange resources of our tight little isle further in advance.

B UT ’ you see, the importers of the

things which fill the glass (which cheers without any qualifications), had already made arrangements. So, while it is possible that our wives may be denied access to sewing machines and (knitting needles—jno(t to mention face creams and other cosmetic confections—we twill still be able to have our nip. A friend of mine who has just returned after visiting Germany is unique in not having any opinion one way or the other regarding the Nazi system. No pograms occurred in front of his eyes, he was not stripped or arrested for taking a picture of a Storm Trooper’s pipe, but he did procure the best Munich beer for 4d per quart. And then we wonder why the German people are so contented with guns instead of butter.

,OVER at Dargaville on Saturday, ' some of the patrons indicated by hand and tongue their preference for one man against another candidate for the same position. A visitor was remarkably circumspect, not even removing one of his two coats at any period. However, after district parochialism clamoured at its brightest, he was heard to remark, sotto voce; “Tinged with a little local colour.” # # *

AND now for a Whangarei story. jLJL . The manager of a fairly large concern has recently been transferred to a similar position at another establishment of similar kind. When a blockage occurred in one of the community services he communicated with the authorities asking that men be sent to have it rectified. It was not until three days later, the trouble in front of his old premises, several persisting, that he found that the men had been digging up the street in front of his old premises, several blocks aiway! The remainder of the inside story is one not requiring words.

9 * * ) A T my golf I am making great progress. My mentor says that I have a natural swing and a good eye, but my most unruly member seems to be the tongue, which is finding many new bogeys and other expressions associated with the game. On my best morning I contributed only three balls to the common fund, and was in a stew that at one time I feared I had holed in one—and so was to be at 'further expense. In my attire I flatter myself that I look mighty well, so much so that I go down to the city, and even to my place of business in my finery.

* * 'J'HERE to my coffee-house and in my glass of milk a stiffener, the chill of (winter being in the air. Here be talk aplenty of war, of which I cannot think lightly, remembering how difficult sugar was to obtain during the last one. Then I fall awondering as to who shall pay, it being known in the United States and other places that the last war, and many other before that, be not paid for. So it seems that after all have done fighting for lands, possessions and potato patches, there will have to be yet a final round to' disclose who shall pay and with what.