A STREAM LINED AGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 31 March 1936, Page 7

A STREAM LINED AGE

(To the Editor; Sir, —My attention has been directed to a letter in your paper by “Ex-Pat-ient” complaining about being abruptly addressed by bis surname alone by the young nurses in attendance whilst lie was in the institution.- The preliminary handle “Mr” seems to have been “cut out,” and it hurt his feelings. May 1 be permitted to point out that we live in a stream lined age ! From language to limousines. Everything is now ''streamlined.” From cars t.o conversation, from trucks to talk, speed and celerity is everything. You must “get there'’ quick -—“cut the cackle and get to business, if I may be permitted to employ an Americanism.’ Even in the exalted circles in which I myself move “streamlining” is now the order of the day. Take my old friend the Duke of Stone Haven! His Grace at times suffers acutely from the gout. - We never dream of enquiring about his health in this old-fashioned way, “How does your Grace find yourself this morning?" We merely say, “How are you Stone?” or “How is it, Stone?” Streamlining is now almost universal. I say “almost” advisedly. The ’ other afternoon at my favoured corner I listened in to the Speech from the Throne. Apparently streamlining as yet has not penetrated into our Upper Chamber. That Speech might have been composed bv Mr Mieawber himself! Leisurely and quite old-fashioned ! Again, "streamlining” has hardly penetrated into the inner precincts of the undertaking industry. From that rather far off day when Moses, a very small boy. was found amongst the bulrushes, there has been no material advance in the art of coffin construction. In this, I feel inventors have displayed a lamentable remissness—a remissness I hope to see repaired at an early elate, as I have a patent in my mind's eye now, and when duly launched on the market we shall all have tiie pleasing knowledge that stream-lining covers an entire earthly so-journ.-~1 am, etc.. “CHEERFUL JIMMY.” Nelson, 28th March.