"TAKE IT TO PARLIAMENT"

NZ Truth, Issue 578, 15 July 1916, Page 7

"TAKE IT TO PARLIAMENT"

Dash-it-all Defiance

The Provost- Marshal's Martial Manner

A military correspondent to "Truth" sends a communique which sheds a Uttle more light on tho matter of "uftlsahs" and their huffish ways. It may be . remembered that this paper (m a previous issue) illumined the matter of the exclusiveness of "uftisahs" and gentlemen who would not deign to "ralde" m a "fuSt-clawss caw" with the very officers who had taught them practically all they knew of military evolution. Ono would think that our soldiers are not all

FIGHTING FOR A COMMONt CAUSE, but that n sort of caste or plimsoll mark of military status prevents the uppish or "puppish" ottlcahs from breathing the same air as — not common khajd "Tommies," even — but other "gentlemen and officers," thoir equal In everything but that snobbishness which marks tho son. of v moneyed pork packer or a London footman.

Another incident, characteristic of that undesirablo element which smackfl of German militarism, took place at Featherston last Saturday.

The sceno opens In a second-claws car. the steam 1h up and so la the brood of a certain "ultl-sah." A ataft-aergeant-major and a slgnaHing-ser-goant-major enter the car and sit down. Thon comes the protagonist In the play, lie is the provost-marshal (see play-bllla). He asmimos a very offensive manner and looks as haughty as a squatter who Ik dummying a thousand acres of land.

Provost-marshal: This cur is not your ear. it In for the picket. Your emits m tho front of this if you have a first -clasa ticket. If you haven't v ilrst. cluks ticket you can got Into the other (meaning the "dog boxes").

i{«»ro one of tho staff-sergeant-majors attempted to explain that they hud already travelled In the tmnciitlcd atr or a "Provost's" compartment with tho picket, und with tho* consent of the officer who was m charge of tho picket. Thon tho "drammer" continues with v neat und gentlemanly little speech from tho protagonist.

The rrovost: It's a 11«» * 1 hnvo b<'«>n tn churgf of tho train for four wvoks und you havo not travelled with the picket before. Anyway, GET OUT OP THIS! There Is a pauHe hero, and tho protnsonlHt (us the pluy books say) wulks majCNtleally off by right wlnir, tuniß and faces up ntage. hlßHlng theno wordx: "You can take that to Ihirllauient If you like."

Thc«r« you nro,.Jumßle A\Wn\ There's your <Mto! An "ul!l-«ah" und ft tcr-ntlo-mun tlnshos tho dashed Bttuntje-t hv your daahed teeth, "Take H to ParIhunent If you like!"

Had th!* occurred In mllltary-rlddon Germany; had Kama cobbler ridden up and declared hlmaclf to bo Prince Joiiehltn of tho Lord High Hupornnl Commnndef of the Kmpty CuriridKO Cant* tn Bi»rlln. ono could under«tand U, Hut. In thl», U»o land of tho froo. whore all mc-n (provo»t« und poHcornon, phiK« and pnr«on» art? eriuu)), It almost ntaKW<TS tho «<«ns<»B. Are \v«> tho true BrSUsh b»ll-do« mock which pkjokni.M&a no tronrh' (''Truth" wuh ulmoHt grulnj? to whif "clna*") diminctlon? ,\h\< the provoWlrm prov<»»t or " I tult<, > U Oi I'nrUumiMit," and »ft* what you can fjcl for it.

The sextan l» generally a grave kind of ui;<n.