When Monowai Comes Down a Wire.

Southland Times, Issue 18963, 9 June 1923, Page 15 (Supplement)

When Monowai Comes Down a Wire.

(Written for the Southland Times). Dear Shaun, the scheme whereof I write Is much discussed from morn till night In tones of deep dismay. Thia scheme of our Electric Bight That promises to make as bright The Night as to the Day. The folk In early days ’tls said Rose with the sun and went to bed When in the West he set. Because in those dark days I*m told The hale and hearty young and old A light could scarcely get. A log Are or a tallow dip Or clinking lantern from a ship, Was al! they did require. The day was long enough indeed And they gave neither thought nor To light brought down a wire. Still very happy were they then Those plain, industrious, hardy men Who toiled from morn till night. But now we know that modern need Makes us to move at greater speed And so we want more light. The housewife in the early days A log fire had whose ruddy blaze Went reeking up the lum. But in these modern times I think She’ll have a fire without a stink That’s sent from “Kingdom Come." Where man and beast of long ago Toiled hard and found the progress slow And much the work did tire, To-day we’ll just a button press And in a jiffy, yes, or less, The power comes down the wire. To cut the chaff or thresh the grain In olden times the thought was pain And often raised one’s ire. To-day a tireless small machine At every farmhouse will be seen Connected to the wire. When Monowai comes down the wire The men who in dark mine perspire To hew us dirty coal, From work so dang*rous and confined May cease, and other jobs must find Or swell the workless rolL When Monowai comes down the wire And all the comforts we acquire That it to us has brought. How very strange that we should say We’ll comfort have, but will not pay. Oh, Reason. What a thought! When Monowai comes down the wire This distant lake of liquid fire Well bottled up will be. And on the wires it will be led To every farmhouse, hut and shed And cottage by the sea. When Monowai comes down the wire Each town and hamlet will desire To get its share of light. Till every street and road and lane An house and shop with plate-glass pane Presents a brilliant sight. When Monowai comes down the wire The good housewife should never tire She’ll often get a rest. Not now at twilight need she go To bed because the daylight glow Is fading in the West. When Monowai comes down the wire A child can light the evening fire By flicking o’er a switch And light and heat at once will flow As In some magic shadow show Controlled by imp or witch. When Monowai comes down the wire No more we’ll sit by kitchen fire To warm us ere we rest, But in the drawing-room we’ll alt With glowing radiator lit The sparky juice to test. When Monowai comes dotra the wire We need not In the eve retire Just at the close of day, In easy chair we may recline Until the midnight hours does chime Or music nightly play. When Monowai comes down the wire Of pleasure we need never tire We’ll have a jolly time. We’ll turn the darkest night to day We’ll dance and sing and laugh and play And vote the time sublime. When Monowai comes down the wire And Jack Frost hoary does attire The land in robe of white. No longer need we dread his pains And suffer frostbite or chilblains We'll warm each bed at night. When Monowai comes down the wire And midnight reveller needs enquire Because he's lost his way. We need just switch the road light on And bid the toper to begone Now quick! Avaunt! Away! When Monowai comes down the wire A breakfast cooked by coal-less fire Will ready be at morn. Each night we’ll set the porridge pot And it by morning steaming hot The table will adorn. When Monowai comes down the wire We’ll go quite blithesome to the byre And quickly milk the cows. The separatoi’, too, we’ll turn And then the butter quickly churn Without the old time row*. When Monowai comes down the wire The old time farmer may retire New methods we will try. We'll plough and harrow, sow and reap Because the power will be so cheap That much of it we’ll buy. When Monowai comes down the wire The Father of the Scheme’s desire Will quick be gratified. Because such uses we will find For Juice, that men of active mind Have tested and applied. When Monowai comes down the wire The Board no further need require To canvass every man. The stuff will sell like penny buns Mysterious Juice on wire that runs And make it pay we can. When Monowai comes down the wire And public rates have mounted higher Think you, what will we say? That every one must be assured What can’t be cured must be endured The rate we'll have to pay. When Monowai comes down the wire If we, of paying Rates should tire A remedy we've got. Just link up every wheel that turns And every light and fire that burns Connect the blooming lot. When Monowai comes down the wire I’d call that man a wicked liar \. ho says he can foresee, A dismal failure for the scheme Which is the subject of my theme Successful it must be. When Monowai comes down the wire May dismal pessimist expire Who says the scheme must fail. With active mind and vision wide Let’s take the view whate’er betide With Joy the scheme to hall. When Monowai comes down the wire Come grasp this brilliant scheme entire And push it on its way. To stop such progrese co not try Don’t shatter it to bits, or cry But help to make it pay. When Monowai comes down the wire Let all with one accord conspire i'u scrap each lamp in use, And every dirty range and grate And like wise folk, be up to date Let’s ail .nsial the Juice. When Monowai comes down, the wire It s clear that of each State or Shir* We'll be well in the lead. So take advice, don't fume and fret But get to work and you can bet The Scheme will pay indeed. L’ ENVIO Why further dwell upon this schem Although it is a knotty theme? But kt me thus in rhyming lay Wish Power Board members of to-day 'lhat they will lind the project pay. To Rodger who the scheme conceived Aud in it from the first believed To Thomas who the work must do To Campbell who must pay each screw. To every man with brain who tolls To Hawke, Macalister and Hoyles. To Hamilton—a man of weight; To Niven from the Eastern State; To Fowler who has much explored To Glass, no longer on the Board, To members old and members new, To Cody and to Heenan too, To Middleton—a new recruit Whoso counsel ought to bear good iru" To R. A. Rodger who has tried To win the leading seat of pride, To Hlnchey though he has been fired, To Anderson who has retired. To Bowmar, who mistakes has made And for his Indiscretion paid, To Fraser and to Buckingham, To every other public man Who has ta’en part in this great fight To give us our Electric Light, To all who have this rhyme enjoyed And e’en to those it has annoyed, To each and all good luck I pray To make the project pay its way. —TAMAN SCOTTY.