FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 April 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By the LOOK-OUT MAN A ROYAL FARMER The Prince of Wales has bought Grove Farm, Lenton, near Nottingham. This cannot fail to catch the imagination of agriculturists all over the Empire. H.R.H. has often ridden over the property of which he now becomes the owner. What a pity the New Zealand authorities didn’t earlier learn of his agricultural propensities. They could have urged him to take up farming here. What an impetus, and what tone, it would have given farming in New Zealand —and how immigration would “buck up!” * * * NOT SERIOUS It is good to have the assurance of the Rev. C. L. Mountford, of the Melanesian Mission, that the massacre of six native policemen in the Solomon Islands is “not a very serious occurrence,” as “the policemen who were murdered had evidently offended the natives in some way.” But it is as well, perhaps, that we don’t take quite so casual a view of such things in Auckland, or we would be reading something like this: “There was something in the nature of a street fracas in the city last evening, as the result of a difference, said to have existed for some time, between a native “push” and the police. Sergeant Henessey, and Constables Fenessey, O’Denis, O’Rourke, O’Shea and O’Shilleikhly were massacred, and several other officers were badly mauled. It was not a very serious occurrence, however, as it is understood that the policemen had offended the natives in some way.” SPENDING THE MONEY The complaint of Mr. Zane Grey that his offer to supply his launches and boatmen for the use of the Royal party at the Bay of Islands was accepted by the Internal Affairs Department, and then ignored at the last moment, after he had made all preparations, recalls another disregarded offer. A fine farmhouse, with all conveniences, adjacent to the best fishing and situated amid the finest scenery, was offered to the Government for the use of the Royal party at Tokaanu. It was rejected, the Government apparently considering that it was incumbent upon it to spend thousands of pounds constructing a special camp miles away from anywhere. True, the Duke and Duchess vastly enjoyed the camp, but they would have enjoyed the modern farm homestead and its environment just as well, and the Government would have saved quite a lot of money. THE YELLOW PERIL Much has been said of the Yellow Peril —the yellow races are slowly but surely spreading over the world, etc. Auckland is not without its yellow men at whose mercy the local public frequently stands. One runs out of collars and visiting the laundry with a last hope feeling, is told, with genuine Oriental stolidness: “Velly

solly, can’t do ’um to-day.” So the European departs with the Oriental’s monopoly fully and regretfully realised. His feelings are not lightened either when his nice new shirt at last arrives, starched inside out—at a cost of ninepence! THE LION AND THE MOUSE “We regard City Council as a rather hopeless sort of body.”—Mr. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, in evidence before the Royal Commission inquiring into Auckland’s water supply. “You’re a liojieless booby,” said the mouse, speculatively regarding the lion. “You’re nicely in the net now, and with the elections coming on, too! How the deuce do you think I will have time to nibble through all this rope before April 27. And a nice mess you’ve made of yourself playing about in that water and stirring the mud up! The hunters are after you, and if they catch you all tied up like this they’ll puil so many of your teeth that you’ll have none left to bite with at all —I’ll have none left myself if you’re going to have me forever nibbling nets for you. You biind imitation of the king of the forest, you! That’s right—keep on yawning in my face! You must think I’m a deputation of i-tepayers. It’s time you learned sense and ” Seeing that the lion had fallen fast asleep (the noble animal was netted on the site of the civic square), the mouse set to work nibbling at the r shes. It is a big, strong net, however, and it is very doutbful whether Leo will be released before the ratepa ers roll up to spear him on April