MOTH “WES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 8

MOTH “WES

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” THE X.Z. TIGER SNAKE That usually well-informed newspaper, the London “Daily Mail,” recently faltered in its natural history. After relating that when in South Australia the Duchess of York passed over a 4ft. tiger snake, in her motor-car, the “Daily Mail” appends a footnote: “The tiger snake ... is also found in New Zealand and Tasmania, and is generally sft to 6ft long.” The only snakes seen in this country are those which glide along the bedroom walls of those who have alcoholically exhilarated themselves into that state medically termed delirium tremens , but more commonly known as “the dingbats.” But the “Daily Mail” ought to know there are no live snakes in this country. St. Patrick visited here long before he went to Ireland. In this snake yarn, by the way, a touch of local colour is lent by arming the slayer of the snake which alarmed the Duchess with a stock-whip. Australians always carry stock-whips when travelling in motor-cars —a real Australian snake couldn’t be killed withoux one, really. FA TA E FA DPI KM The remedy is sometimes worse than the disease. A cable message from Toronto states that Mrs. Hope Leontough has died, after fasting 55 days in an attempt to cure indigestion. The cure was thorough—on all fours with burning down a house to get rid of the borer. Quite a lot of people die as the result of healthfaddism. Only a few months ago there was a very stout gentleman in New Zealand who decided to fast for a week in order to reduce his weight. His abstention lasted five days. Then he made such a vicious onslaught on the larder that he died of an attack of acute indigestion. There was another gentleman who thought that he could hasten the cure by taking his tonic in large doses. The tonic contained strychnine; the dose was one teaspoonful. He took two teaspoonfuls, and an inquest was necessary. If tilings should never be done by halves, it is equally true that they should not be done by doubles. MUCH MARRIED Constance Talmadge and Anita Stewart are both suing for divorce. You can’t be a movie star of the first magnitude unless you have had at least three husbands. The third husband of coy Connie is said to have deserted her. How sad that even such as she should pall! Anita is to sue on the ground of incompatibility of temperament. The temperament of a film star is of construction the most delicate, monsieur. She cannot live with any but a soul-mate. If he should demand chops for breakfast when she would fare on devilled kidneys, incompatibility is at once apparent—the dream is o’er, the illusion shattered, love turns to hate, the shackles must be sundered! Besides, it’s all such good advertising.

WIRELESS AND PREACHERS “I am now preaching in two places at once,” announced the Rev. Lionel Fletcher through the wireless on Sunday evening. He was at the Majestic Theatre, and the Mount Roskili Congregational Church was listening in. In the case of a fine preacher like Mr. Fletcher, the idea of having one speaker sermonising at two or more churches at once is a fine idea. But what of those preachers who habitually send their congregations to sleep? Can we allow them to plunge the congregations of half Auckland’s churches into a siesta every Sunday? Besides, this convenience has its inconveniences. If one or two outstanding preachers get into the habit of broadcasting to other churches, we may have the lesser lights forming a clergyman’s trade union, and declaring for “one man one church.” Otherwise, a “syndicate” of churches, anxious to have only the best, might conceivably employ one preacher to do all the preaching for a dozen congregations. There are quite enough unemployed without bringing preachers into the market. CURSE OF EXTIROXMEXT Environment is sometimes a sad thing. Particularly does this seem the case when one reads the leading articles of “The British Australian and New Zealander,” published in the “interests” of the representatives in free trade Great Britain of two pro tectionist countries. The influence of the free trade Tory is apparent. In the latest number to hand of this journal, pained editorial regret is expressed that “the wild men of the Australian tariff are going wilder than ever” with demands for increased protection. Of course, the “B.A. and N.Z.” must “barrack” for the British manufacturer, and the British manufacturer hates like poison that the manufacturers of the Dominions should have what is denied to him. Therefore, the and N.Z.”