FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 977, 21 May 1930, Page 10

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By

“THE LOOK-OUT MAN.”

ALL THE LATEST Breaking through a restraining cordon,. Rumanian newsboys ran down the streets of Bukarest selling copies of a newspaper, “The Future,” the issue of which had been prohibited because 'of an article concerning Prince Carol. They were pusued hotly by policemen. “Evening- paper! Evening paper! Take your copy on the run. We’ve pilloried Prince Carol and he fails to see the fun! The issue’s confiscated, but I’ve smuggled out a few— Now grab and break for cover, for the police are after you!” No raucous shouts from corner stands, “The Future” vendor’s lot. He sells ’em at the double, and he sells 'em piping hot. Young, old, rich, poor—-well, everyone will sprint and risk a leu. It’s easy selling papers when the police are after you! M.E. BORN IN PARADISE Visitors to Paradise (the New Zealand Paradise, of course) are often shown with considerable local pride the early home of Mr. Clark McConachy, the New Zealand billiards champion, who arrived in Wellington from Sydney the other day. Me-. Corrachy was born at Glenorchy* which nestles below the snow-capped mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu. All who take the famous Paradisewalk must pass his birthplace and, if they are billiards enthusiasts, they may pause to reflect upon the singular fact that no environment could be less conducive to pool-room inspiration than this lovely but lonely spot. Doubtless the clever New Zealander made his acquaintance with billiards at Queenstown, where be is claimed as a personal friend by every second local identity. Success breeds familiarity. THE AFTERMATH M.W. —Your comments on the “Good Aforning Club” remind me of a well-known New Zealand cleric who professed unbounded belief in fhe effects of this cheery salutation. In an address to the pupils of a Church of England girls’ school he enlarged for a good half-hour on the benefits, spiritual and physical, to be derived from a cheery “Good morning.” - The girls became infected with his enthusiasm and, next day, be was greeted with a fusilade of beaming “Good mornings.” But the good man pursued his be-gaitered way, quietly ignoring them all. OUR MODERN MAIDENS A most inopportune time has been chosen by the Jockey Club in England to quash the ambitions of women riders. The message stating that the reply to the application of a Miss A. Heald was baldly, “The stewards do not allow ladies to ride in races under their rules,” arrived in company with the news that little Miss Amy Johnson was bidding fair to prove the worth of women in the thrilling sphere of marathon aviation. Well may it be argued that if women fliers can emulate men, horsewomen should have the right to don an owner’s colours. Amusing, however, is Miss Heald’s observation: “One can imagine boys rushing to bet on the best-looking jockey.” After all, opinions differ sharply on questions of beauty. The hazards and excitements of racing today are due mainly to the -fact that racegoers are unable to agree as to the best-looking horse. ANOTHER BLOW“ Equally serious to Vnanly girls js the decision of the Wembley authorities to prohibit women as dirt-track motorcyclists. This is the outcome of an accident in which a contestant broke her shoulder. If the example at Wembley is followed in New Zealand, many girls in Auckland and elsewhere who, fired by the popularity and success of Afiss Fay Tqylour, have begun practising for the cinders, must smile resignedly, substitute cloches for crash-helmets, and proceed to. utilise their mechanical knowledge on family gas-cookers. * * * USING THE KNIFE In view of the remarkable number of major and minor operations at the Auckland Hospital—S,42o last year—it is interesting to learn that medical writers in England are now discussing whether there is as much need as there seems for what they jarringly term, “the use of the knife.” It is pointed out that not many surgeons nowadays have the humility of Ambroise Pare who, writing of his treatment of a French king, said: “I dressed his wounds; God healed .him.” A naive story is told by one journal for the purpose of illustrating the lack of keenness among surgeons themselves to have operations performed upon them when they are ill. One specialist, well-known in the professional and political world, when attacked by his own specialty, preferred to take medical treatment in a nursing home for six weeks, thereby making a complete recovery.