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Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2144, 29 December 1920, Page 3

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the arm flailed just as earnestly and authoritatively. Presently thV noblTs figure in the | centre jerked its arm down with military precision; then also with military | precision it executed a right-face, clicking heels together, and raised again the ■forbidding hand, palm to the intersecting street. Carefully Drilled. Instantly the two beckoning cops became statues in the path of traffic that might have beeu, with-arm aloft, and the other two who had been statues were galvanised into gesticulating hasteners. This scene shifting, ?« beautifully synchronated, bore no relation to the state of traffic. Often when the change of front was made the cross traffic was still ambling, perspiringly, in the dis-' tanc.e —three or four rickshas in a flock, as is their habit to travel. Evidently this traffic squad had been carefully drilled. They knew how to act'and how to look, and they did it, even if there was no traffic. All the time the efficient, though less orna-j mental flagman kept his street cars moving across as of yore. I am sure there were few times in a week when he could not have handled the whole situation alone. Five of the cops and a flagman were as many as I saw that day or other days w;hen I went out of my way for the fun of watching. But friends of mine sawsix, seven and even eight policemen on the job at a time. Recently all Tokio policemen, including the traffic cops, have been deprived of their long swords ami given short swords instead. By some this has been accredited to a supposed growth of sentiment against militarism. 11l fact, the change was entirely due to an embarrassment suffered by Mr Oka, superintendent of the Tokio police. He obtained the approval of the Minister of Home Affairs for the abolition of the long sword, and explained his action as follows in a newspaper interview: — "Tke removal of the long swords from the side of the policemen may be regarded as an urgent necessity. They may, indeed, be described as a useless encumbrance. This thought was vividly brought home to me when I went to receive Marquis Saionji at Tokio station on his return from the peace mission. The ' long sword I was wearing then caught me between the legs and threw me on the platform on the back. As the platform was greatly crowded at the time, many people were tripped by my sword and tumbled down. This personal experience has confirmed my proposal to abolish the wearing B ot long swords by policemen."