CURRENT COMMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

CURRENT COMMENT.

OTHER POINTS OF VIEW

(By

M.O.S.)

‘‘Three Live Ghosts” will be: playing in New Plymouth - to-night for the fins c- - - ’biine. Lest the. residents of the downs ? grow, nervous-at this announcement, we . hasten to. explain that it is understood they will 'not be the shades of Aarvold, : Spong andtlvor "Jones. .. ■ . ' - ’ * # ' * -.5 # j• .* r Talking, of ghosts reminds us of a fearful nightmare a resident of Tiko- : rahgi had on Wednesday night. Des- . bribing the happening -in a trembling voice, he explained that he dream v he was chairman of the Taranaki Electric • Power Board. He suddenly came round a corner in Waitara when to his horror what did he behold but the chairman . of the New Plymouth borough council electric light and tramways committeewhispering secretly to a hian rroni (Borthwick’s freezing works. •.. ‘ . ■■#* # ‘ * Mention of the borough council brings forcibly before us how tame and languid thfe New Plymouth: city fathers have, bebom*. Not since the memorable days ’of those-, terrible, - black.-disc-ed bogies of .Devon - Street lias Ono-pick-ed :.up the paper .the- morning, after a council meeting: to find'any: greater excitement in municipal matters than the .perennial facts that Mill Road is going to be done at last, and that a letter from Mr. Benpni White was referred to the works 5 committee. But. in Christchurch now, "things are "different. The city councillors of Christchurch take themselves and’their positions very energetically and very seriously. How seriously may be judged from the fact that at its last meeting the council went into committee at 9.30 p.m., resumed open council at 0.10 a.m., and adjourned at 2 a.m. Here are some gems from the evening’s debates: ■,* . * * . * Or. C.- E. Jones (on cyclists at night): When they are lady cyclists they generally wear .wiliite stockings, and that is the greatest', safety device they, could ■wear. You. notice . the light stockings ,more than you do the dark trousers of 'the men. - Cr. Andrews: They don’t have to be, on a cycle for you to do that. ? . * «. * * Cr. Andrews (on roads); There is a story worth telling about when the MayoV and I went to Dunedin. Cr. E. M. Lyons: A lot of stories, I should say. . . , ?. ’ Cr. Andrews: This was the last time wa went to Dunedin, when nobody passed. tho -Mayor. That is ft good-car. 'warm car. . -. , Cr. IL T. J, Thacker; Where did you ibuiliip? ’ . ' Cr. Andrews: We were in a no-licence (district, so I was perfectly safe with the Mayor. . . . Cr. Thacker: Didn’t you pull up for a jeup of hot milk, or something? Cr. Andrews (patiently persevering): [We were on a bitumen road and one <jf the passengers wanted to know how it was that the bitumen was kept so [beautifully white. We pulled up and :we found that it was a white frost. • a « Cr. Lyons (in a mixed moment): Well, (sir, I give notice to move that the meeti ing disagree with the chairman’s ruling. . ■ . The Mayor; Excuse me, Cr. Lyons, I ' have not given my ruling yet. J#* ’ * * The Mayor (following Cr. Sullivan): I second the motion. Councillors: What motion? Cr." Sullivan (gently): I did not move, sir. ■ -I. ' ' * * * : The Mayor (a-moment later): You 'needn't snigger at me. You. may think ( that you have a monkey before you but <j[ have all my brains about me. I will hot have you sniggering at me. Cr. Williamson (indignantly): Excuse jnae, Mr. Mayor. I have not sniggered at you. I have got something better to jdo with my time. The Mayor: I did not’say you did. Cr. Sullivan: It’s just his natural jook, sir. f Cr. Williamson: Well, why look over here ? ■ The Mayor; I could name the two (councillors who did it. # * # * The Mayor (to Cr. Lyons): I think you showed bad taste in bringing Cr. gflesher into this. Cr. Lyons: I will answer to Cr. Flesh--for anything I say this morning. And' £ don’t want a lecture- from you, sir, ibn taste,'thank God! Your taste is well (known. w j • # * .’ # * As the New Plymouth theatregoer, would say: “So This Is Love.” *. . * ■» * ’ Amongst other things the same night the council argued at great length as to Whether a lighting rate of 459/3125 ths. of a penny should be added. And fis one man commented: “Can't we even discuss tho rates without going into [vulgar fractions?” # & # * Nor are the Christchurch city councillors the only men' in -the world imIbued. with effervescing vigour ami a fcave-man. restlessness. There are our I man-eating All Black forwards from frimani, and, as Mr. AlcKenzie points but, our murderous visitors from Britain. Then at Sydney the other day 'two wrestlers, Ted Thye and Billy Edwards fought madly after the referee, Tom Bunner; .had been kicked unconpcious. “Finally,” says the cable, “the inatcli, after wild scenes, was continued with.another wrestler, Tom Lnrich, as referee. The contest eventually 'ended in a draw on a fall to each. IWhen either man offended Lurieli applied vicious holds or smacks.” In view .of the apparently happy solution of the (Sydney affair, and in view, also, of the ‘defection of Mr. Hollander, great regret fiias been expressed in local circles that (tommy Donovan has not been appointed to referee to-day’s test. It is thought /that the administration of a reproof' (by Mr. Donovan to Beamish, should .the. • (latter become over eager, would be in well worth tho price of admission •/. pjfrlit were done after the Svdnev fash- >•' ■ : 1 • -