CURRENT COMMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

CURRENT COMMENT

OTHER POINTS OF VIEW

(By

M.O.S.)

Shakesperio John Citizen (after inspecting his latest communication from Mr. J. G. Coates as published in Thursday morning’s News):' ’'Alas! This is indeed the most unkindest cut of all.” “The lunar eclipse last night was one of the finest ever- observed in Sydney,” ' states a cable received this week. This, no doubt, was a special effort on the part of the moon, as a way of doing its bit towards the opening of the Sydney bridge celebrations. It was remarked by observers, the cable adds, that ninetyseven per cent, of the moon’s surface affected by the eclipse turned a copper colour in the earth’s shadow. In view of the fact that the moon is usually a gdlden colour, this is understood to be * further effort bn the part of the moon to keep pace with the times, and was probably meant, it is thought, to be a distinct warning to Mr. Lang that the world’s stock in general, and New South Wales in particular, has shown a marked decline on the Moon’s Stock Exchange. .'

Rugby patrons will be pleased to know, M a result of the report of the recent Tnppf.ing of-the Taranaki Referees’ Association, that in the contest between the -• referees and the wing-forwards last season the referees won. In moving the ■adoption of the annual report and bal- ' *nce-sheet the chairman said the. referees were to be congratulated on the way they handled the wing-forwards during the season. There was an attempt: being made to make the scrum formation 3-2-3, and they might be compelled to adopt it, but there was no ■ need to worry, about the way the .referees had handled the scrums. Wingforwards who have complained in the past will no doubt grind their teeth in rage at this latest shaft. That’s the worst of the referees. They hold the all powerful whistle which, has even . greater significance, when you come to consider it, than the Parliamentary mace which members of a certain party are so prone to run away with. It is a wonder the wing-forwards have not taken this fact into consideration?-befc ?. In the •past they have had their way of retaliation against the referees; they could swear at them, call their teams off (if ■ they were captain), and even strike them '■j: ’ on the field, to say nothing of “seeing ■. 'them afterwards.” Ono of the minor disadvantages of these procedures.was that one was liable to be hailed before the Rugby Union, though it is true that until fairly recently this was more or less only a matter. A far better . scheme for the wing-forward is to bide J his time, wait until the referees play the line-umpires,, or until some similar contest is staged, and get control of the whistle. What beautiful tunes one could play, and how dear to the heart of every wing-forward spectator! One can already visualise the triumphant line umpires leaving the field the victors by 100 to jiil. - -Truly as Scott might have ./...Baidx-Fv' ■ /Come sound the whistle, loud and oft, 1 We’ll teach you refs, you players brum, This crowded hour of glorious life '■ an age beside the scrum. The New Ancient Mariners. Two hundred homeless undesirables pelled from, Argentina are now abroad the Argentina cruiser Chaco roving the Mediterranean, escorted by French destroyers. The authorities prevented the cruiser landing the deportees _at Las Palmas and Marseilles, and while there are ten anti-Fascist Italians aboard, \ Italy is likely to take strong measures •to avoid landing on Italian soil. *•• • • Social Notes.

A stag party was held near Waikariae ■the other day. Lest anyone should be under- a misconception as. to what this means it should be explained that, this ’ was not r. beer-drinking expedition. While a car was proceeding from Wellington-. to Palmerston North a stag jumped out into the middle of the road. This unusual form of victim inspired the car with unprecedented zest, and after a game of touch-you-last that continued for. several miles the car was eventually successful in registering a kill. In view of the rapidly declining population of the Dominion, on account of motor bikes, and the consequent dearth of pedestrian victims, it is suggested that 3, special ' license be issued for the section of the road near Waikanae, and _ that this region be offered as the motorists’ sportIng ground of New Zealand.

Mr. Forbes has sent a telegram of i congratulation to the owner of Fl*ar Lap. It is understood that he seized with both hands this rare opportunity of sending a telegram to someone who was financially on the right side.

But to return to Mr. Coates! latest communication. It was notable, as a number of people remarked, for the omission on this occasion of the usual words .“Kia Ora.” The fact that the giant totaras have all fallen is known, so there was no need to mention that. But the communication has done much to relieve the members of the community who have been worrying over financial matters, and how to make both ends meet. Previously people were worried about what to do with what they had left after paying all the usual rates and taxes, plus the super income tex, unemployment levy, wages tax and having their salaries reduced twice by ten per cent. As this amount of 9d will be completely absorbed in the new wages tax all worry is banished.

• • • • . One is pleased to know that if all these economies are carried out, ana Parliament with its new imposts sits down har< on one end. of the Budget see-saw, the plaything will be balanced. The fly in the ointment is that John Citizen is in grave danger of being tip-, ped completely off the other end. * *

Sir Alan Cobham has worked it .out that when air speed travel reaches 10 miles an hour a .traveller will be able to circle the globe in a- single day, an time will literally stand stiff. One o the phenomena would be that if he started,after breakfast, he would hive breakfast in every place he stopped at. After reading Mr. Coatejs’ communication M.O.S. slept on his wedding cake, looked, everywhere for a white horse, had an;other look at the lucky farthing he had left- after paying last week’s accounts, and then wished ever so hard for an aetopli ie that would travel at 2000 miles an hour. By Ahis means, he saw, he could defeat tune completely and .gradually travel back to the good old Jays ef 1918. ..