CURRENT COMMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 11 (Supplement)

CURRENT COMMENT

OTHER POINTS OF VIEW

(By

M.O.S.)

The general tone of the meeting evidenced a new spirit of progressiveness and energy, in a town and county hitherto rather unjustly labelled, lethargic. ' —report of Whangamomona meeting. Nobody could accuse Whangamomonans of lethargy. Consider the amount of energy a citizen would require just to say Whangamomona once!

• * * • . Solomon, paramount chief of the Zulus, died in a marquee in which he was hearing a tribal dispute. Bom at St. Helena during the banishment of his father, Dinizulu, he came to Zululand in 1898. He had 64 wives.—News item. One is inclined to believe that the correct diagnosis of the cause of Solomon’s death was a form of acute trade unionitis, accelerated by 64 complications. Anyhow would it not be to such a case as this that John Knox would have felt compelled to refer to as a “Monstrous Regiment of Women”? « • • • ■ A New York hotel sent a messenger to the churches to gather the contents of the collection plates. The Daily News fixed it so that boxing , fans could pay 50 cent tickets to to-night’s golden gloves semi-finals by presenting merchandise' instead of cash, anything from a can of tomatoes to articles of clothing— New York cable reciting weird effect of “bank holiday.” It is understood that an easily led resident who attempted to descend from a New Plymouth tram leaving his umbrella: in payment was severely talked to by the motorman. .He is still wondering whether the shaking up he got was caused by the motorman or by the tram track. J • • • • There are, nevertheless, distinct possibilities in this idea of barter. It is in operation in domestic and social circles — "Ladies a plate”—but imagine the fun that would be created if, say, there were a shortage of money and the Taranaki Boxing Association adopted the American idea! The proffering of a pair of silk stockings and the stipulation that they • be given as an honorarium to the genial secretary would be an occurrence that would meet with enthusiasm,. # ♦ * • The application of the system to race investments—a veto on the vulgar term “betting”!—might not be so satisfying. There are many punters whose winnings ’ would not be acceptable in cigars. •' • • “Quips, grins and tall stories are on the lips of Americans. following the closing pf the banks, tales of millionaires beseeching butlers for a spare dime, or folk with 100-dollar bills being snubbed by. change-guarding clerks,” continues the report. ■Visions float before'’ us of frantic millionaires on their knees before butlers superciliously spinning dimes, and the news is hourly expected that the same millionaires have in desperation pledged the first ' 200 storeys of their palatial skyscrapers; or of some merciless butler offering to play double or quits—the topfloor or the basement. Some stories from America are taller than any skyscraper. « • * To be serious, however, it is understood that with their usual thoroughness, the Americans have taken advantage of the ban on trafficking in anything golden by completely" abolishing silence. • • • • A bowling team from H.M.S. Dunedin drew with West End on the West End green . . . . It is believed to be the first . occasion on which a warship team has played bowls at New Plymouth.—Newspaper report. It is a pity that an Armada or-a fleet of Australian fruit ships did not appear off the Taranaki coast. Imagine the embryo. Admiral Drakes .in the visiting team emulating their 350-year-old counterpart! Cr. Jones: Do you know a hare from a rabbit? > ■ • . Mr. Judd said he. was certain they were rabbits, as they had their tails in the air. —Report of Inglewood County Council meeting. This system of identification, one would suggest, might fail in the case of an unemployed rabbit suffering from, the depression. Similarly it would doubtless be possible for an unfortunate hare with the Kruschen feeling jauntily waving his tail in the air to pay the supreme sacrifice of the First Barrel by looking too much like a rabbit. Such is the menace of these rabbits that farmers are advised to shoot first, as dead rabbits tell no tails. • » • ® Mr. Benoni White felt the association would be of assistance to the Borough Council; where an individual voice might carry no weight, the collective voice of the ratepayers no doubt would.—Central ratepayers’ meeting report. The flood of storm water seems to be gathering force. The mayor and councillors are solemnly warned to attend the baths frequently and polish up their swimming. ' ’ • * ♦ ♦ Illustrating the completeness of the preparations the Japanese have issued a communique which states that only one Japanese was killed and 30 injured in the whole of the Jehol campaign. The preparations seem to have been rather elaborate, however, for such a disappointing result. **• . * Sir : Malcolm Campbell, criticising the shortcomings of the Daytona Beach, says / that he must seek another spot and may be lucky in New Zealand.—lt is to be Hoped he will be here before. 6 o’clock. # * ■ « * Living in Taranaki. You must be tired as well as I Of noxious weeds eradication And rules with .which you. must com- ' ply .. ■■■ . To quench the ragwort corifiagation. -The mould in cheese, and butter sales, Are things no doubt of grave concern, While every farmer loud bewails The money that he doesn’t earn. The sales tax and the int’rest rates Exemption; definition, bill, In me they tend to inculcate A murderous desire to kill. The cricket squabble so far goes That internat’nal circles frown, And body-line embargoes make • To cool pugnacious Larwood down. Japan and China stage a war ■ The nations all pass resolutions I wish I’d stopped some time before Reading the insane convolutions. The U.S.A.’s new president Thinks swiftly out a new manoeuvre , •To act, and quick, is his intent Of course I’m glad, and so is Hoover. . I’d like to go away, away : Beside the gently lapping sea ; Eat nuts and entertain all day The daughter of my mortgagee.