BREEZES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 22 October 1931, Page 4

BREEZES

The Test. She: “Will you love me after we are married ? ’ ’ He: “.Mate and see.” * « * * Not Qualified-

Dad (to small son): “I never smoked when I was your age, my lad. Will you be ablo to tell that to your son when you grow up?” .

Willie: “Not with such a straight face as you do, dad.” * * * * Identified. “I am sorry, madam,” said the bank teller,, as he handed back the cheque, “but,you must be identified.” “Identified!” exclaimed the woman. “Isn’t the cheque good?” “I have no doubt that it is,” the teller said, “but I don’t know you. You’ll have to get somebody we know to identify you.” Tho lady drew herself up. “That cheque,” she said, “was given by my husband. There’s liis name on it. Do you know him?” “'Yes, but I don’t ” “Then I’ll show you I know him, too. My husband is• tall, with reddish hair. His face is smooth-shaven. He has a mole on one check, and looks something like a horse, some people say, but I think not. When he talks he twists his mouth to one side, and one of his front teeth is missing. He wears a No. 17 collar-, a No. 9 shoe, and he won’t keep his coat, buttoned. He’s the hardest man to get money out of you ever saw—it took mo three days to get this cheque.” “It’s quite all right,” said the teller. “Put your name right here—no, on the back, not on the face.”

Unique Grandfather Clock,

It was reported recently that an Italian had completed, after two years’ labour, a bamboo clock, which shows the hour, the minute, the second, the phase of the moon, the day of the week, tho date and the month. There is in Auckland, says the “Star,” a lino grandfather clock on somewhat similar lines. The owner says that it is of English construction, and he estimates its age at 130 years, so that it is in truth a veritable grandfather of clocks. It stands nearly Bft. high in its case of cedar. A sft. metal rod produces an attractive • chime. The pendulum swings from a long metal rod, and the base, is in a glass container filled with mercury. A feature of this clock is its recording of the phases of tho moon. The days of the month and the seconds of the minute are 1 shown on a large steel dial. On the sft. rod the hours and half-hours are recorded by a beater, producing a very pleasant musical tone. The owner doubts whether there is another clock of the same kind in Australia or Now Zealand.

Rauparaha’s Raid. Some of the great traditions of the Maori race will bo recalled bv the centenary celebrations at the Kaiapohia pa, Canterbury, on October 24th. One hundred years ago the pa was besieged by Rauparalia, at the head of a force from the North Island, and the defenders, the Ngai-tahu tribe, were scattered, never to fight again. Rauparalia was a warrior chief from the Kawhia district, who equipped his followers with firearms just prior to European settlement in New Zealand, and went on a raiding expedition southwards. Ia launching his attack upon the South Island Maoris he was helped by an alliance with another great chief of the time, Ilongi Ilika, who had raided from the north as far as Rotorua and the East Cape. Rauparalia made his headquarters -at Kapiti Island, off the west cost of Wellington, and having dug himself in with a large force, he began his conquest of the Southern people. A memorial within the Kaiapoi pa commemorates his victory. There was afterwards a good deal of intermarriage between the Northern and Southern Maoris.

Singular Rents.

The Duke of Wellington has been to Windsor Castle to pay to the King his yearly rent for Stratkfieldsaye, the estate in Hampshire voted to his great ancestor by Parliament in gratitude for the defeat of Napoleon. The yearly “rent” is a little silken banner, a miniature French tricolor. The ceremony of paying is simple. After the duke, on bended knee, lias handed the flag to his Majesty, it is hung by the Garter King of Arms over the bust of tho hero of Waterloo in the Guard Chamber of the Castle. There are other singular rents. For instance, the Duke of Marlborough holds the Blenheim estate by the presentation to the King of another little silken banner, a Royal Standard, on August loth, the anniversary of the battle- of Blenheim, which his illustrious forbear won. The quit-rents aiul “service” rents on which several famous properties are held, impose even smaller demands on j the resources of their respective owners. One is a bucketful of snow! By delivering it annually to a representative of the King at Edinburgh Castle, the Laird of Foulis, a rich Scottish estate of thousands of acres —the name is pronounced “Fowls”—discharges his rent. The owner of another large estate in Scotland, that of Brashel, holds it on the easy condition that he furnishes water with which tho King may wash his hands whenever his Majesty is in the neighbourhood. A Scottish baronet holds, his property in exchange for blowing three blasts on a bugle whenever the King hunts stag on the moors round about.