ROTARIAN’S QUIPS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 117, 12 May 1932, Page 2

ROTARIAN’S QUIPS

—® JESTS BY ME S. PASCALL WARNING TO SMALL TOWNS The use of jest and anecdote in

illustrating and enlivening a speech arc well understood by Mr Sydney Pascall, Rotary International, who spoke at a gathering of representatives of the Hastings, Napier, and Gisborne Rotary Clubs in Napier recently. The following are some of his very lively little quips. When he rose to reply to the speeches of welcome, Mr Pascall said that he was reminded of an incident that happened to the Prince of Wales when he was in Africa. The Prince was visiting a native tribe, and the chief • a speech of welcome that secmec as though it would never end. The Prince was getting hotter and hotter beneath the broiling sun, and more and more uncomfortable as the speech went on through its weary length. After an hour and a half the chief stopped, but to the consternation of the Prince, an Interpreter immediately arose, and the Prince began to reconcile himself to another hour and, a half of talking. The interpreter, however, was a man of

discretion. All that he said was: “He say he damn glad to see you,’’ and, then sat down. j Referring to Mr Trevor Gcddis’s' quotation of Mr A. P. Herbert’s saying I that “New Zealand is more English' than the English,’’ Mr Pascall said that he thought. Scotland would have something to say about that. A voice from the gathering enquired: “What about the Irish?” Mr Pascall: “I have no doubt that the Irish also would have something to say. I have never known them to fail in that respect. The president of the Gisborne Club ’ (Mr F. Ball) had somewhat humorously been vaunting the virtues of his town, and said that in one respect it was unique. “I would -warn Mr Ball,” , said Vlr Pascall with a playful pre- 1 fence of knowing even less Latin than Shakespeare “that it is not always wise to use that -word ‘ unique. * I undertand that it is derived from two Latin words —Linus’ meaning one, and . ‘cquus’ meaning a horse. Members of the Hastings Rotary Club, of whom thirty-three wore present, had been fined a shilling each, as is often done in Rotary clubs, for what might be described as a venial offence against the rules of hospitality in welcoming Mr Pascall to Hastings instead of to Napier. When he replied to a speech by Mr A. F. Redgrave,

who had said that Mr Pascall had probably never heard of Hastings before, Mr Pascal! remarked: “Certainly I have heard of Hastings before. It is that patriotic town which will spend thirty-three shillings to assert, itself.”