THE PASSING SHOW.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16174, 27 December 1924, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE PASSING SHOW.

COMMENT AND CRITICISM.

(By "Free Lance.")

Seeking enlightenment as to why; Scottish folk, speaking generally, do not celebrate Christmas Day to the same degree as English, "Free Lance" came across the following passage in a work of reference usually regarded as authoritative: "In Britain December 25 was a festival long before the conversion to Christianity, for the Venerable Bede relates that 'the ancient peoples of the Angli began the year on the 25th of December when we now celebrate the birthday of the Lord; and the very night which is now so holy to us, they called in their tongue modranecht, that is, the mothers 1 night, by reason we suspect of the ceremonies which in that nightlong vigil they performed!' With his usual reticence about matters pagan or not orthodox Bede abstains from recording who the mothers were and what the ceremonies. In 1644 the English Puritans forbade any merriment or religious services by act of Parliament, on the ground that it was a heathen festival, and ordered it to be kept as a fast. Charles II revived the feast, but the Scots adhered to the Puritan view." Shall we leave it at that, or has someone more knowledge or a better theory?

Speaking of fasts one would like to remind those Labour members, who were so eloquent about a jockey's hard life when the Gaming Bill was before Parliament, that they' overly Jked one particularly trying torture undergone by members of the riding profession. Even Mr Isitt, who doesn't miss many points, made no reference to the fact that, with, race meetings all over the Dominion 'on Boxing Day, quite a number of the boys would be "on the muzzle" over Christmas, while the rest of the country was stuffing itself, with plum pudding and other indigestibles dear to the palate of youth, in plain view of the semi-starved brigade. One questions if Tantalus, with a raging thirst and up to his neck In water which he could not reach, was very much worse off than the healthy apprentice jockey, whose "boss" has told him he must do 6st 71b on the marrow, feels himself to be whilst "going short" on Christmas Day. Why don't those soulless autocrats on the Racing Conference rule out Boxing Day races altogether? Henceforth "Free Lance" won't put his ten bob on the Auckland Cup, and we shall see how the A.R.C., likes that J . They may even have to dismiss a few gardeners. *, .*. ■ .*. : ' .*. \ ' The stork arrived on Christmas Day, so mother wished the little darling to be named Noel. Father didn't much ere for the' "moniker," but was willing to meet her halfway. "Make it 'Nil' if you like—short for nil desperandum —I've never yet picked the Cup and Railway double, but I don't despair of doing it some Christmas before I die." At this stage pourparlers (as the diplomats would say) terminated abruptly, and a Secret Service •, agent subsequently reported that the precious Christmas gift figured on the baptismal register as William. It might have been Wylliam, but Father's mind was too wretchedly commonplace to grasp the opportunity. « • • A

A "thirteen" story comes from a racecourse clown the line. A winning horse, .which paid a very handsome dividend at the meeting in .question was No. 13 on the card was thirteenth in order of favouritism, and drew No. 13 position at the barrier. Not only that but its name was Emperor, and Emperor stock of late years has slumped badly pretty well everywhere except In Britain. As witness whereof may be cited the unfortunate Tsar of Russia, Wilhelnuof'trte mailed fist, and the ex-Emperor of China, who quite recently had to find fresh "diggings" in lieu of those he had quietly occupied since China declared itself a Republic years ago. If this sort of thing goes on our belief in omens and the ill-luck attaching to 13 will soon become quite tottery. /

When one looks back and remembers what an everyday article of use the side-saddle once was the fact that this form of horse equipment has now disappeared almost totally impresses itself forcibly. It had begun to go long before motor cars became numerous, and when means of locomotion between distant points not on a railway line still depended upon the horse —ridden or in harness. But ones women shook off convention and took to riding astride the days of the sidesaddle were numbered. Doubtless the horses were pleased, for unless a woman rode really well she could play havoc with her steed'.* comfort in a side-saddle. But a woman who could ride, and in a well-fitting habit, looked her best in a side-saddle, and on. can find it a matter for some regret that such are so seldom seen now. Thousands of the rising generation in this country, it may be hazarded, have never q'cen a side-saddle in use, unless perchance in some A. and P. show ring. It wotdd also be interesting to know how many, if any, firsthand side-saddles were sold throughout the whole of the Dominion during the current year.

To the High School boys and their parents the annual function at which the prizes gained during the year are presented should, and might be, an occasion of much interest and pleasure. The recent gathering, however, "Free Lance" has been informed, was unduly protracted and thereby shorn of much gladness by reason of the inordinate length of some of the speeches delivered. Parents, one cannot doubt, expect the Principal to comment upon the year's work carried out by their sons and daughters, and any remarks he feels called upon to malic will unquestionably be followed with the keenest interest and attention. Probably also something of a similar nature will be looked for from the chairman of the Board of Governors. The assembled audience is not likely to And the addresses of these gentleman at all tedious, and some congratulatory remarks from a few other speakers might also And a place, provided they possessed the essential qualification of brevity. On the occasion referred to, unfortunately this was not a characteristic of certain of the speeches made, with the result, to put it bluntly, that the audience was "bored stiff" ere the loquacious ones sat down. Thus what should have been a pleasantly sociable gathering, in its later stages developed into a test of endurance from which all were glad to escape. Verbum sat sapienti. .• _.