Under Currents

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17712, 16 May 1929, Page 6

Under Currents

IN THE DRIFT OF LIFE

(By *' Seeker.”)

* PERFECTLY IDIOTIC. “Did you ever knew anything etf perfectly idiotic?” asked'Aunt Selina. “To force a man to retire on a pension at 53!” Her friend Emily, whose husband is in the railway service, had written her about the approaching calamity- "Emily says Jim is dreading it. * He hasn't any particular hobbies, and lie makes a mess of things in the garden —though lie doesn’t like to be told so. He'wants nothing but to go on with the work he’s always done, and they won’t let him. Why are people so mad?" “Why is it?” asked Gwen.

“Oh, some silly rule in the Government that a man isn’t allowed to work more than 40 years. Jim started when lie was quite a hoy, and now when he’s just at his best, lie’s got to give up. Why doesn’t someone do something about it? They say Joe Ward is a great financier and that he knows all about railways. Well if I didn’t know more than that about looking after money and making trains go, I’d blow the whistle and get off." “I see by the paper someone’s been making a fuss about it in Wellington,” said Dad. "But how did anybody ever think up such a mad idea?" asked Aunt. “Well, you know, promotion's rather slow in ‘ the Civil Service, and the young chaps felt they’d have more chance if the old fellows had to get out of the top places." “And do you mean to say that these great financiers and great managers listen to that, sort of nonsense?” “Seems like it,” said Dad. “You never know what the politician will do.”

“Why,” said Aunt, “that would mean that I’m committing a terrible sin by knitting this sock- I suppose I ought to pull it all to pieces so that I won’t be doing the sock factories out of a job, and I shouldn’t have put a patch on Billy Branigan’s pants because somebody would have had to buy him a new pair if—really they couldn’t have stayed, on him much longer, and Mrs Branigan hadn't a penny to buy new ones' herself- I don’t know whether I oughtn’t to retire from dish-washing, loo.” “For heaven’s sake, don’t, Aunlio darling,” pleaded Gwen. “What would I do if I did? I suppose I’d have lo get a hobby—llying my own aeroplane or playing howls or something—learning to play the piccolo, perhaps.” "Not music, Auntie, please,” said Gwen. “I’d rather do without tiie job of dishwasher for another 20 year's than have you trying to scrape a tune out of a violin." “Anyone would think I wasn’t musical,” Aunt Selina protested—and smiled. “But think of poor Emily and Jim —nothing to do and all day lo do it in."

"And I’m ten years older and still got to toil on and on,” said Dad. “And no little eight hours’ day for me.”

“Yes, you know you work l’ar too hard, William. But I suppose it’s no use talking to. you.”

“Not a hit, my dear, but I’d just like Jim to hand me a couple of months of his retirement—or even three months to take a trip lo old Aussie. Pity things aren’t better divided up, isn’t it.” “I’ve just been reckoning it out,” said Gwen. “These poor railwaymen have to take ten years’ holiday or thereabouts when they’ve worked 40 years. That means, if they spread it over, they could get six months’ holi r day after every two years’ work. That would ho decent—especially while they were young. Then they could really enjoy trips. I think I’d like to start my job with a six months’ holiday. Here's Jack—don’t you think that’s a good idea, Jack." “Gosh, yes," said Jack, after hearing the explanations. “And we wouldn’t waste our time either. I’d start right away ou a flying course." “What nonsense you’re talking,” said Aunt. “Come and get your dinner, you naughty boy. And don’t dare to come home so late again. I don’t care if you are training." # * * CINEMAS FOR CHILDREN. Whenever/ one talks to parents about the quality of the picture shows served to the children, one finds an abundance of regrets and an equal abundance of helplessness. However, some Auckland people have put their regrets to some use, and a special theatre for children's pictures is the. outcome. There is now no excuse for us Hamilton people to limit our efforts to growling. Probably the theatre people would welcome the encouragement and help of any local organisation in putting on special shows for children. * * * * TEETH AND CONFUSIONWhat are we to believe about the teeth ? For the past few years the doctors have been ordering "Out with your teeth”—whether for gout in the foot or spots before the eyes. Now the president of the dentists’ conference has been declaring that people are 100 eager to lose their teeth! On toe other hand, someone in America who seems to count himself an expert lias been saying that the dead teeth which tiie dentists have been slopping ought' all to come out as they breed disease. Our school dental clinics advise, in a circular signed by ihc director, Mr T. A. Hunter, that “teeth that cannot, on account of advanced decay, he rendered healthy should he removed even if they do not ache, as painless unhealthy roots also cause the body to he poisoned and lead to many preventable illnesses.”

Dr. Warren agrees with the dental clinic people that health for the teeth depends largely on diet. At least one heretic dentist proclaims that pyorrhoea is the result of wrong diet. Yet how' many medical advisers pooh-pooh dieting as a fad of hypochondriacs! Of course, you should take care what diet you give your hoixse or cow, but feed anything you like to the mere human- animal, once it iias got beyond the control of the Plunket nurse.

If wrong dieting is the cause of the decay of children’s teeth, and if the ill elfect of the decay cannot lie prevented by filling, ilien what a crime it becomes to neglect Hie study of dicL