DAY BY DAY.
Red tape is no more! White tape has been proved to be
The Passing of A Tradition,
much cheaper (says the Adelaide Observer). In any case, in the South Australian Government
service rubber bands have now almost superseded the tape. The change came slowly. The old vivid red gave place to an amaemic pink as a compromise at least . . . then it suddenly paled to white tape, followed by the slender rubber bands which are now used. Rubber was found to be inexpensive, clean and easy to handle. Traditions die hard. Since Charles I. was beheaded by an order on parchment tied together with scarlet, red tape has become a byword of officialdom. Not so long ago, an audacious barrister measured a girl’s ankle with a strip of red tape, and the judge remarked that: “It was the first time he had seen red tape put to good purpose.” One eminent man still plays with red tape. He is Mr Richard Windeyer, K.C., who twists a strand of red tape in his fingers monotonously forming cat’s cradles, while a cross-examina-tion goes on. The late Sir John Downer rolled and unrolled a piece of red tape continuously when conducting a case in court. He went through the same performance in Parliament with his übiquitous red tape, which seemed to be an inspiration, to him for a lucid and eloquent speech.
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Bibliographic details
Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18113, 2 September 1930, Page 6
Word Count
231DAY BY DAY. Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18113, 2 September 1930, Page 6
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