The Passing Shew.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19451, 15 December 1934, Page 13 (Supplement)

The Passing Shew.

HAMILTON Is preparing to welcome the Duke of Gloucester. In 'cooperation with the Railway Depart-

ment, the Hamilton Beautifying Society Is focussing attention upon the environs of the station, besides adding a coat of paint to the buildings. We can always pride ourselves upon the order and beauty maintained by our town, but now with the Duke’s arrival synchronising with the festive season, Hamilton’s attractiveness will be considerably enhanced. What a pity the Duke could not -extend his visit to some of the smaller towns in the vicinity. The writer has In mind at least one seaside resort where the residents lead a somewhat somnolent existence, never doing to-day what they can .put off until to-morrow, and never doing to-morrow any task for which they cannot see the necessity. The result 'is that there are buildings simply crying out for a coat of paint and others which in the interests of decency might be dismantled ■altogether. Now, if the Duke could only be persuaded that he needed a week-end’s fishing or a sojourn In the country these landscapes might take on 'quite a different complexion, for in honour of such an auspicious ■oocaslon the populaoe might even cultivate a bowing acquaintance with the paint brush. Who knows?

Every vooation is possesed of certain disadvantages; difficulties' and worries. Even the carting- of pigs is far from being a oarefree occupation, the lorry-driver’s trouble being to distinguish between the various farmer’s pigs. “We have tried marking them with different .coloured paints, but the paint .rubs .off from one to the other," complained one carrier. Well, one could easily imagine that if a pig painted blue rubbed shoulders with one marked yellow there would be the complication of two green pigs, and similarly a red pig and a yellow pig might eventually evolve into twoorange pigs. The consequences might prove disastrous. Fortunately there are farmers and farmers, but, picture "for a moment ' the painful scene that might accrue as the irate settler harangued the offender responsible for a lost pig. The difficulties of the situation are certainly relieved by the fact that the lorry-owners become expert in distinguishing the animals, each pig evidently possessing distinguishing features, or in other words a peculiar style of beauty. But all the same there surely should be profitable employment for someone capable of designing collars for pigs. * * • • EVen young children do not escape the risk ■of accident which seems to increase day by day, and never were anxious mothers more cognisant of the need for eyes in the ilnck of the head. Fortunately, most youngsters are sufficiently alert to keep out of the way of passing vehicles, and if they do sustain injury they make quick recovery. Yet, there are many narrow escapes. The writer heard of one urchin who, being of a mechanical turn of mind, took the opportunity of inspecting the workings of a stationary car while the motorist was occupied with the cranking handle in front. Ensconsing himself in a convenient position, the little chap was amazed to feel the vehicle move off. 'Not finding his perch very comfortable, he eventually made hims'elf heard in no uncertain tones, but not until the end of the street was reached did the motor stop 'when he lost no time in extricating himself quite unhurt. Such stories go. to prove that kiddies, like cats, have nine lives.

The shortage of domestic .servants has (been the subject of -comment in Dunedin, although there Is widespread unemployment amongst women and girls, one proprietress of a labour agency stating that she -could place 70 in positions without difficulty. Rather than accept domestic employment girls will wait about doing nothing or eke out an existence under the Government scheme until work In shop, offices or factories offers. This practice Is to be regretted. What does -a -girl who Is in need of a position accomplish by remaining idle? She only -makes -herself a burden upon the Slate or upon her relatives and prejudices her chances of employment. 'By accepting

Comment and Criticism.

(By “Free Lanoe.”)

work that Is uncongenial, she provides heP* self with remunerative occupation until the position she desires offers. I* * * *

The old-fashioned form of telephone was responsible for considerable delay and inconvenience and the long-suffering “hello’ girls were -often-the victims of much abuse on the part of irate enquirers who, unless they received, the required number on the instant were inclined to forget their manners. With’the installation of the automatic, ous--tomers more often than not ’have only themselves to blame when they obtain the wrong number. The clumsy-fingered person In a hurry is the source of great amusement to the folks he calls up inadvertently. That you, Mother?” queried a man in a breezy tone of voice the other day. Flabbergasted when informed that lie had dialled the wrong number, lie ejaculated “ Good Heavens, and hung up the receiver with a hang. A newspaper man, busy with his blue .pencil one morning was requested by a sweet-voiced la-dy to send along a sirloin of beef as soon as possible. Recalling the. nature of some of the compositions submitted for his perusal, the scribe was constrained to reply; u Sorry, we deal only in tripe. ’ . 3H » * Yet, one cannot help wondering whether an inquiry should not he instituted into the reasons for this widespread preference for work other than domestic. For instance, are there any cases of girls being expected to work long hours for a meagre wage? In any vocation apprentices expect to have to content themselves with little monetary reimbursement for a few years, but when a measure of proficiency is acquired they should be able 'to earn sufficient to supply the necessities of life and even to provide for recreation. Any regulations in the Interests of these young people, who, after all are performing • useful service would benefit the community and the nation. Has the fact that there is no award for domestic servants any bearing upon the reluictanoe of girls to take up household duties?. m. n. * * The poor, .long-suffering Scotchman Is the butt of many a joke. There may be a few who have not heard of the Aberdonian who decided to economise at 'Christmas-time by sending out in the most business-like fashion greeting cards for the years 1933, 1934' and 1935 (inclusive). But even the man from Auchtermuchty of “Bang went sixpence” fame was hardly in the race with the Hamiltonian the writer heard to .remark (somewhat facetiously, it Is true), When about to commence a job in the garden, that he might as -well remove his teeth as he did net want to wear them out I / ». * * * - Australia’s High Commissioner, the Hon. S.'M. Bruce, recently tol-jp this story at a London dinner. An American and an Aussie, both natural pseudologists, were putting over the big stuff. The Yankee, as a final shot, told of farms in his homeland so huge that the owner .sets out on Monday and gets back on Saturday without even seeing a boundary .fence. The .Corifstalk was not flummoxed. “On our farms,” he retorted, “a newly-married couple set out to milk the cows, and their children bring back the milk.” ' «». * t». ,® "W The little trials of married life—as Revealed in the Tottenham (England) Court:—< Wife: While he was bullying me he tried to look stern. Then the Id'og hit him. Counsel: Did «your husband do anything before lie suddenly kicked you? Yes. He put on his football boots.. At Wlllesden: Why did you assault youij wife at breakfast? ‘ 1 “ Sbeid boiled my egg hard—and not idfl the first time.” _ Counsel: Why don’t you go and live with; your wife in comfort? Defendant: If comfort includes her drink* ing and had language, I prefer my lodgings. Counsel at Wlllesden: Did he associate with that kind of woman at .the club? 1 Witness: We don’t have THAT kind of woman at our club l