The Passing Show.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19462, 29 December 1934, Page 11 (Supplement)

The Passing Show.

THE HEADMASTER of King’s College referred on “Speech Day" to the efforts he had made to inculcate in his hoys a love of hooks and an interest in current events, stating that several pupils had read no less than thirty volumes of an informative nature in their spare time during the year. There is wisdom in such a course. Not so long ago a widely-travelled lecturer stated that considering modern educational facilities people were lamentably lacking in knowledge of world problems, often being too occupied with trivial affairs and too engrossed with passing pleasures to give the requisite at-tent-ion to vital matters affecting t'heir community, their Empire and the universe. The explanation may often be that busy men and women in their leisure hours are seeking recreation-when they turn their attention to fashions, sport and gossip. • Yet, there is the danger that even the secondary school pupil who -has arrived at the goal of matriculation and obtained a position presenting alluring prospects may “run to seed ’’ if lie lias not been taught the necessity for widening his outlook by intelligent reading. However, now that these attempts are being made by teachers to direct the scholars’ attention to the right channels no doubt our young men and maidens, instead of discussing the relative points of Peter Pan and Cricket Bat, will treat us to dis- y sertations upon disarmament, they may even pass over the cricket results in their haste to obtain the latest Information on the Saar plebiscite, and they will surely study currency problems and Dairy Commission reports instead of detective stories as they journey to .work each morning by tram or train.

The inoident of the Tennessee townspeople who, attempting ot lynch a young negro, were surprised by the resistance of the national guardsmen, has caused considerable comment, even in this remote country. In America the lynching of offenders has become comparatively frequent,- public sympathy very often supporting these unconstitutional methods of punishment Jo a remarkable degree. People who in'’ the ordinary course of life are models of respectable citizenship, becoming carried away with their anxiety to see what they term justice perpetrated, will prescribe ail manner of hair-raising treatments they desire to mete out to the prisoner- as fit punishment. But are they justified? Should'hot the law be capable of dealing fairly with every situation? Where legislation is inadequate there is certainly room for amendment, but the most heinous uriminkl can scarcely be denied fair trial. Lynchings are becoming too frequent, and though the loss of life and limb at Tennessee was- regret-table,-the discouragement of mob. law was timely. To the credit of New Zealand be it stated that these lawless uprisings are unknown. • * * «• When a tennis match was in progress recently at Whangarei—one of the longest battles In the tennis history of the town — the controlling authorities agreed to the tossing of a "coin when the score reached all in the third and final set in the ladies’ A grade handicap singles match. The score was at this stage B—6, 3 6, 11 11. When the mercury expands with the rapidity to which we are becoming accustomed this summer, tennis in the middle of the day assumes the nature of an endurance test, even for the fittest playeis, and the question of curtailing the number of garnet or even the postponement of matches may easily come up for consideration. Many of the keenest club members

Comment and Criticism.

(By “Free Lance”).

are manifesting a reluotance to partioipat* in ladder matches. Whereas at the com--mencement of the season they were determined to climb by leaps and bounds, now they are more reconciled to remain in their present humble positions rather than to reduce themselves to mere grease spots in the effort to add to their jlaurels and increase their prospects of championship, for they realise that under present weather conditions tennis may so easily cease to becoqie recreative.

The extreme heat we are experiencing has assisted the cause of dress reform for men. With a nonchalant air the younger set adopt shorts for tennis, and silk shirts and light trousers for street wear, and the preponderance of light suits is noticeable at any gathering. There are those who cannot yet bring themselves to discard conservatism, their professional dignity and their thick coats, preferring to swelter and suffer in silence, broken only by an occasional growl about Iho heat. One can with assurance predict that a further fillip to masculine dress reform will accrue when news of the conduct of His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester and his associates spreads. We are told that upon entering a luncheon room the Royal party threw oft their coats and made a brave display of braces. There are always those yvho make their boast that they follow the fashions of royalty. • Hence the popularity of “Duchess Blue” and "Marina Sponge.” Some enterprising manufacturer will surely take time by the' forelock and display “ Gloucester braces.” ' 1

vA visit to any local post office during the rush season will suffice to convince that the officials have plenty occupy their -attention, and one has great sympathy for them when incidents like life following are staged:. Genial Native: Any letter for Rata Piko? Postmaster: Are you Rata Piko?—“Yes,” is the reply. (A letter is handed over). G.N.: Got any for Rimu Piko? P.M.: Sorry, we can’t give you Rimu’s mail. “ (sh, but I Rimu Piko,” is the unblushing answer. “Why, you just said you - were Rata Piko. Now you say you’re Rimu Piko. You can’t be both of them,” argues the perplexed and perspiring postmaster. “ Oh, yes, fat’s easy, quite orright, 'Boss. We both le same fella. You see, lie my twin brother!” The late Lord Riddell, the newspaper magnate, in a book of memoirs published just prior to his death, recounted some amusing incidents. Here is one dated July 22f v d9o9:; “To Buckingham Palace to be knighted. The ceremony very well arranged. I met an amusing old boy who had come to get on 'Jionour. I had never seen him before. He said, looking round and pointing to the soldiers and sailors, 1 There are a lot of men here who have shed their blood for their Sovereign, but I believe I am the only one whose blood the Sovereign has shed! When I came here In Queen Victoria’s time, her hand trembled so much as she pinned an honour on my breasj, that she dug the pin deep into my chest so that my shirt was covered with blood !’■" ' . . We all know the wireless expert who eternally twiddles the controls of his set and never stops to .listen to xvhat is coming through. He is" typical of the t people who go through life in blinkers.— Lord Trent.