The Passing Show

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Passing Show

COMMENT AND CRITICISM

(By “Free Lance”)

ARMS SWINGING, heads erect, manly bearing—past they marched to the beat of the drum. Led by stalwart uniformed officers, they made a fine, martial picture, those schoolboys, and the Victoria Street crowds paused to admire them. They were excellent types of young New Zealand manhood, the flower of the land. One could not help thinking that here in Hamilton we had 100 per cent he-men, capable of answering duty’s call at a moment’s notice. Nothing soft about these lads. They were TOUGH. They could shoot straight, run fast and eat bully-beef with the best of ’em. They were, off to see “ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” • • • • Sad story that of the Sydney business man refused service at some of our hotels. Wonder how many wives sighed wistfully? • • * • Dr. Negrin, Spanish Republican leader, stated that the die was cast. Most of his followers must be certain of the “die” part by this time. • • • • Wheatless bread has been invented by the Swansea Technical College (Wales). This may be a solution to the problem of breadless meals. • c • • By means of a gastroscope a patient may now have his stomach brilliantly lighted by an electric torch. And to think when we were lads we used to have it lit up with O.P. rum. • • • • You’ve probably heard of the ghastly potato shortage in Sydney because Mr Lyons won’t allow our surplus spuds over because Mr Savage hinted it was Mr Lyons’ fault because—well, anyway, just how drastic is this famine in murphies can be gathered from this dialogue in a Sydney paper:— “ I’m told they play a pretty big game of poker now and the Din Tatt.’s Club.” “ You’ve said it. I was invited as an exchange honorary a few nights ago, and it fairly took my breath away. They were playing with potato chips! ”

And then there Is Aunt Jennie's sister who thought the agony column was th# racing results. • • • • “ Final arrangements have been mad# for a Dominion-wide survey of children’# feet.”—News item. Steps might be taken, too, for a survey of tl -; backs of necks and ears from time to time. • • - • “ Floods in South Africa threaten a food shortage for the whites and famine for thousands of natives.” Johannesburg cable. Apparently the natives have larger appetites. • • • • Use of the shillelagh and shaking fist# by competitors in the Irish jig will not b# allowed by the Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand. Time-bomba, I take it, will also be banned. • • • • Young women in Britain are reported to be attending secret dog-fights in search of a thrill. My advice to this type of young woman is to marry early—and save fare# and gate money. • • • • And now the Hastings and District Scot#" Society Pipe Band has been refused a license to import a set of new uniform#. Injustice piled on injustice ! Now if th# license had applied to the pipes there might have been some excuse. • • • • There’s nothing like a mens sana in a corpore sano or what have you. That’# why we started celebrating Physical Fitness Week with a visit to Te Rapa. You could tell the strenuous physical exertion of the punters by the beads of perspiration on their brows. Then there’s that wellknown movement—necks forward stretch and arms upward wave—as they thunder into the straight. Smart work was also done on the cinder track to the tote. Tearing the hair and shaking the fist is another lively exercise that keeps all racegoers up to scratch. Never let is be said that we lovers of sport failed in #ur effort# to “build a nation.”