Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), Saturday 7 October 1933, page 7


Men Women and Goss/p^

Clever Sketch Artist

i^JR. Robert Homburg fa proud of big daughter Beryl'i ^''natural aptitude for sketching and painting, and obtain* much amusement from some of her lightning sketches oS people she has met.

The sfcetan reproduced here u a unman of the school marm type, who has no time for frivolities, and, deep in thought, is unconscious of the tricks ployed by her pupils. The type is almost obsolete now. one feels. Miss Homburg takes only a few seconds to commit to paper a '^type'— man or woman — she has met, accen tnatinff the character by clever little touches. . Her father tells an interesting story of her first examination in 'sketching. He paid the toes, only to find on the day of the examination that she had arranKed to visit a picture show. After a little persuasion Miss Hom bure bowed to her father's wishes and sat. But she went to Hie pictures just the same, finishing the examination paper set in just half the time allowed! She was duly admonished for having rested throuch her work to tret to the

pictures, but her teacher later received a letter from the London examiners calling special attention to the talent dis played in Miss Homburg's work! A. P. Herbert, of 'Punch.' who stayed with the Horn bergs during his visit to Adelaide two yean ago, praised Miss Homburg's work. , * ♦ * Heavy Merino Skin TlfR. H. Ooman, of Gladstone, who for more than 20 years ?'?*? has carried on business as a skin and hide dealer, re cently purchased the heaviest merino skin that has come his -way since he has been in the business. The ekin was from a merino ram and weighed 48 lb. when dry. It was. par-chased from Mr. W. Jones, of Sunny Brae, Yacka, who for many years has been . a well-known breeder of high class merino sheep. A good weight for each a skin is about 30 B-., «o it is thought that 46 Ib. may be a record for the northern areas.

Kitchen Garden in City TITHE most vivid memory Mr. Jack Owens, of Start street, Adelaide, has of the day he joined the South Australian Railways, nearly 52 years ago, is of the patch of beautiful watermelons which ripened temptingly in a small garden where the Cheer-up Hut now stands. 'The railway workshops were on the ate where the Adelaide Station now stands.' he said. 'Just at the back of the City Baths there was a vegetable garden. I was told that the vegetables for Government House were grown there. However, the boys at the works used to make frequent raids on the gardens, particularly when the watermelons were in season. 'Things were vastly different along the River Torrens in those days. I liave seen corroborees held by the blacks when they came into town to get rations and blankets from the Government. When I began work there was no bridge over the railway line from Morphett street to the river bridge. 'I have seen big mobs of sheep driven across tie lines there going to and from the sheep market, which was on North terrace years ago.' Mr. Owens, who retired from the service recently, was employed in the Adelaide shops for 10 years, he was one of the first of the boilershop staff in go to Islington, where he worked for 21 years. He was also stationed at Mile-End for 21 years. * * * Sport or French? TXHIS week the new Junior Independent Political Advance ment Club founded by a son of Mr. Perry, M .P., held its first speech evening. One of the most provocative speeches claimed that sports should be taught in school time instead of such subjects as botany, algebra, and French. The speaker said that more people earned their living through playing in sports than they did with the aid of French and scientific knowledge. It is doubtful whether this Is correct. But if you look into the position thoroughly you will find that thousands of people earn their wages solely through sport. In South Australia where there is practically no professionalism in field *port 'there are about 15 golf professionals, three tennis pro fessionals, one cricket professional, and to this list must be added the score or more 'who are employed in every day vocations, mainly because of their prowess at sport. In Victoria the figure is probably 10 times as great, and 5° New South Wales about the same. In England and America of course, where baseball, foot ball and cricket claim big quotas of professionals, the figures are far higher tihan those of Australia. * * * -Ping Pong on Ship PING pong or rather, table tennis, knows no more en-thusiastic devotees than the officers and men of the Japanese freighter Gyokoh Maru, at Port Adelaide. In fair weather and foul, they play it on board ship while at sea, and when they get to port they play on the wharf where their ship berths. Half an hour after the Gyokoh Maru tied up at the T-Head this week a collapsible table was lowered, quickly assembled, and the game was on. The unusual spectacle of two Japanese officers enthusiastically smiting a ping pong ball in broad daylight soon attracted a curious crowd, in-cluding two puzzled Lascars returning to their ship with white fowls under their arms. The sport has removed all class barriers on the Gyokoh Maru, for officers and sailors play together.

Bedroom Scenes May Remain TF you were disappointed on reading this week that bed room scenes would soon be impossible in films because of a Liverpool chemist's invention, you need not grieve any longer. There is a way out. It was suggested by Mr. Garnet Carroll, manager for the Nellie Bramley Company now playing in Adelaide. The invention will make the thinner garments worn by actresses transparent, as the flesh tints will be clearly visible. But Mr. Carroll says that if actresses wear thicker garments underneath their nightdresses or lingerie, all will be well and bedroom scenes will not have to go. 'As a matter of fact, actresses almost always wears extra garments in this way when they have to appear lightly clad, both in the films and on the stage,' said Mr. Carroll. 'It often takes hours to shoot a scene of a few minutes, and if it were a bedroom scene the actresses would hardly go about in nothing but their pyjamas. Suitable underdreBs would prevent tie flesh tints becoming visible on the screen.' * * * Cooks in Court TF two witnesses in the hearing of a charge before the ?'- Criminal Court during the week had not been allowed to leave almost immediately they had given their evidence, a number of guests at a hotel might have had to wait for their dinners. The usual practice with witnesses is that they remain in court after they have given their evidence, unless per mission is obtained for them to leave. In this instance, the witnesses were cooks employed at a local hotel. When the first cook, the general chef, had given his evidence the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. Chamberlain) asked that he should be allowed to go. 'I expect he is wanted to cook the dinner,' he eaid. The chef was allowed to leave. Then the pastry cook at the hotel went into the wit ness box. When he had finished, permission was sought and granted for him to leave, too. 'Guests at the hotel must have their pastry,' said counsel for the defence smil ingly.

The Sportsman's Lot 'RECENTLY the captain of the American Davis Cup team, Ellsworth Vines, who was in Adelaide a snort while ago, complained that the team had been 'treated like babies' during the Davis Cup contests. 'After the first act in a Paris theatre we were bundled out to our hotel,' he said. Probably his complaint was not unjustified, but early hours are merely one of the penalties a sportsman pays for being prominent in his particular line. The boxer, in preparation for the big fight, has to cover many miles of road at a steady jog trot. His day is a care fully planned routine which permits of no social activities. The athlete, although be may not be a professional, is little better off. During the running eeason he must not play tennis or cricket, swim, or have a shower, run for the tram, or even cross his legs when he sits down. Imagine the plight of the jockey, who, faced with the problem of petting weight off for a race, encumbers his body m innumerable sweaters, on a blazing summer's day, and sprints briskly in the heat. Other severe physical exercises and Turkish baths pale into Significance beside this. Sportsmen may not always be treated like babies, but they are certainly treated as a race apart. * * « Cabbages and Pirates QHIEF Petty-Oflicer W. H. Powell, of the Royal Austra lian Naval Reserve Depot, Birkenhead, who will retire on Tuesday because of having reached the age limit tells this story of when he was in the Fisheries Revenue Ser vice on the naval cutter Victoria, in which he had to serve two years in sail: — The captain came aboard one night 'three sheets in the wind, and ordered the ship to sail at once. When we were only five miles out the skipper came on deck, and look ing out into the gloom shouted. 'Pirates, see them?' ana pointed out to sea. We all turned in that direction, but could see nothing, and then we knew that the skipper was seeing things.' 'Can't you see him? He is a pirate; turn the gnn on him,' shouted the skipper. We rushed to the six-inch gun and turned it at his imaginary pirate, for his word was law. 'Fire,' shouted the skipper. 'We have no ammunition,' countered one of the crew. 'What are they?' asked the skipper, pointing to a small heap of bags. 'Caibbagee,'' came the reply. 'Well, fir* them,' was the order, so we started shooting away our vegetables, for the captain s word was law. * * * A Team of Angels

]^R. Walter Angel, who, after a lifetime spent m the service of the State Savings Bank, is succeeding Mr. Ted Goldsmith, as manager, was, like his predecessor i in office, a fine tennis player in earlier days. With his brothers, a whole dab team of Angels was made cp; and naturally there were many jokes about it. The late Julian Ayers once said — 'Really, these Angels are the very devil!'

Shorts on the Courts Jl NEW fashion was introduced into South Australian tennis circles this week, when a woman player at the War Memorial Drive courts appeared in brief silk 'shorts.' Miss Audrey Bond was the pioneer. On several occasions last season it was rumored that various Adelaide girl players would brave criticism by play ing in shorts. But although — or perhaps because — consider-able interest was evinced in their initial appearance on the courts, they continued to wear the conventional tennis attire. The leading English player, Miss Betty NuthalL was one of the first tennis stars to introduce the fashion. Other players followed suit, owing to the extra freedom of move ment. A great deal of controversy at first arose, but later the fashion came to be accepted by prudent authorities, who decided that women would probably nave the last word in any case. ~ * * * Posting a Chest of Tea ^UHEX the postage rate of nearly a century ago is taken 'into consideration it is no wonder that people growl about having to pay 2d. for every little note they 6end through the post. About 90 yearB ago a chest of tea couJd be mailed for threepence. This information was given in an address at a recent meeting of the South Australian Postal Institute lecture Society, by the assistant superintendent of the mail branch (Mr. Gerrans). But there is some compensation for the general public of the present day. who do not make a habit of sending chests of tea through the post every day. The catch, you see, was that letters, or even little notes, cost threepence, too, for a flat rate of postage prevailed then r, * * * Family of Cyclists THE success of 14-year-old Freddie Adams, of Lock 3, River Murray, as a racing cyclist is not surprising in view of the number of riders in the family. This boy champion recently secured second place in the State juniors' 15-mile championship, and represented this State in Melbourne. On Saturday he took part in his longest race— the Dunlop 60-miles championship— against much stiffer opposition and finished sixth, only eight lengths behind the winner. He shows surprising speed and stamina for his years. J. Adams, his brother, and A. Adams (cousin) also rode in this event. Clarrie and Fred Kennewell, well-known cyclists, are also his cousins. Freddie's father will ride in a veterans' race at Berri on the holiday next week. Although he is 60 years of age, he can still ride a buck jumper, too. An uncle of young Adams was formerly an interstate champion. Freddie's keenness is shown by the fact that he recently cycled 150 miles from his home and back to compete in the juniors championship. When* 13 Was Lucky * ! l^liTECTlYE S. J. Trestrail lias no superstition regarding the number 13. lie gave proof of it last week when, in spite of friends' wuinuigs, lie sent 13 fowls to the Melbourne iSiiow. Eight of the birds carried off first prizes, four second prizes, aud oue was placed third. Det.-Sgt. Tiestvail's birds have now won first prizes in Royal Shows in every capital city ju the Commonwealth with the exception of Hobart. He breeds all his own fowls. The other day Inspector Trotter, officer in charge of the Port Adelaide Police Divi triou, lost a valuable hen the day after the hatching of her family of 13 chicks, but even this omeu will not make Det. Sgt. TrestTail wary of 13. for he means to adhere to his practice of giving his prize heivs sittiuge of 13 eggs. * * * The Tax Paradox A CCOIIDIXG to a paragraph in 'The Mail' last week, the '^ Commissioner of Taxes (Mr. Cornish) thinks eo much of the cartoons in which Alex Gurney tilted agaiust hiru that lie has had two originals framed and huug on the walls of his otlice. It sounds paradoxical. But there are one or two points that make Mr. Cor nish's straripe fancy seem even more paradoxical. Although lie hung Gurney cartoons on his walls, it was he w'ho lent Alex Gurney the road map that guided the artist and his car safely through tile Cooroiig and out of harm's »-ay. For dramatic effect one would like to be able to record that Mr. Cornish did so to make sure that there would be no more cartoons in which he figured as a ruthless pawn broker or highwayman. Hut it was pure friendship, one is j assured. ! * * * j 31 -day September '??JMdlin'Y da-* hath £-i-tcml-.-r ? ' This piece of do-- j jrvicl is .--till liscd liy many people to ascertain the date at various times. Some people, however, still make mistakes. A man weighed him*?lf on an automatic machine in the city at 12.10 aJn. on Saturday. He wag surprised to find that the ticket lie received bore the date September SI.

LADYi 'If you're begging a favor you might at least take your hands out of your pockets' TRAMP: 'fF&i, the truth is, Udy, Tm beggin' a pair o* braces.'

LADYi 'If you're begging a favor you might at least take your hands out of your pockets' TRAMP: 'fF&i, the truth is, Udy, Tm beggin' a pair o* braces.'

Mr. W. Angel

Mr. W. Angel