Raising The Wind!

By F.P.A.

YOUR inveterate borrower is much the same in his methods and excuses the world over, and of whatever creed and colour. Wasn’t it Charles Lamb who remarked, “How cheerful of mein is the borrower, how rosy of gills, how careless of money—yours and mine!”

A recent communication from a native, that came under my notice, shows how our natives are progressing in this Edwardian era. This particular native was formerly a store boy for me, but now holds a fairly well-paid Administra tion job. He was explaining to a friend why he could not send along the few pounds that he owed him. He said he had been trying various games of chance in the hope of raising the wind, but, in fol lowing out his theories he had lost all his own and his friend’s money. He could not go into details because it “was private too much.”

He invited sympathy and forebearance because he had lost much sleep and did not enjoy his leisure hours owing to the amount of thought and concentration he was giving to a new idea for “catching plenty money.” If he was successful he would repay the loan twice over. He said that I was aware of the big dividends that would accrue if he were successful in striking oil and suggested that I be consulted about it.t There was a note for me pinned to the letter, and addressed in the same manner as the cargo that used to come to the plantation store: 3. 6. 48.

F.P.A. —BUKA. . . I will be very glad if you can let me know the address of the Melbourne, Victoria, London and New Zealand Golden Caskets, please!

Yours truly,

J.H.O.

PS.—I got the address of Tasmania, but I want all the others.

I replied that gambling of any sort was not a good thing and recommended the uninteresting procedure of living within his means, together with the slow pro cess of building up a Savings Bank bal ance! However, if he was determined to have a flutter he might try the Brisbane Golden Casket. Should that not offer sufficient attractions there was. of course, the Irish Sweep and the Calcutta Sweep, the winning of either of which would cer tainly mean “catching plenty money.” I now await his reaction to my letter and am expecting a request for more infor mation about the two big sweeps!

Mr. Lex Halliday of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pty., Ltd., recently paid a business visit to Santo, New Hebrides, in con nection with the possible distribution of his company’s films to the cinema in terests on the. island. As the audience potential of Santo is comprised mainly of natives and Tonkinese who are not interested in dialogue, the demand is for “action” films with much blood and thunder.