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Variety In Brief

The paragraph in the June issue of the “N.Z. Railways Magazine” on the companionship of a dog and a 'possum greatly interested me; but I can tell the tale of a stranger friendship: that of a collie and a lamb.

The lamb was brought home motherless and was reared by the daughter of a North Canterbury farmer. Almost at once the collie and the lamb “chummed up,” and it was no uncommon sight to see the lamb sleeping in the kennel and the dog outside! When the collie might be off the chain and not out working, the two companions would frequently be seen strolling along the road. This was not the height of their friendship, however. A neighbour, paying a friendly call, had his collie with him, and true to dog nature, the two collies began to display emotional tendencies of an unfriendly nature. The climax was reached before the visiting dog had expected it, for bah-lamb bounded out from nowhere, and sent Common Enemy No. 1 sprawling on the ground from an impact received in the, ribs, from a bah-lamb's head!

Edward T. Roberts.

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An amusing incident took place during the visit of the famous comedian, Harry Thurston, to the city of Auckland. Mr. Thurston was at the Auckland Railway Station on business concerning his luggage. He went in search of a porter and, when he found one, said, “And what can you do for me to-day my man?” The porter gazed at him thoughtfully for a few minutes and then replied, “Sorry sir, I can't do anything. It's not pay day.” Mr. Thurston considered this such a witty reply that he gave it over the air during one of his sessions.—L.B.

In a barber's shop the other day I was listening to the conversation of two or three men who, like myself, were whiling time away until lather and razor were finished on the fortunate occupant of the swivel chair. The talk was on football and the AllBlacks, and changed to an argument on the words “Ake, ake, kia kaha!” which have formed the war-cry of previous All-Blacks. The concensus of opinion was that it meant “Fight on for ever and ever.” It is not the first time that I have heard and read this mistranslation, and perhaps your widely read magazine is the best place to start a campaign against it. The idea seems to be that the war-cry originated in the words uttered by the gallant Maori defenders of the famous Orakau Pa, when they were asked to surrender by General Cameron. That, of ocurse, is not so. The reply given by the warriors, and repeated afterwards by the women, was “Ka whawhai tonu, ake, ake, ake!” —“We will keep on fighting for ever and ever.” Nevertheless, the other is an ancient’ war-cry of the Ngati-Maniopoto, and it is fitting that it should find a place in our footballers’ haka. “Kia kaha!” means “Be strong!” and was used in the final sortie and retreat from the Orakau Pa to encourage the desperate warriors in their last bid for freedom. The story of its adoption as the war-cry of the All-Blacks is interesting. It seems that when the first Maori team was on the point of departure for England, consideration was given to finding a warcry for the team. “Kia toa!” (Be a warrior)—the cry of the Ngati Toa; “Kia maia!” (Be brave); “Haere tonu” (Charge forward always), and “Kia kaha!” were all considered. Then it was suggested that, as the Maoris were now invading England, it would be a good idea to link the “Ake, ake” of Orakau to the “Kia kaha.” And it was so. Since then the cry “Ake, ake kia kaha!” has heralded both pakeha and Maori from Aotearoa, not only on the football fields of Australia and England, but in the trenches and mud of Flanders and on the heights of Gallipoli.

“Rotia.”