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Victoria College Students' Carnival. Thursday and Saturday - 25th & 27th June 1908

Adamsonalia

Adamsonalia.

O, I'm Adam's son and exceedingly Able,
My pedigree's long as a submarine cable,
And Eve* tipped me straight as the pick of the stable,
O, I was the flower of Edinburgh then.
But after some thought and much cold calculation,
I couldn't refuse the polite invitation
Of Wellington Champions of High Education,
For they are such very respectable men.

And of course I had heard of that gay dog Justinian,
Even had read his most learned opinion
Re "New Zealand Times" at the suit of "Dominion,"
Notable battle 'twixt knights of the pen.
And had the K.C.'s been selected on merit,
Then H.D. and Findlay and Chapman and Skerrett
Would all have made way for that legal-point ferret,
Justinian, the prize of respectable men.

Again I was told that the lot of the legal
Employee and student is far off from regal,
His screw is absorbed by the afternoon-tea gal
(For she's the young lady that's known as "Land Tran.")
And who to brass plate and a court-case aspires,
To prove all the other man's witnesses liars,
Must first face the terrible practice of Myers—
Yet Tud says that he's a respectable man.

I'd heard that the damsels at College were flirty;
I'd heard of that dangerous demagogue "Bertie,"
How, always for trouble and battle alert, he
Will "render account" to "Plain Bill" if he can.
I thought if the girls of N.Z. weren't a' jibbin'
At having the likes of young Edward Fitzgibbon,
There might be a chance for some rice and some ribbon
For me, a most highly respectable man.

And so I left home with the tears of a nation,
A bottle of Scotch, and a great reputation
(The last-named I nearly forgot at the station),
To throw in my lot with Mackenzie's brave clan.
I've met all your men, and tasted the nectar
Of converse with joint and his satellite Hector,
The latter of whom I've the greatest respect for,
For he is a highly respectable man.

* Mr. Eve is Commissioner for the New Zealand University in England.