A day for fools
April Fools’ Day allows pranks and jokes – but only until noon.
t was a neatly-wrapped little tin box that was left by the postman at the Dominion Museum,’ ran an article in
of April
Calling the older men ‘‘weary wayfarers, tired and torn with the stress of a hard struggle for existence,’’ the newspaper’s hardhitting article finished: ‘‘The Levin pensioners… are of little use to the body politic, and it is suggested that instead of being indignant at being turned out of house and home at the beginning of winter, they ought to be grateful at being spared the indignity of an eviction on April Fools’ Day, in commemoration of the fact they were living in a fool’s paradise’’.
On March 31, 1927, under a black heading: Struggling Mothers Who Might be Driven to the Streets, the NZ Truth declared: ‘‘The Family Allowances Act comes into force on April Fools’ Day. In some cases that date will be decidedly apropos.’’
The act, it pointed out, ‘‘doesn’t go far enough to reach the woman with a large family whose husband has cleared out and cannot be found. The act gives her the go-by.’’ The newspaper gave the example of a hardworking, deserted wife who had four infant children to support, but couldn’t apply for monetary aid under the new act because her husband, not she, had to sign the application form. She was in a worse position than a widow, for whom both military and civil pensions were available.
‘‘In these days of rouged flappers, short skirts and winsome personalities,’’ Truth thundered, ‘‘no respectable married woman can answer for the whims of her husband, and if he clears out, whose fault may it be said to be? Unjust… and unfair legislation like this is precisely the sort of thing that sends even good women down to the shady paths of infamy, immorality and degradation’’.
The Feilding Star, Thursday April 10, 1907, told its readers of a lucky escape from ‘‘a rather cruel practical joke on a local resident’’.
This man and his wife had received an invitation to a social function, ostensibly to honour the couple before they left for a holiday trip. ‘‘The letter purported to be signed on behalf of the citizens by the town clerk.’’ On the morning of April 1, the old settler met the town clerk and happily thanked him for the invitation, only to be told the clerk knew nothing about the event – ‘‘and then it was sadly remembered that it was April Fools’ Day’’.