The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1887. CIVILISATION IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1605, 9 July 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1887. CIVILISATION IN CHRISTCHURCH.

The reports which have appeared m the columns of our metropolitan contemporaries, by— which phraso wo mean of course the journals of the Cathedral City—of the proceedings at certain olectoral meetings convened by Mr Oliver Wansoy, are a curious commentary upon the remark said to have been recently made by the groat war correspondent, Archibald Forbes, that ho "places Christchurch at tho head of New Zealand civilisation." Mr Oliver Wansoy is one forato,'wFich"inclutrcs il *tbo ''greater "par- j of that formerly known as Stanraore, i and opened the campaign on his own behalf about a week ago by delivering an address m that suburban district. On that occasion the proceedings of the audience were of a somewhat rowdy character, but the scone on Thursday night, when the candidate addressed a meeting at the Theatro Royal, Chrißtchurch, seems to have been almost unprecedented. Tho house was rushed by tho crowd, and as tho candidate proceeded with his remarks, wo are told, "rats m all stages of p>-e---servation, bags of flour and crackers were freely showered on him." This, however, does not seem to have greatly disconcerted him, for, (to quote from the " Telegraph ") . " bowing politely to these marks of popular favor, Mr Wansoy continued bis oration." What followed is thus racily described : " After some little timo a gentleman who had boon conspicuous by his attentions to the comfort of tho speaker m removing tho defunct rodents, gracefully led on to tho stago a lady wellknown m Christchurch, and installed her m tho Chairman's seat. Tho advent of ihis person w»b received with deafening plaudits and a shower of flour, rats, and other marks of popular favor. This drow from Mr Wansoy an energetic protest as to the want of gallantry displayed by tho audience, but all m vain. The fusillade continued unabated, and ultimately the lady retired, covered with soft confusion and flour. Her abdication of the position evoked a roar of applause, amidst which Mr Wansey retired to tho prompt entrance and held colloquy with some unseen personages, Like Henry V., howover, ho returned onco more to the breach, and had .begun hip address again, when tho same mysterious personage led on the lady once , more, and with studied politeness installed her m the chair. This was the signal for a porfect shower of compli- , m<mts of the description formerly alluded to, during the continuance of which Mr Wansey ( looked on with a comic air of mingled astonishment and resignation, whioh evoked roars of laughter. Tho j aim of the missiles, directod against tho lady, was inmost cases good, and it was . evident that tho fire was too hot to cnablo tho position to bo held longer. Onco more, and finally, therefore, a a retreat was beaten. At this time the B , otago presented a most remarkable appearance, strewn, as it was, with tho ° bodies of rats, Hour, and eggs of some- r what doubtful freshness. Undaunted, 8 howovor, Mr Wansey continued to hold c torth. Presently a bunch of squibs pro- ° jeeted on tho stago exploded, and for t several seconds ho was surrounded with I flame, ala John Wellington Wells m ? "tho, Sorcerer." The stage was tilled with smoke, and Mr Wansey could be ° dimly scon vainly endeavoring todociphor a his notes. While ho was so engaged tliofiro of flour and rats continued, and ol tho audience struck up tho chorus * For f he's a jolly /food follow." This over, z Mr Wansoy /explained that a piano had a .' boon sent fo^in order that thoso present Ul might bo rcgftilcd with some music. m Until its arrival ho proposed to entertain them himself. This determination fo evoked a further shower of flour, etc., G Home of the missiles coining from be- ti hind the stage, where presumably tho m friends of the entertainer were posted, m This baso ingratitude soemed to fill the it bosom of the speaker with a desire for to

revenge as, delicately lifting by the tails the somewhat dilapidated carcases of the rats, which were lying strewn about him, thick, as leaves m Vallambrosa, he proceeded to return them with great impartiality to stalls, pjt, and dress circle. This of course provoked retaliation, and for a timo the engagement was, pretty brisk . When the fire subsided, Mr Wansey proceeded to deal with the great question of the rabbit pest, for tho extirpation of which he said he possessed an infallible remedy. This, he explained, was simplicity itself, and consisted of tho strewing around the haunts of the rabbit cabbage leaves plentifully bestrewn with snuff. " Thoy eat the leaves," said this ingenious inventor, '' and then thoy sneeze so hard that they break their necks." This novel recipe waß received with shrieks of laughter and a brisk fusilado of flour and crackers, amid which Mr Wansey beat a retreat to the prompt entrance. He then informed the audience that he would not detain them longer, but would give them another entertainment, when they would have songs and music. This drew forth a porfect storm of dissent, amid which Mr Wansey pointed to his attire, which was somewhat damaged by the fusillade, and pathetically bemoaned the destruction of his clothes. Finally he retired, amid the uproar of the audience, who demanded the music which had been promised. This was not forthcoming however, and as a gentle hint that the entertainment was over had been 'given by lowering the lights, the large assem blage dispersed, happily without acoident and thus ended one of the most peculiar scenes ever witnessed m Christchurch." Tho " Telegraph " may well characterise tho scene as a peculiar one, aad we venture to think that the adjective "disgraceful" might also well havo been added. Wo are not surprised that m the same issue of our contemporary there should bo a letter from "A Stranger," of only a few week's residence m Now Zealand, expressing his surprise and disgust at the "Christchurch method of conducting itself at what he has been told is the most critical time m the,histoiy of the colony," and if visitors to the colony regard this as a sample o£ the conduct of the inhabitants of the hub of civilisation (vide Forbes) so far as New Zealand is concerned, we wonder what their notion must be of the possibilities m connection with the presumably less civilised portions. Perhaps the blame for such an unseemly spectacle is not solely attributable to the public but m part to tho candidate himself. We judge that that is so from tho attempt made to charge a fee for admission, and to tho apparent intention to have introduced mueicas a part of the "entertainment;" but whether that bo so or not, the people of Ohristchurch cannot escape their share of the blame which justly attaches to them for treating the question of electing a representative to Parliament as m the nature of a screaming farce. Nero is said to have fiddled while Borne burned, and the incongruity of the procedure was no greator than that of candidates and constituents alike donning the cap and bells of tho buffoon.