CRASS IGNORANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1779, 29 February 1888, Page 3

CRASS IGNORANCE.

The following sUtvy ia told by Sir Charles Gavan Duffy ia the " C >nternporsry Review" ns iliaatrnHnc tho ignrance of colonial bff»iiß l .n Bag'.^nc : — ' A. certsin Secretary of Sfcstc — v t o story ran — gave audience to an envnent colonist from Australasia, and the conversation fell upon a retired governor, who, when hie period of eeivice hsd terminatad, bought a charming island m the Pacific, and made hia home there. He had lost favor at the Colonial Office, and marvellous stories concsrnlng him wore current In thit locality. 'I am told.' said the noble secretary, ' thai Governor So-afid-bo lives the life of of a hermit, m all reßpaote but cno. Can it bo pna?ible that he ha 3 shut himself up on an island, with no other cornp^nloya than a bavera of waliableß V ' Well, ye?,' said tha colonist, 1 that's about i. The island and the wallabies area true bill ; but he has books and music, and czone to boot.' 'Pray, air,' eald the secretary, ia a tone of horror, * how many vrallabiea may there be there? 1 'How maDy ? Well, I never thought of aakiug, A good few, no doabf. A hundred for certain, or 500 for anything I know. I dare say be dosen't know how many himself.' * Gracious Providence,' oried the stateman, m grave Burprhe, ' what an example to a Chrißtian people ! ' ' Oh, as for ex&mp'e, I wUh all your governors employed themselves as innocently.' 'I am profoundly grieved to hear you say so, air ! Morality mu^t be at a low ebb indeed when a man like you makes light of Buoh a proceeding.' 1 Morality ! ' exclaimed the colonist ; 'what does your iordßhip Buppose a wallaby to be?' 'Why, a half caste, of coacas.' ' A wallaby, my lord, la a dwarf kangaroo < *"