THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 498, 15 August 1871, Page 2

THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.

NO. XX. Thebes no doubt that the new Exchange liooms opened by Mr. Haley are very, ittractive ; otherwise, I am quite certain that Dick wouldn't spend so much of his time there. And when I speak to 'him about it he tells me that it can't be helped, that his circle of acquaintances is rapidly increasing, and that it's a first-rate place at which to make engagements and transact businesj. And when I went to look after him one day last week, I found that his " business" consisted of playing dominoes and smoking bad cigars. But he seemed very comfortable, and so I didn't disturb him, particularly as he tells me he picks up all the chit chat of the town there. It was in these rooms that j his heart was first inspired with affection, j and whcro he first turned his thoughts to i matrimony ; but I have promised him to say nothing about it until the matter is finally settled, so I must for'the present h01d,njy„wpac0.,.,.,.,.,,.,,,,.-,- „,.■-;,- -.■ , iwjf.^u-fij The.step from the question of Smart and the City Council to Staines and the same intelligent body is but a short one. The " People's Champion" is evidently full of a sense of public duty, and is; moreover, imbued with a kindly feeling towards 1m fellow men. The motion which he yesterday tabled, to the effect that the whole of the first members of the Borough Council be photographed and hung up in tho Board-room, for tho benefit of posterity, is certainly one of the greatest, if not the greatest stroke of genius he has -yet betrayed during his public career, and should it be carried, which wo are quite sure it will be, wc trust that the next Council will show their sense of the " People's Champion" by appointing him Mayor of that body, and petitioning Her Majesty to confer upon him the honour of knighthood. How glorious will it not be in years to come, when, perhaps, I am a member, and when business is dull and the interest is flagging say in 1900, to turn our faces to the wall and contemplate the holy group 01 martyrs—which, of course, they arc— when the well-known features o M—C y catches our eyes with hi) jolly rubicund face, his well-known fca tures and cheery voice, what new life wil be infused iHto our deliberations —whih the calm Napoleonic aud stutesmanlik. appearance of the renowned Georg. Staines cannot but fill us with the mos holy thoughts. As we look upon th< massive brow and eaglo eye flashing fire as it might be seen to do when battling for tho "people's rights" on tho gai question, and anon softened as a vision o mock turtle and No. 2 floated before him our thoughts will be insensibly drawn U that affecting sight upon the Surrcj Shore, when the people's champion lef the house of his fathers—and his mother') too, for that matter— and his unci. fell upon his neck and wept. But pass frc on to other faces. That benign countenance belongs to George the peaeeablo I hat happy giant is the famous coachbuilder, and that fine-looking gcntlemai: on the left is the Fire Superintendent Then there is Hampton, the fashionable tailor; Imgden, the fashionable brick' layer; Tonks, the auctioneer, and others well known to us all, who have fought, il not bled, in the people's cause. In the centre of the group, his face beaming with a kindly smi'e upon all around, and his hands clutcfe',^ tight. J Upon the ctmas of office, we shall see our first Mayor; and having thus contemplated the whole of these great men, and reflected for a few minutes upon their past deeds, wo shall turn back to the table, aud proceed with the business before the meeting with renewed strength and spirit, and burning to do such deeds as will cause our Mayor to emulate the hospitality of Mayor Fillips, and give to us tripe and oysters. I notice by advertisement that somebody wants 100 bona fide travellers, to become lodgers every Saturday night, and to drink beer all day on Sunday, l>unvjlle's whiskey not excepted. I havc'nt tho faintest idea who put this absurd advertisement in, but whoever it may be, if ho gets into the clutches of the police and the sitting magistrate, he may bo sure this gage of defiance will not be forgotten. Another queer advertisement:— "Wanted the tall gentleman, with a long black beard, that obtained tho letters addressed ' Moderate," to return them, so that they may be handed to the rightful owner.'' I wonder if the gentleman with the " long black beard" could read; if so, why he took the letters ; and whether ho has any intention of returning them. At all events, the request is a very "moderate" one, and the bearded stranger would do well to comply with it. Having condemned the Formosa lately produced at the Hoyal, T am in justice bound to say that the remarks which I made upon that occasion cannot in any way apply to the "Formosa" of Bone icault, produced last night at the Prince of Wales. 'Ihe two pieces are as different as chalk from cheese. Of course, there arc numbers of people who object to the class of plays to which " Formoss " belongs, and who could object to that particular play on no other plea. It is eminently actable, has well developed characters powerfully drawn, is full of striking scenes and situations, has nothing approaching coarseness or vulgarity in its lauguage, and is excellently mounted. I am quite sure that it will have a run of a week or more, and considering the pains and expense the management have gone to in its production, it fully deserves it. Dick wanted to go last night, but, afraid it might be as " warm " as the other one, I rofused him my permission. He inaj', however, go to-night; the play can do him no harm, and may indeed do him good. Why are nigger bands allowed to stop in this place? They ought to be pre-

vented fjom landing, or at all events'if. 'they do land, they should be locked up during tliair stay. I don't object to them in a muac hall, if they are kept there, and no oie allowed to see them; but it is the infecfion which they throw out, and which se«ms to spread to every one who sees thenL In my house are lodging four or five roung men and boys, and since Sunday morning there has been nothing but an eruption of black faces, striped calico pantaloons, music of the most excruciating description, and dancing that would drive me out of my mind in about ten minutes if I did not stop up my ears I with cott6n, and look another way. One of the young chaps with long legs says he's O'Brien, and Dick says he's Kelly ; and yesterday afternoon they were rehearsing the " Siege of Paris," when Dick pat. an overdose of powder into the cannister they were using for a sieging mortar. Fortunately the two front windows wore open, and when they were j picked up in the garden, about 100 feet 1 off, they were slowly coming to the eon- \ elusion that as amateurs, they were not likely to achieve a success. It is probable I that several days will elapse before they s will again pay the darkies a visit. But j the other boys are organising a regular ■ black-bafid, and I fear I shall have to I change my place of lodging shortly. I hoar there was a great fall in Caledonians the other day. A gentleman-^----the owner of some billions of scrip in this well-known claim, was about to embark ion board the steamer, when by some ' means or other his foot slipped from under j him, or the boat slippedout of the water, or i something of the kind, but at all events he alighted upon the deck upon quite I another part of his body than his feet "Hullo, Bill I" ciied a bystander, " here's a fall in Caledonians ; let's go down and pick 'em up. Wo might «et 'em cheap." But the " Caledonians" righted of their own accord, looking, however, very rueful, and with his mouth full of the first half of a very explosive material, used to bring down the quartz and iv which the market is very scarce Could this have been caught as it floated harmlessly away, it might have formed a temporary supply. Nathaniel Beeswing.