Notes by the Way.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 940, 2 September 1891, Page 2

Notes by the Way.

.■;.'.- .•, . ?:--, :.:••<.■ !.-'--v>»:ri J .=.« j , The other day ;we Were ' graitifijsiS i to learn that the Australasian, press was tie noblest m the w^rlt|l,,Sp said Christie Murray, the author, dramatist, actor, ami as a newspaper! manj of many years experience, his >opinibnj is worth hearing. ' Bdt beyond the n^WS' papers and the aee'nery,; Mr? Murray does not see n ino!ch' ->tb "'pr'aistf, 1 ' 1 m? the; colonies; ■ Be has an article m jthe Contemporary Review m which he speaks his mind pretty plainly about Australia and the Australians, characterising jtlie latter as. "one: of the most prosperous, educated, , roW/jy, drunken people m the i world."' He then proceeds to eulogise the beginning. of ait and literature,; on which he is well qualified to speak authoritatively.' But he follows up Ihis. eulogies by praising Australian conunorcial morality, whichS«!Sc(i: as to suspect shrewdly that either Mr Murray iias been hoaxing the eJitor of the Cont'em porary, or that tbat erstwhile; serjous periodical has been transformed into a comic journal. i i Mr Murray is a familiar figure; m these colonies m a prolonged tour of which a year or two ago he spent a considerable time. It was here that he first conceived the idea of himself "creating " the characters whose lines he wrbte, and after writing the colonial drama " Chums," he assisted to produce it a3 : a member of St Maur's Company. In New Zealand and Australia "Chums" only achieved a succes d'estime, but it bas apparently been more favourably received m London. Mr Murray again essayed the boards and completely won' his audience. "He was repeatedly recalled, and the London press is unanimous m its praise. ' ';' ' j It is to be hoped tjhat, success, as a j dramatist and an actor will not lead (Mr Mu ur ay to forsake hi? fi.st love, literature. Thongh his books have been curioualy uneven, he has shown glimpsu

of fie (me ifirp, nn\ to the nirh-»r Of '• .ios-'iiliV Co it ''and •' A'liit Unclii'l ' may be forgiven the perpHtriiion *>! ''John Vrtl.i'rt <ina,r,ltih^' mil (Cn «f that bitt»*rieAt.«»f • er^iiul «tt.H«'k*— V Hie Way of tine Wort I *'/. ( ifr htp he I'hs -written mnrli m ioM;ilio^fitii»n with Hknry Ikrman ;S?Jie li c ijsiill t>re, kit Hi a dsflitsitt erifismnship, of tin > earlier rooks is wainlin^. • As tlie li ilnnci sh«et of th* S • ifc'ibrid^e Town B mr I --hows t'i:U t'lern h a f.iir bnlnnre on the credit si l>\ pv>n t!i<n)ir|| ilmf, balan.;- 1 <1 i-s ronrfHt largely of unpail I'Htfis, th.* i resent is a Favonr.»ble opportunity for a n'm Jiscussinej the asphalting *>f the footp«tilis. The outntandin • ratea if oollecteiJ, vr<>ull more than cov<»r theßo'arJ'sshiro of the expense, anl we do not tlrnlt the .rate payers who would btv benefitted would object to coutri >ut) their s'latv. Asphalting can now be done , : «at ;( a ; very moderate cost, an 1 tin resultant good would be not only a boon tp the public, but a lasting trflphy to the enterprise of the town fathers J£vkn a " Picturesque At'as" canvasser has right?. *An innkeeper at Balfour did not think so, but he has now good reasons for changing his mind. When the. Al as man arrived' at 'Balfour, be 'pat up at a hotel. 'J'he innkeeper told him that he would not jbe- responsible for the safe keeping of his Affects owing to the strong filing againatthd Atlas peope. .T!i&t'tl.^e'',.jnQk lee^ei;:..:knew1 ee^ei; : .. : knew hig neighbours wag proved ; the harness ' stolen the sam^jßvenmg^jand dam aged, hut was recovered subsequently. The innkeeper discl&iraed responsibility, but the Invercargill R;M; w G(Jart has decided that \W niust '.'p'ay : . If this sort of thing goes on, efen the innocent amusement of %» itmg a book canvasser nrust soon d ie put . Th us are we/losing day by day ,our most cherished