NOTES BY A LOUNGER.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2662, 29 August 1871, Page 2

NOTES BY A LOUNGER.

A [few evenings ago, as I was walking down Princes street, I saw several excitedlooking people running towards the Masonic Hall, and thinking that something extraordinary was going to occur, I asked a iaimer-looking gentleman what was the matter. The matter ? said he, Don’t you know that he has challenged all his politcal opponents to meet him to night, that he may fight them all himself ? Indeed, said I, what a courageous gsntleman he must be. But who is he ? Who is he ? said the farmerlooking person : Sir, he is the bright Australian luminary that has lately risen in the political horizon of Otago Mr John Bathgate ! Indeed, said I, then he will be worth hearing. Worth hearing ! said Cloddy ; I should think he was. That man, sir, is filled with more eloquence, and knows more about everything in tne world—from champagne to Colonial swipes—than all the Professors of the Otago University put together. After this I thought it was time to enter the Hall, and did so. At the end of a few minntes I heard a big noise, and on looking up I saw a man, in appearance like the gentleman who “ just stepped in to take his umbrella.” But, oh ! when he opened his sublime mouth, aud his powerful voice reverberated through the Hall, from stage to ceiling, and through the gasaliers, his friends aud foes were a’ike appalled. But after some one went to sit m the chair, his eloquence was quite thrown away upon the people, for they would not listen to him ; but they commenced to yell like demons. I, therefore, only beard a few of the bursts of truths that fell from his lips. He said, as nearly as I can remember, “I have a great stake in the country” (“bunkum,” said some one). “I have a large family” (“ which yen wish the country to keep,” said another). “ And 1 must wish to see this Province” (filling your own pockets,” interrupted a third) prosperous. “ I did not come here to malign, abuse, or vilify anybody individually or by name ” (some one here whispered, “you have not the courage”); but he (the great man) must say that his political opponents were something, and that* they would con inne to be something as long as he continued to defend the suffering working people of Dunedin. 1 ’ He then said something about LISL) and LISOO, and that somebody else had been offered the job ; but as somebody else could make more than LSOO he would not take it, and the great man had to do so himself, to save the country and the Governmant from annihilation. Then, he said, that if anyone up to that time did not believe him, his groat politeness taught him to say they were mistaken ; but after this, if they said he was wrong, ho would sey they lied! But, oh, Mr Editor, had you but seen the gra,n(| attitude that accompanied these words, it would vividly hive reminded you of all the celebrated Richard the Third’s you ever saw. Had a photographer been present to catch that spiritual expression, it would have made that fortunate photo’s fortune.. He tb#u went on to say, “ that he would like to have given the Provincial Council members a lump sum for the session, so that they might sit mute, instead of wasting time, whilst he and one or two other geniuses might rule the destinies of this great Province. ” When some of the members proposed to award themselves a LI per day, aud to add an additional sum to his already small f alary, he became suddenly so weak from disgust that he had to rush to the refreshment room to recover the stock his system had received, and to allow them to force that sma 1 additional sum for his acceptance. Ruj;, sif,T qpist not trespass too much upon your space, otherwise I might go on sounding his praises to the end of tune. Before concluding, however, I must record the statesmanlike acumen displayed by this truly great man, when lie came to the front of the stage and planting his right foot firmly forward and lifting his right hand aloft, exclaimed, I am the man that will see an amount of the revenue spent in Dunedin in proportion to hi population—that is, about one half of the revenue of the

Province shall bo allotted to Dune tin, and the remainder (I suppose) may be allowed to say for the purpose of dr ining the farms about Taieri. Here the speaker was interrupted by acclamations from certain coach builders, and yells from my friend Cloddy. After a kindly invitation from the latter to attend a meeting of “ The no land for the people association” to be held the next next eve* ning, an account of which I will furnish you shortly. I departed, greatly edified with all I had heard and seen, concurring with my friend Cloddy that this great man was a prototype of those renowned men Fox and Pitt.