THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1708, 11 August 1879, Page 3

THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

The great Liberal meeting recently held by the great pro-consul in Wellington seems to have been a lively sort of entertainment. In point of fact, the account of it rather reminded me of the Christchurch gatherings held for the benefit of candidates for civic honors. Wc, in this city, have, I think, reached a pitch of larrikinism not to be surpassed except, perhaps, at the ordinary meetings of the City Council itself, and this reminds me of a circumstance that happened at the Wellington meeting, which perhaps Mr W. Wilson may not have seen in the papers, and which I reproduce for hie especial benefit. It appears that a Mr Revans proposed a resolution which was not acted upon, a little accident which might happen to even Mr Wilson sometimes. Me Eevans then pallet

the chairman a fraud, and asked the meeting to hiss him. Could any course be found in the annals of meetings more suited to the courteous form of the gentleman who I understand intends being tho nixt Mayor of Christchurch. I have net for a very long time read a local which gave mo more heartfelt pleasure than one which appeared in your columns recently in reference to a proposed new institution which is, it appears, to bo called “ The Domestic’s Repose.” The Repose, it seems, is to be an establishment whore females out of employment are to be received, and have all the comforts of a home without being surrounded by the many inconveniences experienced at the present time in this city. Father Ginaty deserves great credit for his kind intentions towards a much abused and downtrodden class of female people, but I scarcely think his reverence can have grasped the magnitude of bis undertaking. I can quite understand the lady domestics being anxious to escape the inconveniences they experience at the present time in the shape of working in any shape. Unlike the faithful Miggs, colonial servants think servitude is no inheritance. The tie between the young lady who kindly assists her mistress for a consideration larger than she ever dreamed of in the Old Country and her employer is but light and transient. Thus it is that the necessity of the Domestics’ Repose has arisen. But how, Oh 1 Father Ginaty, is the Repose to be furnished ? Have you refieoted on the oosthetic tastes of those to whom you propose to offer the comforts of a borne ? Have you considered what that phrase will mean to the iadies whoso welfare you advocate ? Has the expense of the drawing rooms, ladies maids, library, pianos, carriages, riding horses, entertainments which the inmates of tho Repose will undoubtedly require, occurred to you ? You may think the domestics won’t think of such things, but they will, Father, and if they don’t get them, your institution will bust up, and I shouldn’t bo surprised if the repoaors turned round and rent tho promoters of their rest. When the aged Cincinnatus at his country’s call emerged for tho third time from the privacy of his eight acre allotment, tho local papers of the period I have little dbubt slung out paragraphs indicative of their approval of the disinterested course pursued by the old gentleman. So, to como to our own times, when that theatrical veteran William Hoskins, impelled by the requests and implorings of J thousands of Now Zealand playgoers, consented to appear once again, I think he should have had more than a passing notice.

As the worn war-horse at tho trumpet’s sound Erects his mane, and neighs, and paws the ground; Disdains the ease his generous lord assigns, And longs to rush on the embattled lines. So Hoskins, our plaudits ringing in his ear. Can scarce sustain to think our parting near. He can’t sustain it for any length of time, and so tho long sweet hours which bring us all things good, invariably bring us round again to That last “ben” which never is the last.

To use a quotation, which will be tolerably familiar to Mr Hoskins, under such circumstances, “parting is indeed sweet sorrow,” and I’m only panting to know when he is to take his next farewell, and me are to part again. Thanks to Sir George Grey, tho working man’s friend and sterling patriot, wo are to have a dissolution. Apart from the pleasure of hanging on to office a few weeks longer, it will give the distinguished statesman another chance of talking to audiences who, suck is the gullability of the many headed, will probably believe all he says. George likes hearing himself talk, at which time ho probably gives one of tho recording angels as much occupation as ho does tho gentlemen of tho reporting estate. George prefers the Vox to the Fox et praeterea, nihil, but apropos of tho stump, there’s a nice trip Mr Feld wick has laid out for himself. He declared that should the Ministry be defeated he would stump the country from the North Cape to tho Bluff on behalf of the great Liberal cause. You take my advice, Harry, and change your mind and your principles. You won’t be tho first by a good many who has done so in politics, and made money by the change. As to stumping around singing “Auld Robbing Grey,” Harry, you wouldn’t make yonr exes. You return to the Bluff and write some nice flowing articles on the advantages of the Local Option Bill, and tell your readers Gray is not the fellow you took him to be. That's what you’d best do, Harry. I learn from a Southern contemporary that there being no theatre in Lawrence, the local paper is driven to critiques of tho church services. The absence of a theatre is perhaps not altogether such a loss to the reporter at any rate as might be supposed, because that scribe is frequently spared the pain of wounding his conscience by attributing histrionic talents to people who do not possess any, and he is also spared the maledictions of the same order when he tells, as occasionally ho must perforce do, the truth about them. The idea of criticising tho church service is, however, worth consideration, and might in some cases be worked out with considerable effect. For instance, as in the case of the Tuapeka writer. A precis might be given of the sermon with (an item omitted by “ T. Times”) length of delivery, which is a much more important feature than many reverend gentlemen appear to think, supposed number of congregation and result of offertory. It would be interesting to compare the average ideas of our Christians on tbo subject of being ready to give and glad to distribute. Taking the run of our Sunday audiences though I fancy tho weekly donation would be somewhere about ‘OOOOI of a balf-penny per Christian. I am afraid this statistic wouldn’t look well here. Similarly I fear it would be unwise to criticise some of tho choirs further than to say their singing was “hearty.” However, now you’ve got tho idea you might try how it works.

By the way, don’t ask mo to write yourecclesiastical critiques for you. Under tho head of “ Chat," a writer in tho “ Shields Daily Gazette ” gives tho impressions of a correspondent of his about Now Zealand. They are rather amusing. What will Mr Jack Lee say to this, written of Dunedin :

“ In one of the suburbs a largo immi- . grants’ homo has been erected, where, free of ; charge, the fortunate possessors of strong arms and weatherproof constitutions; go straight f from the emigrant ships, and live well till they obtain employment. Happy toilers ! Here is realised their dream of prosperity—" eight hours’ work, eight hours’ sleep, eight hours’ play, and eight shillings a day.” Skilled labour commands a. much higher price. Good masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, and mechanics generally got from twelve to fifteen shillings per day.” From paragraphs similar to the above I’m afraid it is not always over satisfactory toseo ourselves as. others see us, but the following, from tho “ Prairie Farmer,” a. leading American agricultural paper, is very gratifying : “ The climate of Now Zealand, though liable fo sudden changes, is very line, resembling in the north that of Southern Spain or Greece, and in tho south that of Northern Italy. There is practically no winter.” It is quite clear the writer was not around here tho week before last. A well-known breeder o£' thoroughbred horses, who possesses many animals of tho Traducer blood, has recently drawn out a most ingenious list of nomenclature likely to prove suitable for scions of that famous horse. Amongst tho names I find tho following : “Titus Oates,” “Count Fosco,” “Lying Hick,” and “ Sir George Grey.” How very appropriate! A distinguished amateur prestidigitateur has lately been showing at Ashburton. His performance, as described by tho “ Mail,” must have been rather amusing, particularly to one of tho audience. The wizard borrowed a belltoppor from the E.M., which he proceeded to out into pieces, and, after tearing it into shreds, informed the owner, while thanking him for the use of his hat, that he had forgotten tho rest of tho trick. Next time tho Ashburton wizard shows it would be as well to rehearse this trick beforehand with some of his own hats. Tho Arrowtown correspondent of tho “ Cromwell Argus ” is something like a fellow. His account of a volunteer ball that recently came oil in his district, is something to read, and is one which could bo imitated with advantage by one own descriptive writers. He thinks perhaps his readers may expect him to say something on tho Idles et Icaux, and thus courageously does he tackle this delicate subject:—“I may at once state that a unanimous verdict has not yet been arrived at, but the palm is divided between Miss O. B. and Miss B. D-, both dressed exactly alike, in white repp silk corset, with white muslin skirts and white satin trimmings and lace. Miss M. H,, in brown silk, plain, and Miss R. _P., in white I muslin, with white satin trimmings and blue scarf, also looked very pretty. Misses I. L., M. 33. and A. 8., in white muslin and scarlet gatin, were very handsome. Mrs P., in

cream-colored silk trimmed ■with black lace, had a very becoming appearance, and may dispute claims to admiration with many younger aspirants. But I may go on and fill your paper with descriptions, and then have told you only half the glories of this ball, so I must end by dismissing the beaux altogether, and by saying that the ladies were all Tory nice and contributed immensely to the amusement.” Nice ! I should think so, though I’m not at all surprised to learn that some of them contributed immensely to the amusement, notably, I should presume, the young women in the white repp silk corsets.