CIVIC LUCUBRATIONS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2182, 22 February 1881, Page 3

CIVIC LUCUBRATIONS.

The question of granting the City Council'* patronage to theatrical performances was raised at yesterday evening's meeting of the City Council, on an application from the secretary of the Working Men's Club. Opinions were divided as to whether the request should be granted, and the matter being apparently regarded as one of the very last importance to this community and the country at large, a very weighty discussion ensued. The debate was instructive to a degree. His Worship the Mayor, who ranged himself with the sympathetic section favorable to the request, entered into a characteristic dissertation on the merits of Working Men's Clubs generally, and that of Christchurch in particular, with speoial reference to the mental condition of one member of the institution, who upon one occasion had severely exercised the m'nd of our Chief Magistrate. It appears that his Worship is a member of the club, and having a watchful eye, probably, to its moral tone, he once, and once only, saw there a young gentleman whose appearance was that of a groggy person. He feared the young man had been over indulgent of bibulous proclivities, such fear being induced chiefly on account of a tendency to wildness in one of this young man's eyes, and a habit it had of looking round the corner. He thought it only fair to say, however, that an investigation of the case led to a complete and satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon. The suspected person was a sober young man, but had the misfortune to be affected with a cast in one eye, the which circumstance had misled his Worship, and he felt gratified at being in a position to state that this was the first, last, and only instance in whioh he had occasion to suppose that the flowing bowl possessed an influence too potent for the carrying capacity of members. Thus ended his Worship. One of the Councillors ventured to hint that the interesting little anecdote just narrated scarcely bore on tho subject before them, a question having been raised, whether by a former resolution, the Council were empowered to grant their patronage. His Worship cheerfully Bssonted to the proposition involving a doubt of his perspicacity, as he might have done had he been paid the highest compliment, and with unimpaired good humor, he proceeded once again, with an air of freshness marvellous to behold, to retail the story of the young man of eocentrio visual organs. Being interrupted half way through the introduction, and just as he was coming to his " first iinpressiona" of that young man he was compelled to pause, only for a time, however. Just as evory one had managed to bury tho Mayor'o anecdote as a thing of tho past, and after several Councillors had spoken, His Worship onco more brightened up and introduced his moral example. It began to get monotonous, like the everlasting story about the Queen's armchair in " Innocents Abroad," and the humor of the thing being quito up to Mark Twain's experience, tho Councillors present had all they could do, apparently, to contain their risible faculties within tho limits of decorum and civic dignity. Fortunately, tho Mayor did not tell the Btory more than three times, though he evidently forsook it at last with some degree of reluctance. The discussion pro and con as to the extension of patronage to the "poor player" was then resumed, and after a considerable amount of eloque oa had been expended, the Council's good nature overcame the Council's soruples, and the next matter demanding their attention being gas, they proceeded to gas accordingly.