THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1882. A FRIEND IN NEED.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2506, 19 April 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1882. A FRIEND IN NEED.

The vagaries of onr ancient and respected contemporary tlie ‘‘ Lyttelton Times” are really assuming a serious aspect, and are such as to give great cause for uneasiness to its friends. The latest freak is the strangest yet perpetrated. Of all the musical events that have occurred here, Christchurch has least reason to be congratulated on the rendition of the opening cantata at the Exhibition. This arose from a variety of reasons. In the first place the building was most unfit for the purpose,musically speaking; and secondly, though there was a very large assemblage of performers, the real work was done by comparatively few. It is well known that a large number of lady friends of the talented conductor and his friends obtained a place on the dais amongst the performers, not on account of any musical ability, hut simply because it was a kind of reserved platform from which to view the ceremony of the performance of the cantata, and the least said the better. If our visitors from the South and the North have gone away with the notion that this was the best we could do in the way of music they will form but a low estimate of us, despite the self-laudation in which we indulge. Our ancient and respected friend of Gloucester street, always ready with the butter of praise, was exalted into the seventh heaven of delight over it, and shortly afterwards breaks out into a leading article suggesting that for his immense services Mr. Wells should be honored with a special benefit; that the uncultured many should entreat the great Maestro to accept a benefit concert. The intention was good, but there was no response. The public failed to take the hint so conveniently thrown out in the leading columns of the “ Times.” There was no gathering in hot haste of musicians eager to do honor to genius of a transcendental kind; no committee of leading citizens mailed to procure tickets. Alas for Christchurch and the “ Times,” the suggestion fell stillborn. But a crumb of comfort still remains to our friend. It is generally understood that despairing of his gigantic amount of “ culchaw ” being appreciated here; in fact, feeling that as a missionary of art in its highest development to a semi-barbaric and wholly unappreciative community his work is done, the man whom the “ Times” dolighteth to honor is going out from ns. Metaphorically he shakes the dust of our city from off his slices shortly, and goes whore his genius will receive due appreciation. Why cannot onr Gloucester street contemporary arrange for a farewell benefit of its star. Placard the city well; have a few cunningly worded advertisements inserted, and tickets on sale everywhere, and the thing is done. But for goodness sake don’t let us say a word about the cantata. We commend our suggestion to the consideration of our contemporary as a means by which even at the eleventh hour the mere grovellers of Christchurch may ho enabled to do honor to tho mighty talents of our departing friend. AT LAST. Though not officially proclaimed in so many words, the convening of a meeting to elect two members of the handicap committee of the C.J.C. informs ns that Mr. Lanco has followed the example of his confrere Mr. Stead, and resigned his seat thereon. We congratulate him upon the stop, whilst at the same time we cannot help expressing enrpise and regret that these two gentlemen should have allowed themselves to bo placed in a false position for a single moment. 'Wa

iafee it that the resignation of the two gentlemen referred to is a tacit acknowledgment that the principle of owners having a seat on a handicapping committee is not a good one. Hence at the meeting for the filling of the vacant seats we trust the members of the C.J.C. will bear this in mind, and affirm it by their votes. As a thunderstorm clears the air and is a precursor to fine weather, so this little hubbub in our racing world will, we think, do good in the end. We have unconsciously, in the matter of sport, drifted into a sort of apathy ; some half dozen gentlemen have consituted themselves the arbiters of what was and what was not right, and generally there i has, up to this point, been an almost entire absence of that healthy public interest without which every sport, however attractive, must languish. Lot us hope that racing in Canterbury has entered upon a new and more prosperous ora. Our only motive in dealing with this subject has been in the true interest of sport. We have had no end to serve, no clique to back up, and feel perfectly independent of the entire Jockey Club. Far different is it with our contemporaries. Lot a poor man make a faux pas, how carefully and scientifically is he dissected. Had two of the minions of the racing world obtained seats on the handicapping committee, how would the sporting oracle, the “ Canterbury Times, have poured forth the vials of its wrath, as to the bad taste of owners handicapping their own horses. But in the case of the chairman of the committee and the treasurer —we beg Mr. Stead’s pardon, we should have said the Cluh when mentioning him—a discreet silence is observed, and the subject, when mentioned, is touched with kid gloves. Despite this, however, the result has proved that we were right. If not, why have the two gentlemen resigned. If they felt that they wore in their right place, and that it was the proper thing to sit in judgment on their own and their opponents’ horses, as the “ Canterbury Times ” seems to think, why did they resign F This, to our mind, is the strongest proof that every word wo have urged is true, and that, so far from overstating the matter in any way, we have dealt rather mildly than otherwise with an attempt which, if successful, would have ruined sport in Canterbury.