Untitled

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 537, 26 December 1867, Page 2

The Melbourne Leader states that the Mayors of Ballarat and Ballarat East, disdaining the dull routine of mere etiquette, telegraphed their congratulations to his Royal Highness (in Adelaide), and are very properly proud of having stolen a march upon all other local functionaries in Victoria. We are not aware that the

Mayor of Melbourne ever dreamed of such a loyal stretch ; and as ho has been anticipated, perhaps he will not now venture upon such a proceeding at all. Mr Walter Montgomery, also, the eminent tragedian, sent a telegram of welcome to the Puke, through his “personal acquaintan«e” the hon. Eliot Yorke. This is an attention, we apprehend, never thought of by any private gentleman in Victoria; and perhaps it is just as well, because, in the long run, an excess of such compliments would become wearisome. Indeed, objectionable as it is to be too tardy, there is always a danger lest over-zeal should be confounded with flunkeyism and servility. On this ground no little exception has been taken to the style of the proposed address to Prince Alfred by the Bishop and clergy of Victoria, a copy of which enlivened the pages of the Church News. From such a source we should have expected a graceful scholarly address, untainted by flattery or rhodomontade ; but what are we to think of a document which makes Bishop Perry and hi# clergy assure Prince Alfred that, in their eyes, bis arrival in Victoria “ constitutes an epoch in the history of the world 1” If the address merely dignified his coming as the brightest event in the history of the colony, it would have been loud enough ; but “ an epoch in the historyof the world!” Hnd even this is not the most remarkable feature. The address represents the Bishop and his clergy as congratulating themselves upon the fact that “ the Majesty of Bngland fears not to sand forth to us, in our antipodal home, one of the trea-

sures of her life, one of the hopes of her people !” This is really too bad. Surely his Lordship will not permit such rubbish as this to be shot down in his name before Prince Alfred. Of flunkeyism and servility there will an abundance, no doubt, but decidedly such proceed from those who claim special credit for good sense and gentlemanly feeling.

Moeai, Test! —The Melbourne Age, 15th November, says:—“A very serious charge has been mads against the Hon. Mr Baker, of South Australia —that having got up a cnrroboree of natives for. the entertainment of the Prince, he endeavoured to make the native women dance in a state of nudity. To the credit of the observers, they intimated their disapproval of the proposal; but it is a still more interesting fact that the native women themselves, with their relatives, declined the degrading proposition.”