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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 233, 13 October 1879, Page 4

The « Loafer in the street " writes :— Racing in New Zealand was long ago pronounced by one of onr leading sportsmen as "one of the hooesteat things as is." I'm afraid that impartial judge would hardly find it in his heart to say as much of politics. I judge so from the remarks made by Mr i John Lundon when addressing the electors at the Bay of Islands. He said—" I could do a swindle for you all iv Wellington. Did I not on one occasion go to the Public Works office, along with Billy SwansoD, and overhauled the plans they showed us, which had only the tracts, and lines, and figures, and no guts ? Mr Swanson told me they had threatened to kick him out of that office ; but they did not threaten to kick me out though. After a deal of bother and noise it was agreed to give £40,000 for roads and bridges in North Auckland ! I always fight hard for my right, and never received a penny of anybody else'g money to help me along. I know I have not much education ; I was born in Limerick, and came out to this country when I wa3 twelve years old, and always worked for myself ever since near forty years ago, excepting once, when I was cook at 4s a week ; but I never got any money for that ! " Mr Lundon is certainly candid, and if not exactly possessed of the highest literary attainments, is certainly a useful member for his constituents, if not for the colony. Considerable success is said to have attended the experiments in military ballooning at Woolwich. The epecial balloonist, Captain Elsdale, RE,, by using tnree currents of wind, arrived iv half-an-hour at 1 Colchester, for which he bad designedly set out from Woolwich. 1 A good deal of amusement has been created recently in one of the northern townships at the expense of old Combings, who is one of wealthiest residents in the neighborhood referred to. Mrs C. is a lady of charitable instincts, and goes round making collections for charitable objects, to which,J)y the way the lady 1b not herself a strictly constant donor. Mr Combings' brother, who is not in the same afflaeot circumstances as his brother, recently bad occasion to take the benefit of the Act. Being rather closely questioned by his cruel creditors, hs stated that he was so stone broke that he had to borrow the money to pay bis legal expenses from biß brother. It eventually transpired that the money had come from a collection recently made by his- sister in law, " to assist A starving woman and her family." The one and all had subscribed no the ■fund, and to this hour are wondering to themselves whether in spite of what we are told to the contrary, charity is not sometimes * bit puffed up.—" The Loafer."