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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 11, 14 December 1872, Page 2 (Supplement)

Conversation. —Of the two sexes, I should say that upon the whole and in the long run women were, cater is paribus, superior to men as conversers. For even admitting (what I think is very doubtful) that they are not generally so well read, and have not so many ideas to communicate as men, their moral and intellectual constitution enables them, when in society, to make a better use of the materials they possess, and that for several reasons. First, because they are less egotistical, and also less selfish than men ; consequently they have less of that mauvaise honte, which so often makes the latter silent or awkward in company. For the same reason they are also less likely to be absorbed with their own ideas and opinions, and to treat slightingly those of another. Then they have stronger sympathies, greater tact, and more readiness and presence of mind than men. This superiority in conversational power in women over the male sex extends itself even to the lower classes. In agricultural districts, as the clergy well know, the women are much easier to get on with than the men, and appear to be much less dull, though probably the difference in this respect arises, not so much from intellectual superiority as from the causes already mentioned; and I suppose it is partly owing to these causes, that women who are believed, by some at least, to be more secretive than men, and who certainly have greater powers of concealing their feelings, are generally less reserved in conversation. We will now consider the relative merits of nations, with reference to the subject we are discussing. On tho whole, we should say that the French stand first on the scale ; for they possess more of the requisite qualities, with fewer drawbacks, than other nations. They are lively in spirits, witty, ready and full of tact, nor are they at all deficient in reading and observation. Moreover, though a vain they are not ah egotistical or a proud people, and, therefore, are not subject to bashfulness. Indeed, they do not seem to dread anything. Now these latter qualities, which the French want, are essentially characteristic of Englishmen. And to these, in a certain degree,

we owe our greatness, our superiority to them in dignity and self-respect, but they are also one cause of our inferiority in conversation. The Irish, on the other hand, who have none of the English bashfulness, and who also have much greater readiness than we have, might stand higher as regards their conversational powers, were it not that they are, generally speaking, less highly educated, and not very intellectual in their tastes. I am speaking here of the better classes, for the peasantry in Ireland are generally more conversable than in England. The Scotch are, generally speaking, too cautious, too much afraid of committing themselves, to shine in conversation. The Germans are grave and taciturn ; they think more than they speak. The Italians are rather a conversational people, they seem to have a flow of language and are born orators, but they have more languor and less intellectual cultivation than the French.— Golden Hours. Thoughts on our Colonial Policy. —lt has been urged by the advocates of the Goldwin Smith policy, who would throw off our colonies, that England would have all the advantages of trade with the liberated settlements without any of the responsibility of protecting them. This is false as it is selfish and cowardly. Statistics show how great is the disproportion between the trade done by England with her colonies and with the Anglo-Saxon communities politically separated from her. I do not intend to quote statistics, but any one interested can at once, by consulting them, see how disastrous (taking the most selfish view of the question) would be this policy. True, the colonies have put on heavy duties for revenue on English manufactures, but what are these as compared with the retaliative protective duties which would be levied upon separation from the British rule ; these would probably equal the almost prohibitive duties in the United States, and the consequence would be a diminution in British exports to the colonies, quite equal to that which has taken place in the United States. Then, as to the responsibility of protection. Is it to be understood that in withdrawing her troops, England intimates her intention of allowing the colonies to defend themselves against outside attack ? If so, then it is the strongest incentive to the colonies to secede from the connection with the mother country, because England is much more likely to become engaged in war than any of the States which would be formed by seceding colonies, and during the continuance of the connection any colony is liable to be attacked by the foes of England; therefore her safety is endangered by her political connection with a country from which she receives neither the assistance of money, credit, nor armed protection ; but let it be asked, has England become so selfish and fallen so low as to leave any of her colonies in the lurch, if unjustly attacked by a foreign power ? Because the troops are withdrawn from Canada, would the British nation sit still and see Canada overrun by marauding Fenians from the United States ? Every one knows full well that the generous sentiments of the people would be aroused, and that even in the event of an attack by the overwhelming forces of the United States Government, they would rise as one man and demand that the honor of England should be vindicated in defending the liberties of her American subjects ; thus, in withdrawing the troops from our colonies, we neither save money nor do we practically give up responsibility, unless we were to sink down to a meanness of which no one will venture to accuse us. But is it true that England is weary of her high mission, that of being the pioneer of civilization all over the globe? Do the English people think that that mission which, so nobly commenced by our forefathers, has been energetically carried forward to the present day, is accomplished, and that really the time has come for them to “ Rest and be thankful ”? No! a thousand times No 1 England does not believe that her mission is accomplished, nor does she mean to allow other less worthy hands to take up her unfinished work, or to allow that work to remain unfinished. Rather will she, in the full

plentitude of her wealth with uudiminished energy buckle to at the old work with increased intelligence and enlarged means. She owes her present greatness mainly to her colonies and her trade, which have stimulated and maintained her home industries, and she will never be mad enough to think of trying to cast off either one or tho other of the sources of her prosperity, but rather with increasing knowledge of the power and wealth and loyalty of these distant possessions seek to draw them together into relations of closer amity.— St. James's Magazine.

The Commission, appointed to inquire into charges against G. B. Worgan, for malversation of office, at Wanganui, is at end. The Wanganui Herald says that, in reply, Mr. Worgan denied tlie allegations “ absolutely and unequivocally ” and thus describes the end of that gentleman’s speech:—ln conclusion Mr. Worgan said he could safely say that he had worked very hard indeed for the Government for whom he had done his best, and that lie felt in justice to himself he should state that the conclusions he had arrived at from time to time had been the subject of careful deliberations, based upon a review of the whole subject, and had been referred to Mr. Pharazyn in every instance, who had coincided entirely in his (Mr. Worgan’s) views. Mr. Worgan then concluded by saying he felt no hesitation in leaving his case in the hands of the Commissioner, in whom he had every confidence. Mr. Worgan spoke for an hour and a half clearly and without effort ; although he had no notes for reference. He traversed the evidence, pointing out the fallacies and erroneous conclusions that had been drawn from insufficient and unreliable data, pointed out briefly how conflicting interests had almost necessarily brought about the present results, and after disposing one by one of the allegations finally left the socalled case for the Crown in the hands of the Commissioner.

The following grim words handle a ghastly subject: A conclusive argument against suicide is, that it is the height of impoliteness to go anywhere till you are sent for.

The Times speaking of the Crystal Palace flower show, says : —The specimens of Sarracenia Drummondialia, of the Imantophyllum miniatum, of the Cyanophyllum manificum, of the Sarracenia drummondifluva, and of tho Spharogyne lattgolia, call for distinct notice. To which Punch replies : “ And they shall not call in vain, for the distinct notice which we will give them is, that they are a lot of Sesquipedalian Kusses.”

The Wanganui Weekly Herald says: —ln moving his motion on Wednesday, “ that the affairs of the Wanganui S.N.Co. be wound up voluntarily.” Mr. Alexander said he was getting so indifferent about the affairs of Wanganui that he didn’t care whether a boat came to Wanganui or not. The present was a time when the boats could be sold to great advantage, as there were several parties in Dunedin who were in want of boats, and would be willing to buy their two at a good price. There was no fear that there would be plenty of boats found to take away the produce of the place, so that Wanganui would not suffer.

We beg to assure our readers that the following does aof apply to Gisborne:—Horace Greely presents the following as a sure means of destroying the prosperity of the most promising town. “If you want to keep a town from thriving don’t put up any more buildings than you can conveniently occupy yourself. If you should accidentally have an empty building and any one should want to rent it, ask three times the value of it. Demand a Shylock price fcr every spot of ground that God has given you stewardship over. Turn a cold shoulder to every mechanic and business man seeking a home with you. Look at every new-comer with, a scowl. Run down the work of every new workman. Go abroad, for wares rather than deal with those who seek to do business in your midst. Fail, to advertise, or in any other way to support your paper, so that people abroad may know whether any business is going on in that town or not. Wrap yourself up within yourselves with a coat of impervious selfishness. There is no more effectual wav to retard the growth of a town than actions like those enumerated, and there are people in every town who are pursuing the same course every day of their lives, and to whom the above remarks are respectfully offered for their consideration. PiUBAX ON PI.UBAX. Half Hebrew, half English, Old Benjamin Moses Cries “ Clothes” all the week, But on Saturday “ closes.”—Punch.