Barnum's White Elephant.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 42, 22 March 1884, Page 6

Barnum's White Elephant.

The following is Mr Labouchere's description of Barnum's " white " elephant : He is a well-proportioned beast, but he can be called white by those who are in the habit of calling black white. The only difference between him and other elephants ie that he has a cream-coloured patch with spots onhis trunk, andoneortwoonhischest, and that the tips of his ears are of the same hue, and look like a sort of lacework. I have no reason to doubt that he is a holy animal ; but, alas ! his presence in the flesh among us dispels one more illusion —the sacred white elephants which the Siamese worship are, so far as colour is concerned, pious frauds. In Mexico there is a race of Indians with light patches on their skins. These mottled savages go by the name of Pintos. '• Toung Taloung is a Pinto ; he looks like an elephant with a slight touch of leprosy. With a coating of whitewash, however, and with a few priests in goigeous Eastern raiment to minister to him, I should think that he is likely to prove remunerative as a show beast.

Capes, though universal, are too comfortable to go out of fashion. This mode has passed into the condition of a wrap, and is no longer dressy, unless of the fine dark fashionable sable, which can never be vulgarised on account of its expense.

'Plaintiff swnrn : I am a farmer, living at Te Avoha West. I know fie Oueen Licensed Holding Wmoronffoinai. Worked there in March 1882. Heard from T. Garan a man was wanted in the claim. Went to Harry Gordon who was working in tlia mine, and he put, me on to work. Worked five days, the rate of wages being; fl«* per day. Fenton, who had been working in the vl.iini, Uad gone to AuAUnd, anl toll Gordon to j">nl on n man in hi? alienee;. On his return fvo\n • AuokUuv*. Ponton Vent wiih uio to Mr E Iw.u-d who was treasurer for the shareholder*^ that time, and Moore paid lie would pay tins amount as soon as he got the. calls in. Fenton said lie had sold out of tho chiini, he did not himself engage me to \\o the work.

Hem y Gordon, sworn, stated : About March 10th, IBrt'2, MeSwwny wine to him whilst, working in t ho Queen L.H.. he said G avail had sent him up knowing I wanted a man. Fimton had Ixmmi working up lo that timo, an«l when ho wont away said he wm\M send up a man in his place. I put McS weeny on to work .

Thomas Fenton, sworn : I believe McSweeny «.li*l the work lie state*. Imt I was not a ssiaHiohbr at t.ho time. I had a share and sold it to Mi Campbell in March. There wero shares in my name, but I ouiy held them for other people. Toil! the rc*l o? the sh-ire-hol.lors wnon 1 sold that 1 w.i«* leaving, und they h.id better put on anothor man in my place. 1 thought I w-.i< not liable', not having a *h ne of my own. When I came back MeSwceny told me he had been working an i had not been paid. Iweit to Moore with him abont it. It was then agreed that Moore should place the am unit to plainthTs vredit, lie having an account runniiu at Moore's store. Cannot say whether I.his arrangement wa>. carried ont or not. DelVudaut had since told me «o hnd ])aid Moore his account in full, nnvl had not got credit for tko amou.it claimel. Judgment for amount claimed, v.ah «o?ts £1 lU<. Edward O'Connor v Edwin H.idlield, <claim £0 1-s lor w.tt<e<. IMaintiff, sworn, suited : He was a Wider at Waiorongomai, knew defendant, wiio was erecting an hotel at W.vi■oron^onirti. Bid various inside work for him in October, 1««3- He agreed to pay me at a valuation. Worked up wnat timber he had ready, and then defendant told me not to go on with the work until he had more timber. Spoke to him about, the work .'one, he said he would pay me. Gave defendant a bill at day wages for work then done, we could not come to any settlement. Value of work done £(5 12s.

Cross-exnmined : I was to pnt up a bar, front cloov, staircase, etc., for ,£l9. There was a wri'tm agreement, bnt canHot say if these tilings were specified in that, agreement. Did not pay" mo when I asked him. He complained of the ■work I had done a f<>w days before [ summoned him. Had not stuff to finish the j\.b, an ! I loft off of my own accord. No timiK-r Un>YQ when I left to go on with. Plaintiff Kept me waiting hoin day to day for timber

Edwiu H* lfioltl, sworn, stated : Plaintiff did certain work t'ov me. T Sieve wore two written agreement's. He was not kept waiting .for timber. The timber is there now anil I have not ordered any fresh. When he asked me to pay him I said if he would get a valuer I would get another, and would pay him what they agreed upon. He destroyed the timber by his bad work, the stairs are completely spoilt. Made no agreement, to pay him day wu^es. Nonsuifd, with costs £2 12=5. John Vn->lar v. W.lliam Collott, claim £4 18s 2d for goods supplied. Withdrawn. James Clarke v. William White, claim £?> 17s for goods supplied. Withdrawn.