The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 332, 23 December 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1880.

Another year has nearly run its course, and another Christmas will soon be numbered with the past. We therefore embrace the opportunity now offered to congratulate our friends and subscribers on this festive occasion. It is said “It is a poor heart that never rejoices doubtless there are many in our midst who have had their times of sorrow and times of deep grief since last Christmas passed away. Many changes have taken place amongst us since 1880 began. Some have reached that home,from whence no traveller returns. Fathers have been taken away, who doubtless expected to see many a Christmas come round ; mothers have been removed in the midst of their days, who hoped to have seen their little ones grow up before them to help them in their old age ; sisters and brothers have been removed, and suddenly brought gloom and sadness to the family hearth, and left a vacant chair to be placed at the table this Christmas as a remembrance at the

Christmas gathering now looked forward 1 to. Such is life, confirming the words of the old Patriarch, who said “ Man is born to trouble ns the sparks fiy upwards.” It is to be hoped, however, that one and all of those who are spared have cause for thankfulness, and, the time to weep beingpast, they will on the present occasion make merry with their friends. The social position of those who may not have suffered bereavement may nevertheless have undergone a change that brings a sadness next to death. It is said it is a hard thing for a rich man, who has his heart set upon his riches, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is also a hard thing for a rich man to endure being stripped of his riches, even in this world. Nothing is harder to bear than the pangs of poverty by a man who has been nurtured and brought up in affluence. To receive the cut in the street, the snub in gatherings of friends, or the cold shoulder of those who formerly wore ready to administer the kiss of friendship is very trying ; yet all this has happened in this little Island of the South since 1879 died away. The social position of many has been changed. A time of prolonged depression has borne them down the stream at a rapid rate, and many have even made shipwreck of their earthly all; while the sky keeps still overcast, and nothing but grim messenger after grim messenger visit their domiciles to drain the last drop of comfort from them. Such has 1880 been to many in this part of the Britain of the South, But while continual worry has driven many to distraction and dispair, and helped largely to fill our lunatic asylums, it has, we are sorry to say, driven many to drown their cares in Bacchus’ beverage, which only deepens the victim’s grief. There are others, we are glad to say, who buckle on their armour to renew the fight, determined to obtain the victory ; to such are our congratulations particularly directed. We have no sympathy with those who mourn over their Josses like a moapork, and refuse to be comforted. There is no reason for any one to despair in this colony. It is indeed true that an incapable Governj ment has added 60 per cent to their griefs by its injudicious procedure, and caused the name of New Zealand to stink in the 1 nostrils of our friends at home. Nevertheless this eyeu can be got over, for when there is a will there is a way it is said, and wo believe any one who firmly resolves to master his troubles can do it. Why should we hang our harp on the willow tree and weep. “ Up guards and at them” is more suited to our case. If those who really wish well to New Zealand would only unite, the battle could be won, and peace and plenty would take the place of poverty and squalor. We have a climate and soil that cannot be surpassed as a settlement for Europeans. Streams and riveis of the purest water, filtered by the cold everlasting snowy mountains, a land literally flowing with milk and honey. Why then should any living man complain ( even if he does feel the chastening rod a little. Other countries have had their adverse turns, why should not we 1 Other countries have come out of the furnaee the better of a good scorching, so can we. Up then and at it. The best thing that true Sew Zealanders can do at the Christmas time is to express thankfulness for being spared while others have been taken away, and to resolve anew to double tlieir diligence in 1881, and never say die while the sun shines above their head, and a kind Providence continues to them the blessing of all their natural faculties. If they thus resolved 1881, at its close, will see more smiling faces, more heavy purses, more social comfort, pcaoe and plenty, than has yet been experienced in the past. As for ourselves we are pleased to say our j little barque floats buoyant as ever. Like | others we have had to encounter the storm, not have more than others come out of it scathless. Nevertheless we live, and have no serious signs of decay about us. In newspaper work times of depression are felt more keenly perhaps then in any other industry under the sun, There is also much to contend with in a little community like ours, that the journalists in a large city have not to encounter. If one advocates purity of morals for instance and independently denounces crime, the party who dabble in it takes offence, and thus an enemy is made ; and to such small minds, as usually feed on such garbage, revenge is the weapon that they generally use. The journalist in consequence suffers so far as their influence goes Again, in a small community principal is at a discount, a tendency to make even the worst nothing more then a jolly fellow prevails, and the journalist who ventures to say such things should not be, brings down the wrath of these jolly fellows, who scarcely know the difference between right and wrong. Stop the paper is the first impulse that passes through hia ignoble heart. Again there are some who, like the pharasees of old, will not enter the kingdom themselves nor aljow others to enter. Such men are generally nearly eaten off the earth ivitk envy. They will not patronise so and so - they do not need his paper ; nevertheless they know all that is in it. But magnanimity is a word they do not un; del-stand the meaning of. They will do nothing themselves, and anything that another does or suggests they condemn > because it does not emanate from their own circular empty goblet. From these classes and many others to be found • in a small community, the journalist meets with no

sympathy, and as far as they are concerned the most that can be got from them is the liberty to paddle your own canoe. We can only say from depending upon them may the powers deliver us. We are glad to say, however, that the Leader has now completed its third year, and has got over its teething, and at times ventures to show its tusks, regardless of these shallow minded specimens of humanity. We therofore on this occasion begging most sin cerely to thank our kind friends for their liberal support in the past, would respectfully solicit a continuance of their patronage, promising, on our part, to take the advice we ofter to others home to ourselves, and double our deligence to make the Leader more and more acceptable to our readers for the future ; but never shall we pander to party, or call black white, while our fingers can trace a line of truth and right. To our subscribers we beg to ask of them in addition to soliciting the continuance of their support, a prompt settlement of their accounts. In many cases accounts have been on our books for two, some three years. To such we must now say we need the money. When the old General’s heart was merry within him, the command was given to smite him. When your hearts are merry with Peter Ooira’s Christmas Ale we ask you to smite your purse strings and pour out our share of the needful, which will greatly oblige your grateful old friend the Leader.