THE BOROUGH "SWEEPS."

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1852, 8 September 1874, Page 3

THE BOROUGH "SWEEPS."

THE RACE CONTINUED.

T was under the impression that I had been invited by the Mayor to help him to spend some of that £150 of public money in entertaining our distinguished visitor, the noble savage Te Hira. The impression was erroneous. "The curiosity" was trotted round and lunched by a private savage from the Warden's Office. I prefered to take bun at Minnie and Dey's, confectioner;?. As breadbakers, biscuit manufacturers, and pastrycooks, these gentlemen are not be excelled. " Twink," of the Star, says I receive ton pounds apiece from the candidates whose names appear under the Tiber's all-seeing "eye." Save us all! If that were true, Minnie and Dey would owe me about one hundred pounds. However, I am willing to compound, and let them off with a fifty (of flour), and I don't mind giving the half-starved Twinkler a dumpling or two out of it. He must feel very much exhausted after passing such a twister. Our distinguished and noble visitor did lunch at the " Bowen." When he had finished he muttered with a sigh," Kaipie, wondrous are the works of the pie-eating pakehas," and wept because he could not tuck in any more cold pie. I think, the open sesame of Ohinemuri will be found in the cuisine of the Bowen. Give Te Hira a season ticket for an everlasting supply of cold pie; and we may turn Te Aroha and Mary Kuru upside down, and Te Hira will only grunt out "Kaipie," Those doughty assessment knights Craig and Bludgeon will value the pies. This brings me quite smoothly to another patron of the race, Louis Ehrenfried, He was in rather too much of a hurry to sweep away all iron chimneys, but I believe he was right. Some fine morning we may wake up and find Grahamstown a heap of charcoal. I could say a deal more about Ehrenfried, but the spiteful I would say, "oh, Mr Johnson writes him up, because' York' is his agent (mining)." He had had quite enough of Mr Crossman's broker anyhow. However, I think Butt will bear me out when I say that Louis has more of the Good Samaritan in his little finger than is to be found in the whole body of howling pretenders to the name of Christiaus who prostitute the public cliaritycallod the Thames Hospital, making it the vehicle for a religious persecution, and a means to serve the pur- j poses of political caballers. The coalition of the Presbyterian head of the Orange Lodge and the cacodemon (or moving spirit) of the Hibernian Society, and the skeleton of Masonry, has in it something diabolical. Had their object been to devise some means whereby Power might be placed in a position to earn his bread and make the loss of his arm leas severely felt, the combination might have been hailed as the sign of a better feeling springing up among the different sects and races that comprise this community than has hitherto been Bhown towards one another. There is not one amongst us but sympathises with Power in his irreparable loss, but this combined clique seem to exult over his misfortune, and make it the instrument for wreaking their veugeance on Dr. Lethbi'idge. The persecution of this gentleman is commenced by an anonymous letter which is written and published in the Star. McCullough, fancying he saw a chance to puff and flaunt his wretched rag, rushes forth to lay the article before the Hospital Committee, then sitting. Those of the Committee not in the secret wanted to know who wrote itp Master Mason McCullough was rather taken aback; he had reasons (and well he might) for not disclosing the anonymous author, who turns out to be Mr O'Haire. But I will go back a little, and try and pickup a cue to some of the motives which actuate this grand combination of schemers. Some time ago, Dr. Lethbridge entered the Church of Ireland, but did not stay long; left it, and took with him the customary benedictions. Hp reentered the Church of England, greatly to the disgust of Jimmy Hill, who made sure that the doctor would give the Church of Scotland a turn. Since that time _ James has been "down" on Lethbridge, and pits Don Cajsar Augustus Preston, against him for the billet of Hospital Surgeon. Thus Romish hate and_ Presbyterian bigotry have a common object in the persecution of Dr. Lethbridge; their bond of union has been strengthened by a compact to support the protege (Macnab) of the political caballer Hill for one of the vacant seats in the Borough Council. I return now to the committee. McCullough becomes accuser, and gets a sub-committee appointed to inquire into _ the alleged charges. With the exception of lienshaw.who was chucked in to give the thing a colour of fair play—that committeo consisted of nun who wero hostile to Dr. Lethbridge. They havo done their work well. I don't want to flatter them, but I can't help saying that their services would be appreciated by the Holy Inquisition. Had they not bettor emigrate to some country where that institution is in vogue ? They allowed the accuser to be present, but not the accused," and carefully bolted out tbo Press i Tho accuser will have the unmitigated effrontery to vote ou the question when it comos before the general committee. See if ho don't 1 As it will be a quoslion of voting, let us tot 'em up, and see how tho two parties stand, and what is likely to be the decision ? Tho united brethren will propose a p solutioii that Dr Lethbridge has bceu fouttd guilty, and so forth, that he be dis<

missed, and that Cesar Augustus be appointed hospital barber., Sing Tyler will then move an amendment,—That Dr. Lethbridge is not guilty and so forth j that he shall continue to be Hospital shaver, Rnd Ccosar Augustus may go to Hongkong. Then as arguments will be thrown away, they will proceed to vote for and against the amendment, as followsTyler, because he is jealous of Rill, will vote, for. Kenshaw, for, of courso. Crump, for. Lush, for, his Prodigal, certain. Cox I'm doubtful about; it all depends on how the pills work. Kennan, for; he knows nothing about it, but has got a happy instinct that serves him in place of reason, and he will eat his boots before Augustus gets a show, Sims is a Yorkite, and Tvill, vote, for. Wilkinson, for, up to the hilt. Bagnall I have always found on the right side of Jordan ; I believe he is the only one of our M.P.C.s who heard with joy the death-knell of provincialism as rung by Vogel's famous resolutions. He was the first to request the Mayor to call the late public meeting on the subject, the news of which was the first cheery sound the Premier hoard amid the scowling storm of shrieking provincialists. Bagnall will vote, for. . Day is in a state of fog, but. will vote, for, and chance it. Against will be Scrip Hill, and his two church plate warders (Prater and Macnab), having no minds of their own, will follow the lead of their minister, and vote against; the Boman phalanx consists of Lonergan, (what a fine policeman was lost there), Gudgeon, McDonald and Mcllhonewill be against. The Freemasons, represented by McCullough, the accuser, and Power, who will vote against, because Lush is for. Souter don't believe in any of _ their churches, but will vote against, because blood is thicker than water. He is related to Augustus. Hudson doubtful—not likely to vote. 10 on each side. Wake up Mr President; walk round and show your muscle. The President is William iiowe; how will he vote ? I know; he is just as competent to trounce a set of intriguing clerical sinners as to denounce a ring of greedy speculators. The way he annihilated filibuster Walker and his henchman Tom Thumb, when they attempted to take the City of York, was a caution to all conspirators. It is the general impression that he is under the influence of the demoniacal Mr Mcllhone. I say no. Mcllhone may lead Minister Hill by the pose, but he can't do Billy. The country is perfectly safe. "Dad" is at the wheel.

A Pabty by the Fame of Johnson.