What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1979, 8 May 1875, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

" In multitude of counsellors there.is safety."

—Old Proverb.

The Bey. Nelson has been giving the worshippers at the Auckland church of St. Paul's a bit of his mind o» the subject of collections, and he did it in such very plain terms that a warm discussion has arisen. Everybody has mor# or less a pretty good idea of the extent to which people give at church. . There are some who make a point of giving in a moderately liberal spirit, and there are others who select the smallest silver coin in the currency to .put into the plate.

he latter class think it no shame to drop >' ifco the plate a miserable little threepenny piece, but they wouldn't on any consideration put in sixpenny "worth of coppers. A silver coin carries with it a show of respectability* and these threepenny pieces which form such an important item in the " collections " represent in many instances the minds of the givers, or the (estimate they: form of the value of the services. Mr JSTelson didn't speak without some reason. He had fortified himself with, some figures to illustrate his theme, andhie informed his hearers that while a voluntary collection after a service by the Bey Charles Clarke, the preacher, only realised some £40, an entertainment,by Mr Glarkip, tho lecturer, brought in about £120. It mustbe noted that the collection after the sermon was in aid of a deserving charity; the. entertainment was for the entertainer's own benefit, and open to those only who paid for admission according to a fixeu scale ; from which it may be inferred that the entertainment was more attractive than the sermon, or that the people, of Auckland thought more of their own amusement than the claims of charity. The canny Scotchhaveaway of their own of collecting and giving. In some parts of New Zealand they adhere to their old country fashion of posting an " elder of the kirk" at the door to keep watch over a wooden trencher mounted Yon three" legs. The Scotch, though^ are consistent givers; they make a point of giving something, and in the nearly days of 2sTew Zealand settlement, in one town, at least they found some difficulty in suiting themselves with appropriate coins for "the plate." Copper was •' in demand on a Saturday night. On one occasion it happened that a young fellow who had neglected or been unable to provide him: self with the necessary bawbees was confronted in the church porch by ah elder whom he knew very well, and who knew him, and that his circumstances were sufficiently good to warrant him in contributing like other people. The smallest coin he had was half-a-crpwn, which he tendered, with a request for change; The elder considered this reasonable, and tendered two shillings in return. But will it be believed, this conscientious giver had the face to ask for fivepence more, but was refused. His regular contribution to the plate had been one penny, and he thought himself a martyr because he was for decency's sake compelled to leave behind him at one time the large sum of sixpence. The fellow didn't; appreciate the sermon much that day, and, if the truth were known, it is not likely he gave anything until his sixpence had been absorbed at the usual rate of a penny a time. . ; The Ly ttelton Times has taken the New Zealand Herald to task for certain remarks made by the latter about the reception of the Governor. The Auckland paper attempted some ghastly humour at the demonstrations made bythe citizens of the plain in honor of the Marquis- of, Normanby, and the Canterbury paper didn't appreciate the humour.- Neither; could anybody. The Herald seemed to; haye forgotten that in Auckland they are; given to making about as much fuss over: the visit of a, Governor as in any'part of the colony, and Hthat its own share in encouraging display on such occasions; has been by no means small. But that which; is loyalty and respect for superiors in Auckland, the Herald; would have us believe" is flunkeyism in another place. The Lyttelton Times has read the Herald a lesson on the proprieties, and. the latter has no doubt taken it to heart.: For a leading morning journal the Herald gets about the hardest knocks fr»m contemporaries of any journal in the colony, and it has become used to it—perhaps, likes it. Use is second nature.

The little boys of the Naval Training School will ever remember with pleasure and gratitude the memorable visit of a member of the Government. It is recorded that the Hon. [Reynolds promised the boys some apples, and a case of apples was sent, along with a supply of buns. We are not told how the boys enjoyed their treat of fruit and buns, but boys are boys all the would over, and buns idon't come amiss even after a square meal. But there are people who affect to know something of the antecedents of the youngsters who are being prepared to recruit the merchant navy of Ifew; Zealand, and they believe that some of the boys would have preferred a few pounds of tobacco and a gross of cutties. No doubt smoking is strictly prohibited, but some say the boys will never make sailors unless they can smoke —and chew.; and - this part of their education should be attended to with as mueti care as that of teaching to square the main brace and other intricate movements peculiar to nautical men and boys; but this is; not the opinion of everybody. ■■-■^