At the Corner.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4632, 8 November 1883, Page 2

At the Corner.

11 Homo sum, humane nihil a me alienum ptdo.'

The small excitement over the race meeting held nearly two thousand miles away has fled, and we folk are settling down to scrip again. I have heard of two nice little hauls over the Melbourne Cup and Derby. One wag a double of four figures to two held by a leading member of our civic body, that Martini-Henry would not pull off both Derby and Cup, but I am told the lucky backer cautiously " laid off" after the Derby was rua and comes out a winner of about half a " thou." The other case was also a member of the same body, whose form is not unknown under the verandah ; he was the fortU' nate holder of First Water—the second horse in a sweep, and thus makes a haul of two hundred.

Most people think, and very properly too, that the action of a section ot the Hospital Committee in endeavoring to make the appointments of the officers of the institution permanent at the present time is most unwarrantable. As any reasonable individual will at once see, the Committee has no such power in its hands, It was elected with certain powers delegated to it, and exceeding them would be most improper. The. course I would recommend to the Committee would be tc place on record a recommendation to the . next committee that at the next election of surgeon, dispenser, and secretary, those offices be made permanent. There are some people here of opinion that some annual allowance should be made to the holder of the Mayoral office at the Thames; then— such is the cupidity of man,-it is argued, we should have a contest for the office every year... Even if. an allowance were made/ say ot- only, floo per annum, does it not appear ttiat that sum migKfc be better expended in helping even to clear the drains of the Borough in hot weather, and remove some of the smells of the town, which are faat earning for it a reputation equal to that of the smell famed city of Cologne. If we have not men ambitious and unselfish enough to occupy the Chair without being paid for it, we will get very little attention for a paltry sum, and we are belter without a Mayor., ourely some high patriot will always be found to take the Chair for the honor aad glory of it, and the few small" thing* in the way of travelling expenses, and entertainment votes, promiscuously given. - Nemo.