AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4691, 19 January 1884, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum pttto.

It would appear somewhat strange that the usual deputationisinjj of a visiting fylinjster was neglected by the Borough Council, Harbor Board, and Railway Co.'s directors. Perhaps the cutting of the member of the Government will show a grand scorn and scathing -contempt for a Cabinet which,has paid so little attention to us and our wants, but we very much question the wisdom of not applying for a recognition of those wants. I am told that one body sat till nearly 9 o'clock last night awaiting hales to approach the honorable, but qomeb,ow nary a h^il reached them, and with the amount of common sense which he expected from a council got together in an Asylum for the restoration of incurable inebriates, they allowed the .Minister to depart ijpjnterviewedj : ■" " H <\ ■■■;£:. The sale of the J^ew North Devon G.M.Co.'s mine on Tuesday last, and the subsequent floating of a new company to work it, is a thorn in the side, of some of the old shareholders who paid the last call, and the late directors hare received a ; considerable amount of censure for their action in allowing the mine to be. sold when the debt was a small one of only about £$, and they a was' a jasge due as unpaid calls. 4- whisper also reaches pie to the effect that one of the directors, , a large shareholder, after agreeing to the making of the call, quietly allowed his shares to. be forfeited:..rather than pay it.'„. Cert^njy the action of the directors is rather hard on those shareholders who have paid their call, and greater efforts might have been made to let the ground ou tribute, bu.4 after all, it will no doubt turn out best in

he long run, as the ground under the present proprietors is likely to receive a more vigorous prospecting than would have been the case under the old company's management. X X X Afcout a fortnight ago, my readers will remember, I had occasion to growl a little at the masters of the steamers trading between the T. ames and Auckland for not leaving more punctually at the advertised time, their policy in this respect causing great inconvenience to those who had occasion to meet the steamers. It is pleasing to note that the skipper of the Rotomahana at any rate, has reformed in this particular, the boat leaving the wharf lately sharp at the time appointed, though by so doing he lost several passengers who migh have been observed both yesterday and* this morning hurrying down the wharf just as the vessel left it. However, if the practice is adhered to the public will soon learu to roll up in time if they wish to secure a passage, and much inconvenience will thereby be avoided.

There is some talk of a stalwart County man endeavoring to secure the vacant seat in the middle ward of the Borough. Can this be any indication of" coming events '' in the direction of Borough and County amalgamation ? • .■■■K.nX" ><■■-' '. Many church connections have a peculiar leaning one way or another, Jbut the most inelegant leaning I have seen is that of the fence of a certain parson's residence not many miles from the vicinity of Rolleston street. The various articles in j [ the construction do not, like other articles, lean towards the propagator of religion, but rather outwards, and they are cer tainly ill-assorted and unconvincing as to regularity or the fitness of things. ; ' "—:: X X ■ X : _-':; The Auckland Salvation Army ara muchly exercised over the arrest of a villain in human form which was recently made for the; commission of an offence against decency. ' That the man attended their meetings, there Jis no doubt and it would seemi only natural that the culprit should be disowned by the Army. ;, The ; opening campaign at the Thames is expected to take place shortly, and I have a notion that parents should exercise some discretion in allowing their daughters to attend meetings of the Army without protection. XXX Two Salt Lake advocates arrived on the Thames this morning. Whether their journey is for business or pleasure I cannot say, but hope that if on the former lines, in the way of proselytising, it will prove resultless. Few Mormons should be found here.

It was with regret that I saw that the Town Clerk had sent in a resignation of his office. We ha?e had good service from Mr Dean, and his ability has been often turned to good account. However, should the Council accept it, and lose a good man —who, I admit, is a little rash and impetuous at times—there will be a good opportunity, after parting with a desirable officer, of going in for a little retrenchment. For instance an active, energetic man, with the assistance of a junior, might, without being worked to death, undertake the duties of Town Clerk, Valuer, Rate Collector, and, in fact, other offices now requiring separate occupants. I {have no doubt at all that this could be done.

Some extraordinary disclosures were made at the hearing of an alleged marine insurance conspiracy lease at Bow street, London. It was stated that the cargo of the Denia, worth only £4230, was insured for £43,300. £150 worth of feathers were insured for £1100; £80 worth of pigs hair described as bristles, was insured for £24,560 : and clover seed, not on board, for £7000. This is only another proof (says a Home paper) of the necessity which has long been admitted for legislation on the subject of marine insurance. It is a matter which should not *be held over any longer. -A . ky^'% "\

I am glad to hear that recent developments have had the effect of preventing mischievous people from circulating broadcast slanderous scandals concerning innocent people. Nemo.