AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4773, 26 April 1884, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

[by nemo.]

Homo sum, humani riihil a me alienum puto.

The exhibition of two opposing religious (?) processions in the streets of oar town the other night,—making night hidious with their shouting of devotional hymns to christy minstrel melodies, the derisive yells of the opposing party, and the accompaniments of larrikinißm,—seems to point very decidedly to the necessity of prohibiting such processions altogether, and I think it is high time that a Borough bye-law be passed for that purpose. Of course there are many persons who faror such open-air performances as I hare j described, and who deprecate any inter- 4J ference therewith on the ground that no harm can follow if the . primary object of the processionists is to do good, but it should be remembered that the majority of even non-professing Christians take offence at the irreverent use of sacred words, whether said or sung; and I have' no doubt that this feeling underlies the opposition which, the Salvationists meet with in their processions. Perhaps, who knows, it was ft similar reason which prompted the Circus band the other evening, when accompanying Blondin's performance, to strike up such tunes as "You must be a lover of the Lord." " In the sweet by-and-bye," &c.

" Fenny wise and pound foolish " is an old adage, the truth of which was exem« plified at the Choral Society's concert in St. George's Schoolroom on Thursday evening last. The performance, which was really a good one, was listened to by about thirty-seven persons. No doubt the counter attraction of the circus, and the present distrait condition of a large section of the Salvationist-cum-Evangelistic people in our community militated against the financial success of the concert, which, however, ought to have been better advertised, and given at the Academy of Music, not in such an out of-the-way place aa that selected.

I observe that men are busily engaged spreading metal over the site of the future railway station at Shortland. Query : Will there be sufficient traffic to prevent the irrepressible dock and grass from soon covering up the said metal. If the money which has already been spent in the short line to Kopu bad been devoted to the improvement of the road to Paeroa and Te Aroha, some good would hare been dona for this district; the present railway oper* ations are a monumental folly. The old road engine and the steam dredge are nothing to it.

Scene—Waikato; company—Sergeant and two A.C. privates, discussing military matters. Private (loq.J : " Psha' the Force is ' busted up.'" Sergeant, who is noted for Latin quotations : "My good man, permit me to inform you that there are no such words in Her Majesty's service as ' busted up.' Things are only in a state of statoo quo.

Most of my readers have probably noticed, in their walks abroad, a haltdemented half caste Maori child, aged about 10 or 11 years. She is very often scantily dressed, badly fed, and seems to be almost altogether uncared for, being generally seen playing in the gutters. It is a wouder no accident has befallen her, and it is high time something was done to procure the poor child a home whore aha will be better treated. Surely, in a case of this kind, either the police might force the parents (who are well known) to take better care of their offspring, or else one or other of our charitable institutions might interest themselves in the matter*

Some quaint occurrences are reported from various A.C. camps ; one I heard runs as follows:—The scene was the orderly room, and the sergeant was looking over the defaulters' sheet, when the Colonel entered. The officer had read the prologue to a play enacted by amateurs the previous evening; and the following colloquy ensued. Colonel: " Well, sergeant, how did the men enjoy the play last night P" Sergeant: " In« deed, sir, they were greatly pleased, especially with your reading of the prologue, and the only thing that annoyed them was that there wasn't a prologue after the play." Exit Colonel, amidst loud laughter. Sergeant (to by standera): " What the hum-hum are you laughing at ?" He couldn't see the joke.

It is as well that the people who are endeavoring to add to the coffers of the Salvation Army by increasing their ranksi and contributing to their expenses, areas thicks kinned, hard-headed, and impervious to hints as they are. A lass on a trip from Auckland, I am told, dropped all maidenly modesty, and seeing some of the passengers playing cards, " sailed in" and endeavored to wean the transgressors from using the devil's books. Finding her patients impervious to her solicitations to avoid evil in that direction, she with several of her sect commenced hard praying after exhortation, and, I am told, wound up by singing in the cabin, much to the annoyance of many of the passengers. The steamer authorities hare, I learn, instructed the officers of the vessel to prohibit such vocalisation in the saloon in future.