AT THE CORNER

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5003, 24 January 1885, Page 2

AT THE CORNER

[by nemo.] Homo sum, httmani nildl a. me alienwni puto.

" Peg-off" writes to me thus funnily :— " Nemo, who3e weakly (Ah! recall that slip of the pen, the pun is really too too horridly weak) weekly tattler sends "Hash, with an extra slice of stale fish," compared with the dish served by JEgles and Civis, has thought proper to stick a peg within my bounds of conceit, tendering at the same time a dose of gratuitous advice. You shall not outdo me in generosity my friend, and as no spleen is intended, a little healthy castigation will brace your nerves, like a cold bath serves a sluggishdisposition. Dear Nemo (by-the-by, the meaning of Nemo is wooden-head is'nt it, or what?) you have been made the sub jeot, and not the juke, in that you so much enlarged upon in your last. Your simplicity is delicious; I pity your rashness in playing " poke fun" with those that are equal masters of the game; wire in old boy, I am well ablo to take care, o myself, damage ourselves we shall not; create an immensity of fan to the onlookers is possible, and my gratuitous advice to you isi to leave out carrots in your stew in future-7-it makes your mess too black; stick to your garbage, gathered from the gutters of literature and gossip ; lick your chops after serving a dish to your poor friends when deceiving them into the belief that they are masticating a " first cut " from a delicious joint. la future, make your dishes more piquant (that is, if you can) and fewer of those resurrection pies that have done duty on many a board before; then, perhaps, I may call you original; at present —well, you are not a genius.

X X

Mr " Peg-off " himself is the essence ©f piquancy and deliciousness, perhaps, if one could only quite get through the crust to ascertain the contents of his pie. I have an idea that Mr " Peg-off's " tender susceptibilities hare been touched, or he would not have indulged in this extraordinary outburst of—what shall I call it —well, say a thine wanting close probing, as there may really be something in it. In my last week's jottings I chronicled a little joke anent a learned .geological authority; who by a hoax played on him by a waggish mine manager, was led to deliver an intelligent, perhaps, discourse on what might have been the case had the stone he was handed, come from the place /he thought it did.- I fear that " Peg-off," by putting on the cap—although it was voluntarily done—has annoyed himself, and that his geological attainments must be given precedence as againßt his literary efforts.

X" - X

The advantages which. Dame Nature has so largely bestowed oq this district in the abundance of fish to bo found in the Hauraki Gulf, and the.splendid variety of fruit grown in the soil, hare again and again been placed before the public, but our people will not be stirred up out of their lethargy. Of course it cannot be expected that fishermen or even, fruit-growers will star for the conservation of the produce of their labors—this is only done in old established districts like many in America, where the producer is able to bear the heavy outlay required before any return is obtainable—but here we may reasonably expect that capitalists from other parts will be enterprising enough to give fish-curing and fruit-preserviqg a fair trial. It is a positive disgrace to the northern part of this country that such prodigal waste of fish and fruit is allowed to go on year after year, and the only charitable reason one can.assign for it is, the enervating influence of our lovely climate together with the nervous tenacity with which our wealthy classes cling to their dollars. I shall have more to say on this subject at a future time.

Our " big kauri tree " has the reputation abroad whioh it well deserves. I heard of v Jjuuncestou tourist travelling all the way from Auckland by a steamer arriving here late at night, starting very early next morning up the Waiotahj Creek, and,

after having suuu tin- iiiant of -the forest, leaving Thames at half-past .eight .the fol|owing jnorning by return steamer. This displays un amount of enthusiasm on tho part of the naturalist, as. well as speak* .ing wall for the celebrity of our curiosity.

. What is to be done' for our young people p This momentous question is shirked continually, but it must be answered, and in a practical manner, too, very soon. I see scores of boys and girls swarming our streets every Saturday night, and I wonder, as I watch them parading in all their healthy vigor, how they are to be employed in life. Few of them have learned any business or trade; some of the boys may be apprentices, but the large majority oan only be classed as unskilled workers. Now, the State cannot provide employment for all such, and un-" less industries are inaugurated, to give our rising generation tho means of earning a livelihood, what is to become of them P I am no alarmist, but if some occupation is not found for the growing youth of this and other places in New Zealand they will drift into vagabondism, and all its' attendant vices. Philanthropists are needed in this country, / as in every other, and there is a good field' opening up, even on the Thames, for a practical recognition of the claims which our young people have on the experience i and foresight of their seniors.

The Government of the country it poor and the banks are rich, annually dividing immense sums amongst their shareholders in the shape of dividends., Now these banks derive a considerable proportion of their wealth from the issue of notes of credit, which are very largely used in the colony.' What, then, is to prevent the Government passing an "Act taking away the power from the banks, and retaining it for the colony. This has been done by the United States Government, and if New Zealand followed suit it would naturally be consequent that her revenue would be greatly * augmented, while it certainly seems more reasonable that profits arising in this way should be spent in improving the colony, and for the benefit of the people in making railways,. &c-, than that private individuals should seize them. XXX Before my next column of " notes" appears, the " Champion whaleboat race " at the Auckland regatta will probably have been rowed and won. The event this year is viewed with interest all over the colony, and the fact that two boats are entered from the Thames is suflioient to vouch for the feelings of all Thamesites in regard to it. There are likely to be at least ten competitors, and as some of the crews have been prac-tising-for months past, our men will have all their work to do te place their boat in the front at the finish. Both local crews are, however, composed of powerful men who pull well together, and they will make a bard fight for first place. The Hauraki Club's crew, has had the most experience, and if all goes well they will take a great deal ot beating, while our other representatives are not .to be 'despised, though it is admitted on all sides that both teams should have been put into practice earlier. "

That lively little spot Tapu has of late been brought prominently before the public, but I must say it has been in a sort of unenviable way. The 8.M., in the Court on Friday in a case where threatening language had been used, and in which the|defending side said that they had only asked for an apology, remarked, "An apology seems to be a serious maN ter at Tapu." As was stated during the trouble, it might be as well were a polices man stationed in this apparently disturbed district.

X X

A friend of mine wishes to know why" the Congregational Church people have stretched barbed wire along the top of their fence in Mary street. Is it to keep the sheep of the flock inside, when once there; to prevent them getting in except at certain seasons; to deter the young lambs from jumping over and frolicking within the sacred precincts; or, is it done in the interests of some dealer in soft, goods, so that church • goers, having torn their clothes by inadvertently ventaring too near the barrier, should be obliged to get new ones. My friend is in doubt as to which of the suppositions is the cor* rect one; perhaps some of my readers will be able to inform him. I regret to. say I cannot. ,