AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5039, 7 March 1885, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

[by nemo.]

Homo su)ii,7iumani niMl a me alienum pittd. Pressmen ara generally valued not only for possessing a pen for ready writing, but also for the capacity for writing -about "nothing " in an interesting manner. The avidity with which reporters swallow news of any description by the yard or. in the piece is astonishing. It may seem an easy matter to the uninitiated to find pabulum for the newspaper, but let anyone try to run a paper in a place like the Thames, where all are sober, honest, hardworking, so that there is nothing to read which could enlist the sympathies, rouse the ire, or excite the wonder "of the most attentive reader. Pressmen, under such circumstauces, have to draw upon their mental resources. Yes, someone says, but suppose they haven't got any ! Then their time of office will be short. A press* man must be übiquitous, facile, quick to grasp ideas—his own or those of anyone else,—of vivid imagination, strong conceptive. powers, and clear descriptive genius, and more. Think of these things, newspaper readers, and don't be too hard on your hard-worked pressmen.

X X X It is high time that a stop was put to tho wholesale destruction of Pohutukawa trees. The timber ia most valuable for shipbuilding purposes and is of "slow growth so that it will take years to re» place the trees already cut down by the ruthless'hands of firewood sellers. I commend this matter to the notice of the Government. This although the most important item in the way of vandalism in our forests is not the only ono.

' ; A writer in a Wanganui paper say 3 that fruit trees are now subject to the ravages of an insect resembling a leech. Why, cherry, plum, and even peach trees have long been defoliated every year by the said leech .throughout the Thames, and this year the nuisance is as great, if not greater, than ever. I noticed some months ago in the Stab columns a suggestion—iv fact, it was repeatedly urged

— that a fruit growers association shdul<{ be formed at the Tunnies, Were this done, the leech and many other dreadful scourges to fruit growers could be discussed and dealt with.

Suiting the ection to the word, and the word to the -action, is a habit with some people, aud like the boy who, when receiving a lesson in elocution, on being told to illustrate his language, came to the line, " And the comet lifted its tail/ caught the nether hem of his coat and raised it; i an amusing case occurred recently in our Court. A witness in the box was asked if he demanded certain keys from the wife of a defendant, aud he replied, "Oh ! yes, and she put her hand.io her pocket fust like this,"—and the witness plunged his digits into the crosscut pockets of his un> mentionables, while a snigger'werit around the Court. XXX A correspondent signing himself "A Taxpayer" writes asking me if I have any notion what is going to be done with the railway track from Grahamstown to Kopu. My friend suggests that he has put some moneyinto the affair by pajing his tax^s, and as he lives south of the Kauaeranga River, he would like, to see something come out of the venture in; the way of a financial return. It ia very naturally asked, why could not one or two trains' a day be run between Grahamstown and Kopu? They might not yield an immense return, but after a little time they would be found to pay expenses. It seems the height of absurdly to allow the rails and sleepers to lie rotting while even for public convenience they might be made available. X X X , •Every Gordon in this country is related to the late General, at least, so I believe, j I suppose if the lamented officer had been hanged for some offence, not one relative would be found throughout Australasia. •■-,\- ; x x x . •.; -' -. The Committee of the Thames Library and. Institute would confer a boon on the habitues of the building, if they would do something to improve the ventilation of both reading and library rooms.

Can anyone assign. a reason for Sir H. Parkes oppositien to sending volunteers to the Soudan ? Was it because he did not initiate the movement, or can it be that he hopes to become a hero in the political battlefield when, the wisdom of the N.S.W. Government is called in question at the next general election ? One thing is, however, quite certain that public feeling in New South Wales and in this colony also is dead against Sir Henry's notions, altbougb, like 'Mr Jellicoe in "The Guvnor," he maybe wrong, but he doesn't think so.

The people of Auckland are " in it" as regards " lions "~two real live Lords, an English M.T?., a celebrated naturalist,— and they have been Waddelling about Auckland harbor. Except for the pleasure of paddling about in a little ferry boat, I should prefer a view of the harbor from the top of Mount Eden. A hundred years hence a trip round the Waitemata will no doubt repay the trouble, but at present there is nothing to show but the bastion rock, the sugar works, and the embryo dock at Calliope.

A case for concealment of goods by a bankrupt was heard a few days ago in one of the New ZealandrCoui'ts, and it caused considerable comment. Some have even said^that if certain facts were in possession of the bench the case would not have been dismissed. As it was the decision really amounted to the old Scotch verdict of " .Not proven." Over 'and over again has the man aceased felt it incumbent on him to "make arrangements with his creditors," and yet, strange to say, he has always been able to start business again without any great amount of trouble. There are.those who make rather strong assertions as to how this has been done, but it would hardly do for me to repeat them here. One little instance, however, tin connection wilh the late case, is worth repeating ; ifc fully bears out the man's reputation for what is known as " sharpness," but which could better be described by a less pleasing terni.. When the estate was handed over by. the bankrupt, an officer was put in charge to carry on the business. -A customei- one day asked for a dozen yards of a certain fabric, which was speedily measured and paid for. But very soon the said customer returned, saying that a mistake had been made, as the right quantify of 'stuff had not been given. The person in charge of course contradicted this, and. to prove what he said measured the article again and found his statement correct. Again the customer departed, but soon returned with the same complaint. This was decidedly uncomfortable, until someone bethought tbemselvos of testing the measure, when, to their astonishment, it was found to be short—l won't say how much, though I could do so. Nuff sed. ,