AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5073, 18 April 1885, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

[by nemo.] Homo gum, humani nihil a me alienumpuio.

The Railway business is, I fear—to use an Americanism—floored. Subterfuge is no doubt the real foundation of the. many excuses the people have from time to time had throwu at them. The pegs of the original survey were displaced— a re-iur* vey for peeing purposes of course ensued. Plans had to be prepared in Auckland, and.were perhaps hurried upallowing for cigarette intervals; they had to go to Wellington. Specifications bad Ito be then prepared—of course in the large building in the Empire City, with their swarm of officials, this meant time. It was then discovered that the Engineer in Chief for the North Island did not approve of the design for the line, and desired further information regarding it. The next move: The Under-Secretarjof the department visits the district, and here is a chance of ascertaining what will be done. He (the U.S.), a frank, gentle., manly officer, tells right out that so soon as specification! are prepared, tenders will be called for the work. A Bail way Com r mitteeman visits Auckland, interviews the Minister, and gets the same assurance, with.the addition that this is only to be done if war is not declared—mighty indefinite. Now it is put that the tenders will be called for as soon as the state of the money market warrants. When is the thing to be settled ? I understand that the Government are husbanding their resources in case of having to provide for defence, but the tenders might be called for, and their acceptance be made con« ditional on this somewhat remote contingency. X X X 11 Antihumbu*," at least so he signs himself, forwards me the following morsel regarding the late controversy appearing in your columns anent the price of bread :— . Of late we bare aeon many letters, Regardins; the dear price of bread, And " Old Doughboy " has done his hardest On the corns of the bakers to tread. : And he said he would soon start a bakery, On the noble bo-operate plan, But a good many people are thinking X He isn't the right kind, of man. The company that was projected, , For the purpose of selling cheap bread, Wanted three thousand shareholders At just only—" fire bob " a bead; But eomehow the Tbamesites can't see it, ' To moddle with honest men's trade, And "Doughboy" can't "pl«nk out the ready," ' . Or else of a loss he's afraid. " Old Doughboy " is surely a Woejfchead, Or, perhaps, his head may be of .wood ; But, really, he's not a good prophet, J r Or the bakery plan would hare stood. So now, to all grumblers, I tender A Jittlo ndvico, ere I,close: Just stiok lo.your own line of buiinesi, Aud don't tread on other men's toes. X -X X Many f«rces are enacted in this life. From the cradle to the grave one's existence ib a comedy—sometimes a spice of sadness is thrown in, but the cynically >' inclined one can always find something to gratify his vein of' humor. The Diogenes of the,day would travel long and become wearied in his journey after the object of v bis search in the Thames. I fear his thoroughly honest man would be—wellhard to find. Mind, when I say 'honest men, I confine myself not to filthy lucre, I refer not to pilfering, but to things above many men—thoughts. A man with paltry feelings would be a thief were it not that the -stern hand of the law deterred him; the creature who would rob a man of his good name. or injure him in his social business relations, would pick his pookets were there no policemen about. It is a pity that such a state of things should exist, bat it does. The privilege of working a revolution in the organism of the small commanity of the Thames is not likely to be granted to " Nemo," but the desire, equal to the necessity, exists. It seems a profanity to couple philosophy with local bodies'; it likewise appears anomalous to combine public duty with private prejudices, but what can one do when the task is thrust upon him. In our poor little struggling community every. second man. one meets has his hand up against another. County at loggerheads—in one or another division—Borough, squabbling like a dis. organised boarding school. No unity, no happy family, as we certainly far onr own interests should be. I would, ask where will it end P Echo answers " Where!"

X X X " When I first put this uniform on " recollections are hardly likely to fad*, from the minds of certain officer! who are place in command of volunteer'districts. In most instances these worthy gentlemen become encased in the regulation suit for the,first time—that is as far as the rank., attached to their office is concerned-— when they obtain their appointments, and, as 4 rule, very rapidly become too giantlike for their pedal covering's. I have heard, of an amusing attempt at trying on the military martinet business, which is some* what absurd when applied to Volunteer matters. It was at "an inspection, and the officer in command had apparently had some liverodisiurbing food supplied him at his hotel. In the inspection of the breeches of the instruments of destrue« tion dealt out to the local preservers of oar hearths and, homes recently, he looked v«ry carefully at on« breech—and so ho should, that' is his duty, and the daty causes the expenditure which provides his emoluments. I trfes somewhat amused, though, to hear of the following colloquy having occurred at a recent inspection. Officer- "Ah! rusty" Private: » It's; the rain, Sir" grow from. Major at being called Sir). Officer: The n»a j why ? " Private R.: Sf TS Si'" <"*°rella." Officer: - i™% ST (Private di<to't f'°™). lWei: "For want of an umbrella. Sir iMajor frowned again); clean when I started,'. The sir feet high Major turned to tbs company s officer, and said, " Pin* that toan, and see that the fine is paid," but the man quailed not. Oh .'—dressed with a little brief authority—oh! man.