AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5203, 19 September 1885, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

[BY NEMO.] :- Homo sum, Jiumani nihil a me alienum puto.

"Alas for the rarity of Christian charity, under the sun." Well, our teachers and preachers certainly might go in for a little example as well as precept, thought Nemo, when he calmly contemplated a venerable pillar of a church at Thursday night's meeting in the Academy pouring out the vials of his wratb, on account of tne action taken by our member in the Warden removal business. The way this minister held forth was as unjust as it was undignified. Such malignant and bitter outpourings one could hardly have expected from so benign a messenger of " peace on earth to men of good will" as MrLaishley is, but perhaps the reverend gentleman was taken out of his natural calmness by frequent and doubtless edifying confabs with a local iEsculapiah disciple.

When Gerald Massey was here and freely threw down the gauntlet to upholders of Christianity, calling their religions mythical and their foundations baseless, he invited the clergy to attend his lectures, and if they elected to do so, to controvert his arguments ; but these worthy men did not so elect. Ostrichlike they buried their devoted heads in the sand, and in connection with this opponent, who attacked their doctrines and preachings, they were unknown ; they did not even defend their own ■ beliefs. But lo ! a chance of interfering with matters more mundane arises, a case in which there is no great danger or fear of defeat, and they, with all the Valour of soldiers of a holy banner, rush into the breach and endeavor to interfere in a matter which in no way concerns them or their sacred office. It is only perhaps putting a charitable construction on their action in mixing themselves with Thursday night's meeting, to suggest that they were victims of the wiles of an interested agitator, who led the guileless Mr Laishley to the opportunity of making the peculiar display he did od the occasion.

Much quiet amusement was caused at the meeting by the action of one of our new Justices, who committed himself for the first time since his elevation, by removing the chair as a well known citizen was about to sit down, and landing him on the floor. This playful exhibition rendered him liable to be charged with unlawful assault, besides running the risk of seriously injuring the victim of his joke.

The eager search after silver-bearing reefs, and the sanguine expectations of their discovery and attainment of large results through the Ij-a A£b'nte smelter, reminds, one of King Solomon's time, when it is said he made silver as stones in the streets of Jerusalem. Query: Was our quartz smelter ever there?—^he can reach New Jerusalem in a two hours nde.

Some one has asked why the Gas Works were located in Mary street ? It should have been clear to any one that as it is the scenter of the town, the works could not be better placed—for further information apply at, or near, the premises when the man in charge turns off 1 the ammoniacal liquor.

The exuberant spirits of some of our youthful " haut ton" has lately been finding an outlet in the smashing of windows. It is hoped that the young sparks will not again indulge \a such pranks; they are

unbecoming to anyone, and much more so to members of the " hopper suckle.'*

The question whether a secular concert at the re-opening of the Oddfellows' Hall would pay is one of the obstacles to its being given. I believe a really good concert, such as the Choral Society ought to be able to give, would pay well on such , an occasion as that I have referred to. The objection that it is an unusual departure from the rules of Choral Societiei to iia^ any thing "Vut Oratorios ought not to be allowed hero. *I can remember in the early days of the Auckland Society, mixed coacerubejag. given —the first part sacred, the^second secular —but 'this iuight: not; be" approved of, though I see no reasonable objection to our Society giving a concert of wholly secular music. ..■.■•.,■>.* „,..---,- «^,«.4-.->