EDUCATED LARRIKINISM GRAMMAR SCHOOL VANDALS.

Observer, Volume 6, Issue 151, 4 August 1883, Page 8

EDUCATED LARRIKIN ISM GRAMMAR SCHOOL VANDALS.

The prevalent notion is that larrikinisra, in its more repulsive forms, is confined to the ragged, barefoot, shock-haired Arabs of the back-slums of the city. Personal observation of the genus, however, has shown that this is a popular fallacy. For out-and-out blackguardism and fertility of invention in all the arts of juvenile mischief, commend us to the young curled scions of socalled leading families. In larrikinism,. as in almost everything else, it is emphatically true that " brains win." The tousled-haired ' gamin who takes a fiendish delight in demolishing firealarms, " chivying" drunken men, and infusing a demoniacal element into the devotional exercises of the Salvation Army, is completely eclipsed in precocity arid wholesale destructiveness by his more educated competitor. Take the following as an example, which is vouched for by two trustworthy informants. The other day the Grammar School boys had their annual paper-hunt, under the superintendence of one the masters. Theyoungsters followed the chase with great zest until they reached some outbuildings belonging to a settler at Kohimaramara, who happened to be absent at the time. Strung to a high pitcli of excitement in the chase, they made a determined assault on the building, smashed the windows, doors, and furniture, drank the milk, plastered the eggs on the walls, and rode the horses over the country, damaging fences and committing other depredations. The forlorn hope was lead by the son and heir of a distinguished military gentleman, and the son of a leading City Father was also foremost in the fray. Another lad was seized by his companions and soused in a ditch by way of diversion. Meantime, says our informant, the master, who had been out-distanced by his young charges, stood afar off, powerless to restrain their destructiveness. A young Maori, however, remonstrated with the lads on the evil of their ways, and succeeded in inducing them to stay their hands. But by this time the young vandals had freely indulged their propensity for mischief, and had desisted either from sheer exhaustion or lack of materials. When the owner of the property laid

his complaint before Mr Bourne, this gentleman appealed to him in moving language nob to allow any particulars of the escapade to get into that dreadful Obseryeb, promised in the most handsome manner to give compensation for the damage done, and to chastise the ringleaders in the attack. Where the amount of compensation is to come from we are not in a position to state, but we presume the headmaster, with his usual liberality, will defray it out of his own pocket. Neither are we able to say whether or not the circumstances have been officially reported to Sir G-. M. O'Borke and the other members of the Board.