HOW OTAGO IS GOVERNED A TRAGIC FARCE IN ONE SCENE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 40, 14 November 1868, Page 6

HOW OTAGO IS GO V ERNED A TRAGIC FARCE IN ONE SCENE.

DIUMATrs PERSOtf.3i :—: — Judas Snivel Jamie A'thin^s Mr. Sec. Snob Mr. Jackass Huge Mr.M'Bannaid Ex-Sec. Grinder" The characters were supported by distinguished (or extinguished) members of the Executive. Judas Snivel : Gentlemen, we have met to-day to consider how to keep our places. Some of you are not so hard up as I am ; but to throw up £800 a-ycar will not suit my books at all. I, at any rate, have no floury occupation to fall back on, and it will be Ion? before the " Sun" will pay for coals to keep my toes warm or cook my dinner. Ex-Secretary Grinder : I would like to know if Mr. Snivel intends anyt'ain^; personal by the words " floury occupation;" if so, he had better mind his eye, for such a course will never brin'} grist to his mill. Mr. Secretary Snob : Aw, aw, the question, aw, was, how to, aw, keep in our, aw, billets, aw. Mr. M" Barmaid : It is very easy for Mr. Snob to talk of his billet ; but he knowa, or ou^ht to know, that I am the only man in Otago suited for the office. Mr. Huge : It's very presumptuous of Mr. M'Barmaid to say so, for what have I voted, and turned tail on my constituents, but for that very place ? Judas Snivel: I had thought that was all arranged ; whenever wo get a working majority all ou:* screws are to be raised; and that disinterested natriot, Mr. Clark, will provide the funds at tho low interest of 17. | or 23 per cent. Jamie : It is all very well for you to talk, but if you cannot afford to lose £300 a-year, I can worse afford to lose a thousand ; and under present circumstances, after conscientious consideration, I can't see mv way to this dissolution ; Ido not believe it the on°. great panacea for our conlition. Judas Snivel: Poo\, poob, Jamie, you a"c all ri^ht. "What would you have done without me — us, I mean? Have I not been a very father to you ? Jamie : I don't misdoubt you, Judas, but those elections co3t a heap of money. M-. M Barmaid : And what i3to be ou" cry at tie elections ? ' Judas: For that I must refer you to the columns of t-ie " Sun/ when it appsars. That brilliant an:! talented journal is to cause a revolution in public feolin^. Mr. Hu;;e : For particulars see prospectus. Jam'e : In t'ae meantime, gentlemen, we had better adjourn till that luminary rises. Judas Snivel : lam content, for ifc will be a "star" of the first magnitude. ' Curtain falls.

Abominable Cruelty of a S m. — Somo months ago, a Mi*. Brenl;, a resident of Poplar, died, leaving his wife the mort^vje doeds of a house. The sot, who Uarl been a gold-dlg'jjer in Australia, anxious to obtain possession of tho desrls, returned to England on hearing of his father** dssfch, an I, according to the testimony of a married sister, "constantly and systematically knocked hi 3 mother about." One iiis;ht he pnsherl her into ths . streets, and kept her there until inwnmg" ; and oa another occasion he poured over her two gallons of water mixed with rauJ. The poor woman avowed that " that was her death, for sb.3 never felt \var.rn after that ni<jhfc." Th-i mo.fUcal testimony, however, w.w noh sufficient to show that-Mra. IJrs'iS ilie<l fr.mi the offsets of her sWs brufc-ilit.v, and th-} j'iry .vnra reluc, L .;vitly c>rnpflll?rt to return a verdict of "]>atfi him natur.il c^esj" wjth aa jjupauded censure.