THE WANDERER.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 176, 16 December 1892, Page 2

THE WANDERER.

The holidays are now very near and as a good number of visiters will be coming through to the races, it is to be hoped that the railway manager will frame hi 3 time table to suit the convenience of the visitors from a distance. If the morning train was timed to leave Opanake at ha'f.past ten, the northern party would be able to catch it and be in Kaihu in good time. Then if the train for the return journey was to start on Wednesday morning it would allow the visitors to remain and see any amusements that might be going on both evenings. 'i hs manager has generally shown his willingness to run the trains to suit the travelling public and I trust he will not forget our northern friends when framing the Christmas time table, and will give them a chance of seeing as much fun as possible. * * * j Council and their lawyer are slightly at -variance—that’s a blessing ! Hike to see a rumpus when there’s a lawyer in it—and the ‘ Wanderer’s’ out of it ; there’s generally some fun to be derived to those who watch the little game. As far as I’m concerned I invariably give lawyers a wide berth, for I never go inside one of their dens but I fancy I can smell brimstone—ugh ! I always considered they should have posted up iu a conspicious place ‘ Smoking strictly prohibited-.’ But joking aside, there’s not a doubt but that the lawyer’s letter uwas a

sneezer ; at the same time I candidly confess I like it all the better for that. I would not give a fig for a lawyer who could not write a stinger. Go on Mr Lawyer, you’ll come out a heap on top—deil doot thee. All monoply is to cease, old things are to pass away, all things to become new. Ah indeed ! When ? It certainly has not come to pass yet. Allow me to give you an instance. Two days racing are to be held at Dargaville, a programme is drawn up, and a column advertisement is inserted in the Buster—a paper which is never seen up North. Now, how is it that a few insertions of this advertisement were not'ordered to be given to the Wairoa Bell f Simply because the advertising and printing were to he monopolised as much as possible. When I come to look at the names on the committee I certainly am astonished that some of them at least allow themselves to be cooly led by- the nose in the matter. The whole thing appears to an outsider nothing more or less than a piece of contemptible tyrannical monopoly. Good heavens !in a public thing of this sort it surely ought to be a case of live and let live. Personally it does not matter to me whether the Bell gets a share of the advertising and printing or not ; I am merely writing now as one of the public who are looked to for support at these sports. The money is subscribed by people from various districts and the expenditure of that money ought to be on a fair and square basis; as it is, the whole thing is contemptible in the extreme. Yet, if the prime movers in the miserable little game were told this, what a look of holy horror, virtuous indignation, and injured innocence would creep into their faces, how they would— Close the hands, twirl the thumbs, Move muckle the face ; Roll the eyes up to heaven, As about to say grace. Oh yes !no doubt they would ; but enough on this subject for the present, I’ll have something more to say upon it another time if necessary. The ‘Wanderer ’ has thrown the cap, let those whom it will fit wear it. * * * Are we going to have any entertainments in Aratapu during the holidays ? I hope so. Now is the time for our amateur dramatic, and other societies to come out of their shells. There are plenty of deserving charities they can give concerts in aid of, and wheD will you find people more charitably inclined than at Christmas May some of our societies take the hint. * * * I consider if there is any member of the House of Representatives who deserves a word of praise from his fellow countrymen it is the Hon. E. Mitchelson, for the straightforward, manly, and honourable manner in which he acted over the purchase of the Kaitaia block. His speech in the House was an excellent one, every point evidently well thought over and carefully worked out. It is plainly to be seen that the natives have implicit confidence in the Hon E. Mitchelson, and look to him as their friend who will do his utmost to see them righted, and I think they are not far wrong in that. Judging from his speech he considers the natives have been grossly victimised, and so far he has without doubt done his utmost to expose the scandal. I trust the hon. gentleman will still keep a watchful eye upon this affair ; I can assure him he will have a host of friends at his back. I hope to have more to say on this subject after the holidays. ® * * I have had handed to me some papers explaining the objects of the National Association- I regret that time will not now permit of my writing as freely as I could have wished about this association. Some of the aims and desires as set forth in the circular are without doubt excellent, and I should not wonder if they enroll a large number of new members in this district. I notice that Mr Norman McLeod represents the Association at Kaihu and in that gentleman they certainly have an able and energetic representtative. * * + So the poor Wanderer is in trouble, and all over those few innocent lines he wrote about a day’s canvassing among the faymales This is the way it comes about : On my wanderings I often come across an old Irishman whom I will call Paddy. Now the said Paddy is very fond of getting hold of a. paper so that he may read the news, and I have cccassionally given him the Bell. Recently when on one of my journeys I chanced to drop across my old friend while he was busily engaged digging gum, We soon got into conversation and Mr Paddy anxiously inquired if I had a Bell »n me. Happening to have the latest edition in my pocket I handed it over to him, at the same time asking how he liked the paper. Arrah now ! hut it’s a grand little paper shure, an’ its full av intheristiu rading, but thayres an impudint playguard callin’ himsilf the Wandherer who writes a lot av loies in it, shure an’ the editor ought ter stop that chap. Och, by me Sowl ! did yer see phat he wrote about the faymales ’avin’ a vote. The spalpeen called it the faymale fran-shise, phat d’yer think av that for cheak. By the powers av Moll Kelly Oi’d loike ter hear him call it ‘ shisei befoor my Biddy an’ its afther prayin’ to be bald-headed he needu’t be shure, she’d moighty soon aceomidate him, she’d raymove his wool by the fhistfull. I rode on inwardly von - ing that Mistress Biddy should not have a chance to raymove any of my wool. Ah, no ! madam, I may have been horn foolish but I’ve out-grown a precious lot of it, and I’ve no doubt but that me and my wool will part company quite soon enough without any assistance from your delicate little fingers. * * « Now, Mr Editor, as this will probable be the last lot of notes I shall have the opportunity of sending you previous to the New Year kindly allow me to wish yourself, your staff, and all patrons of the Bell, A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May- the New Year bring with it increased prosperity for our favourite journal ‘ The Wairoa Bell such is the siaetre wish of Thss Wanberkr.