THATCHER'S FAREWELL.

West Coast Times, Issue 33, 19 August 1865, Page 3

THATCHER'S FAREWELL.

Our local rhymester, it seems, is after all determined to leave Hokitikn, for his farewell benefit is announced to take place in a few days, and we understand that it is his intention to take his departure by the Wallaby on her next trip. We sincerely regret this determination, — not only hecause the town will be wretchedly off for amusement when he is gone, but also because he is of greater use than generally supposed in a place like this, where not a few reforms that have taken place are traceable directly or indirectly to the effect or dread of Thatcher's satire. Officials of whatever grade — from the Commissioner down to the office sweeper — are proverbially disposed to " bounce," and however deaf to the appeal of reason or justice they may be, a wholesome fear of ridicule is no less a prominent characteristic. It has become a sort of fashion to decry Thatcher, even by those who go regularly and laugh at his jokes ; but when the lash falls on themselves, oh ! what an outcry they raise. Personalities, forsooth ! We wonder how many thousands London " Puuch," or any other satirical journal under the sun, may plead guilty to ? The best evidence that Thatcher is a public need, lies in the fact of his invariable sucsess wherever he goes, and will doubtless continue so as long as lie remains before the public. During his stay here he has been liberally supported ; and on his side attraction has not been licking. His latest novelty is in reference t > a late letter of the Hokitika correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times," which stigmatises the audience that nightly assemble in the Corinthian Hall as a "noisy, dirty, drinking, smoking, cursing crowd, 1 ' and which he has most happily answered by a song, which we are tempted to produce in full, if only for the benefit of those out of hearing of our inimitable local singer :—: — OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

AIR— "NICE YOUNG MAN." The veracious correspondent Of the Canterbury Times, It seems lias got an awful down On Thatcher's vulgar rhymes. He gave this hall a rare rub up, Aud this audienco he vowed NWere a regular •• noisy, dirty, drinking, Smoking, cursing crowd." My word ! I've got a character, By jingo ! so have you, A pretty mob I'm singing to If what he says be tine. According to this scribbling cove I really should be proud To sing to a noisy, dirty, drinking, Smoking, cursing crowd. My song just like a sermon Into heads I'll now divide, And trust, unlike the scribbling cove, That truth will be my guide. To preach to you in local rhyme, Oh let me be allowed, My text is noisy, dirty, drinking, Smoking, cursing crowd. We'll first begin with noisy, Now some you will allow Come into this Corinthian Hall, And often make a row. Some that should know bettor Stand there and talk so loud, But I really don't think, on the whole, That you're a noisy crowd. This scribbler calls you dirty, But that's a fib I hope ; Permit me, therefore, now to ask How are you off for soap ? In future you must wash yourselves, You cannot be allowed To come in here to hear us sing If you're a dirty crowd. Thsn next you're charged with drinking, It's true sometimes at night, A cove comes hero and pays his bob And gets a little tight. But lushingtons in future In the hall won't be allowed, But Harding oft complains and saya You're not a drinking crowd. You're next accused of smoking By this stupid scribbling bloke, You may plead guilty unto this, For you're allowed to smoke. You're free to take your baccy out And blow your little c'oud, I think you may give in to this That you're a smoking crowd. You're last accused of cursing, But seldom havo I heard Frequenters of this hall mako use Of any wicked woid. Smoking wo can tolerate, But swearing unit allowed, I think you will repudiate The charge of cuisiug crowd. To find who penned this letter I'll hit upon a plan, P'raps it's a camp official, Or Howard the sausage man. He's had a rub from Thatcher, Or he'd not complain so loud About the noisy, dirty, drinking, Smoking, cursing crowd.

Ho* Nat^ikk Coveus up lUttle Fields. — "Did I ever tell you," saya a correspondent of nu Eastern paper, "among the affecting little things one is always seeing in theße battle-fields, on the ground upon which the battle of Bull Run was fought, I saw pretty, pure, 'delicate flowers growing out of empty ainmiinitidn boxes, and a wild rose thrusting up its graceful head through the top of a broken Union drum, which doubtless sounded its last ohurgo in that battlo ; and a cunning scarlet verbena peeping out of a fragment of an exploded shell, in which Btrange spot it was planted, Wasn't that peaco growing out of war ? Even so shall tho beautiful and graceful ever grow out of tho horrid and tcrriblo things that transpire in this changing but ever-ad-vancing world. Nature covers even tho battle-fields with verdure and bloom. Peace and plenty spring Up in the track of dovouring campaigns, and all things in naturo and society shall work out the progress of mankind." — Fishkill Journal. A lady, speaking of tWp gathering of lawyers to dedicate a new court-house, said she supposed they had gone to " view tho grounds whero they must shortly lie,"