Notes and Comments.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 191, 17 April 1902, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

Of all the notable figures at the Coro. nation surely the Hon. thk Premier of New Zeapremier’s land will be the versatility, chiefest. His versatility is the admiration of his fellow colonials. He is the country, he has the selection of each and all and everything, from Maxim guns for the Permanent Forces down tpftVhitaMe Vfpfps” for use in the proposed sfate establlshjflerjtg fflr Lfjg instruction of mothers jn the feeding of their infants, The other day he was addressing a meeting of workers and assuring them of his undying sympathy; he was feasted and toasted with cbam. another day, and he made the welkin ring at a dance in bis honour on another. To each and every class he is affability itself, and although he has been accused of aiming at a dukedom, he denies the soft impeachment and declares that his reward fies f» tpuet of bis people, (fee., &c. Jt |s somewhat of a surprise, and yet none at all, to know that he has mastered the intricacies of heraldry and is capable of assigning the places nearest the salt. We are told that in the Parliamentary grounds on Monday the Premier inspected the North Island section of tne Native Coronation Contingent. With Mr Carroll he went through the list examined them closely, and selected 24 out of QJjfpQei Captain Taranaki, some surprise was expressed at the apparent passing oyer’ of two out of the three remaining, as both'were well-built specimens pf tho Maori race. It is understood, however, that m making a selection the Premier took into consideration the ancestry of the candidates, tfbp included descendants of several noted chiefs. Presumably this choice was not the final one, as on completing it the Premier turned to the Native Minister and said: “ You have my wishes on the matter, and .you make the final selection. It is always a case of “ My will, not thine, be done," and the selection is made. But it must have been laughable' to see Dick graveiy adjudicating between the ‘i weka kww* on a field gtejifi, ’A liietp fixed-in a aicuil

gales, ’or “ a i-.-I'. ■!;. it 1 ‘ • li, jiot.” (N i’ Gar i. gn.;,r cunti iii ilor on hi-ralilic being out ot mwn. v/c must apologise if tin- t< rms an- not exactly correct.) Be lint as it may. tin,, Premier is evidently jp-ning ■ > wrinkles ” for Ids own heraldic device. So many 1m v<* bei-n .sugip-'ed that our contribution to the bid.joe! may be of little use. However, wb.it j s there against “ Britannia coucha;E protected by 11. J. S. rampant and iiippmled by a gentleman in khaki. 3iotlu: ‘ Let ’em all come.’”

()n Monday last there was evidently a little adventure on the mums Waibao. It appears that of an Mr J. F. Douglas drove M. n. k. the Hon. W. J. Stewatd, Mr Hursthouse, Chief Engineer, Mr C. E. Bremner, County Engineer, and another round the Waiiiao to see the damage done by the Etc Hoods. At one ford (where, we have not been able to hear), there was a deep washout, and the first intimation of danger was the disappearance over the front of the buggy of Messrs Boughs and Hursthouse, the horses having “gone before.” Messrs Steward and Dremner were at the b u k. and their turn carno speedily, the Major being submerged so deeply that Jiis " white flower of a blameless life ” was fathoms deep. dicing a nonsuinimer it was fortunate that Mr JJn inner was at hand and able to drag him to terra liana. The rest had garnmbled out, got bold of the horses, mid when a safer crossing had been negotiated a settler’s house was called at. The good man was at home, and to the Major’s request for a pair of dry pants he willingly brought forth his Sunday go-tu-meeiiugs. But —he was only oft. lin. high, and the Major about a foot higher. When the trousers were on they reached a little below Ibe knee. What was to be done? A happy thought struck the County Engineer, and running to the buggy I

lie brought forth mi extra pair ofstockings from his valise (ho wears knickeibockers). Then there was the trouble of getting the Major to don them, but ns he could not go in the dry ours without some addition and the wet ones were too uncomfortable, and he hud to get into town in a hurry, it was ti case of “ needs must.” So the stockings went on, and the pants went off. Our Morven correspondent tells us those few facts, asking us to “ polish them up.” We have, and this explanation will serve in case any part of the store’s voracity is challenged. But, had we known such a thing was likely to happen, we should have been on the spot. It must have been, to quote a classic author. “ as funny as a bit of string --though mayhap not for the pm ties intimately concerned.