WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2955, 20 July 1888, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(From Our Own Correspondent). OVEB GOVERNMENT. ' I 1 That delightful old lady, Grandma' ■ of to Timos, is a slow and ponderous but frequently a tolerably accurate thinker. Her method of expression is generally painfully flabby, nevertheless, she sometimes strikes against such a solid hunk of virgin truth that the' reader is tempted to condone her shortcomings, including her shrill hysterical conservatism. Grandma' has just found out that New Zealand is too much governed, and announces her discovery with all the conscious pride of an explorer who has hit on a new continent. She points out that the bogies of New Zealand are Boards. We have County Boards, City, Koad, Harbor, Charitable, Licensing, College, EducatioivHealth, and Heaven only knows what other Boards. The consequence is endless confusion, and tons of correspondence with Government departments, which of course necessitates batallions of clerks paid for by the country. Nor is this the worst. These endless petty governments—or governments within gov-ernmonts-insteadofassistiug.hamper and impede progress. Men take Bides, and are often prompted to choose their sides, not by public; but by private considerations. If Mrs Jones has turned up her charming nose at Mis Brown, we may be sure that Brown will vote against Jones, on the Board or Boards they mutually belong to, quite irrespective of tho public merits or demerits of every question. Hence, chaos. If it did not happen that the , same man is often a member of several Boards I very much fear tho adult male population would not go round; that there would be more Boards than ' inmles. It is the same in everything 1 else in this Colony. In a publio com--1 pany overyonewants io be a Director. If he cannot be, then he at .once bo--1 comes a bostili shareholder, and is 1 not satisfied until the Company is 1 " bust." The samo in Associations. [ Every man wants to be on the Comj inittee, and if he does'nt get there ' makes it hot' for those who do. Tho natural consequence may be discerned ' in 99 out of every 100 of our under--1 takings, from Parliament downwards ! —there is a thundering lot of tall talk ' and uncommonly little progress. Your | readers must excuse this homily. The ' event of Grandma' discovering an eternal truth and enunciating it has unduly excited me. Besides, I have 1 been for years trying to impress this j same oternal truth on my fellow-colo-inists,

WHUOUT A GOVERNOR. The admirable Mr Oarker Hutehiuboii has tabled a motion asking in effect what business our Governor has to leave New Zealand while our Parliament is sitting—Sir William having proceeded to the Melbourne Exhibition per s,s. tyakitipu, and via Sydney, ai; : which entertainment I cordially hope' he may 'enjoy himself. Mr Hutchison evidently anticipates a change/of Government during the absence of Sir William Jervois, and naturally desires that when he (Carker Hutchisprij is'.seilt for tq form a Ministry tlie Governor himself may be present and not a mere locum tenant, liko the Chief Justice, who, in Sir Williams absence; runs the show. By the way, I rather pity those passengers by the Waldtipu this voyage who , may riot belong to the gubernatorial circle. .The manner in which that gubernatorial cirole-r-a young, not to say a verdant collection of dudes of both sexes—took entire possession of the vessel on Monday, and their loud and self-assertive tone, were likely to stir the bile of the average democrat who considers himself as good as theso gilded youths and curled darlings—and a darned sight better. Sir William himself is an affable old party but some of the" bong tong" that surround him on these occasions belong to the noble army of cads.

WLUiTDE. So far lias been a big success. The house has been crowded as probably the finest professional company in the world would not crowd it, and herein lies tho " big success" aforesaid. Aifor the, '.eingiuj ani aoting

they were really .very good —' for amateurs, dontoherknow.' One little thing may be pointed out, viz., that by plaoing\ohairs in the passages the management has provided for a monster roast in case of a fire panic during the performance. It may be presumed

that it is somebody's business to see .' that the safety of the public is provided for at places of public" entertainment,' and it may truly be said that 'somebody' neglects his duty. One of these days the inevitable catastrophe will happen, and then, how wise we shall all be, after the event, and how securely we will look the stable door, the Bteed stolen I FOR OM> FOQIEB.

I came across the following lines the otlwr day. I don't know the author. Some of my readers may like poetry, and these verses, seem to me to have more of the spirit and melody of true poesy than a bushel of the stuff that now-a-days passes current as poetry:— . Heioh-ho', Babyhood.

Heij(h-ho, babyhood I Tell we where yon ; linger: .'<.'■ Let's toddle home again, for we have none astray— : Take thin eager hand of mine, and lead E ■ ; me by the finger .... • ' : : : ' j Back to the lotus lands of the Faraway I ./ : .' Turn back the leaves of lifo— don't read { '; the story— t . ' :, Let's find the pictures and fancy all the '' reßtt ■' ■■!:■'-.'. '■ We can., fill tho written pages with a brighter glory. Than old lime, the story-teller, at his , very best I Turn to the brook where the honeysuckle, ttppin? O'er its varso of perfume, spills it on the breczo, And the bee and humming-bird in ecstasy are sipping From tho fairy flagonß of the blooming locust trees, Turn to tho lane where we used to A " teeter-totter," Printing littlo foot-palms in tho mellow mould— Laughint; at the lazy cattle wading through tho water .' " Where the ripples dimplo round the buttercups of gold. Where the dusky turtle lies basking on tho gravel • Of the Bunny sand-bar in the middle tide, ind tho ghostly dragon-fly pauses in his travel To rest like a blossom where the waterlily died, Heigh-ho, babyhood! toll mo whero you linger; Let's toddle homo again, for wo have gone astray. Tako this eager hand of mine and load me by the finger Back to the lotus lands of tho Faraway.

TOM OATS. Dr J. E. Taylor, Editor of Science writes as follows regarding the theory ♦hat cats will destroy rabbits :

"But will the cats demolish the rabbits? The following anecdote (for. the truth of which I can vouch), does not in&cjbjhatthe rabbits would teßifjn so peacefully.' ; 'A,, friend writes to give me instances that camoiuider his own notice, where the rabbit* destroyed the cats. Ho had two fine buck a large tomcat. One day tho rabbits goflwowand immediately attached the cat, The latter, although n good ratter) got terribly frightened and badly mauled in tho bargain. From what 1 s»w of the changed habits of Australian rabbits I fancy they are wiser in their generation than those at home. So if our British rabbits attack tomcats what will yours do ?" As a matter of fact it is known that the Australian rabbit „,and oat mate, with the result that the progeny havo the worst vices of both parents, Fancy a hybrid that not only burrows iu the ground, but can climb trees and catterwaul o' nights!

QUEER ADDRESSER. " Dagonet" in tho London Referee tells the story of a Briton, who, having received a letter from a French correspondent concluding with the usual 'Am I' assurance it ma hautt consideration, addressed his reply to " Mr Assurance De Ma Haute Consideration." He also tells the following, story: A shipping company is in the habit of forwarding allotment notes to the nominees of sailors who are away at sea. To avoid printing the long title and address of the firm twice, under "Name and Address of owner" the words" See Below" ure inserted. A member of the firm forwards me an envelope which he has just received. It is addressed to" Mr See Below, the So-and-so Steamship Company, Limited, London,"