TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5140, 26 September 1895, Page 3

TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

[By Tub Aotni Mariner,] " And thus sptth on that ancient man, The bright-eyed wflj-incr."—Coleridge. Welhnuton, Tuesday. YKIiLOW AND WHITE OFFICERS. A street incident enacted a few j. evenings ago, tends to show the difference betweon yellow and white officers. Tho cable steamer Slierard Osborne, which recently put into Port Nieholson, carried amongst other things some Mongolians, who, m this enlightened country, are looked upon as " undesirable." The Chinamen on board the Slierard Osborno were of two classes, the ordinary almond-eyed, pig-tailod, river-aide (jhows, who made up the crew, and several superior and wellbred Chongs, who sported line rigs and acted as officers. To tho ordin-

ary observer it was quite apparent that there was a great, gulf between tho Chow of the qnuiter-deck and the Chinamen in the forecastle, but this difference eoald not bn discovered by a mob of uncouth street hoodlums. A Chinese officer, while walking the streets of Wellington, was chevied by the gang, who persisted in running against him, and ill other ways annoying him. The yellow ofiieer looked at the offenders in a digniiietl manner, but otherwise t took no notice of tliem. A gentleman who happened to have seen the act of larrikinism remonstrated with the lads,and for his trouble, received a presentation in the shape of a mudball, wliieli struck him on the hack. The marksman was quickly seized J and shaken, and the services of a police officer were requisitioned to disburse the " push." Police officers { are not built that way, and this particular policeman showed no desire to interfere; it was only by threats of reporting the matter to headquarters could tho bobby be induced to take an interest in earning his wages. It was a very luilf-hcarted interest at best, but sufficient to scatter the band of larrikins, and secure the yellow mint from further molestation.

WAKE lII' TIIK I'OMCK. Throughout the Colony the whole police force seems to be demoralised, and there must be .something wrong with the Department. Do the Constables carry out their duties faithfully ? The bobby that evinces any honest desire to do his work soon j (Muds pressure brought to bear, | ™Tbich generally lias the elfeol of cooling his ardour. During the past few days 1 have noticed more I linn the usual number of "drunks," and; some of them particularly well- j dressed, but I cannot say more than the usual number of " drunks" have paid their respects to the S.M. On Saturday evening I witnessed a most painful sight, a lad of about seventeen or eighteen years of age, an apprentice probably, was moving up Willis-streeet, and seemed much concerned about the breadth of the street. The unfortunate fellow was "as full as a tick," and could barely stagger along. He got the drink somewhere,most likely at some hotel, and it amounts to this that if the " pubs" were kept up to the mark, the anxiety to seivo silly boys and half-drunk men with liquor would not be so great. When there is a row on, the police are olf. This I think is the general experience, and I would be glad to learn of an fbnthentic case, where a policeman promptly on the scene, when a street row was in fullswing. I never saw a bobby near a street light, and j I venture to say that 110 one else has. SCfXCS THAT ARB JIEMORADI.E. Last Friday evening will be memorable to not a fow members of the House of Representatives. The hard work and close attention to business together with the long hours has had a very bad effect on the House, but the strain has told terribly on two members, who on Friday evening last completely lost their top gear, which for the sake of politeness we will call their heads. Ido not mean ■ to say that the two heads rolled; about the floor of the House vainly j looking for owners; the heads remained on the shoulders but they were a bit fuddled and thick. The j tongues in these two heads clanged discordantly, the one rather rudely, running dangerously near being " named." The owner was talking tarilf and nonsense, when the member for Palmerston interjected. The fuddle-headed orator turning round "You Palmerston picaninnyj W you don't shut up, I'll spit on you and drown you." The scene that followed, and the figure eut by this boisterous member will be ever memorable. There were high jinks in the House on Friday evening, and the country pays £240 per man for this class of exhibition. The two overstrained members come from the South Island. Frederic Villiers believes that an unpaid Parliament the most perfect form of Government and the war artist is light. Fat screws have Hooded Parliament with fat humbugs, as anyone can tell who spends an evening or two at the House.

THERE IS GOLD IX THE MOUXTAIX. The possibility of there being gold bo near the city as Karon, has mado many people sceptic. All the mining authorities, professional and amateur, that the city could muster, have visited Thompson's Reward Claim, and tlio opinions expressed respecting the Knrori goldlield aro as varied as tbe colours of the rainbow. Whatever may be the opinion of individuals, the fact remains that the last few days an apprecijßdo quantity of (fold has been won '?rom the local golden hole. The work of developing tbe field is not progressing as fast as it might do ; I hear, however, that a parcel of stono is to be sent through the National Hank for treatment at the Thames Schoolof Mines, The sooner this is done tlio better, as much will depend upon the assay value of tlio ore, whether it is worth our while spending money in development wovks. A gentleman who at first was inclined to ridicule tho Knrori diggings, lins after repeated visits jf and careful attention changed his opinions, and now inclines to the belief that the diggings will turn out good things. It is said that tho reef can be traced for fully eight miles, DEEP-TEA AXP OI'STEIW. There is a weighty story going tho rounds of the lobby, which concerns tho member for Waimate, and it is »th relating, As most people iv, the Hon. Major Steward very nearly fits in with Euclid's definition of a straight line—length with, out breadth, Tho Major and tbe bulky member for Rangitikei strolled on to the wharf the other day, and Seeing a penny-in-the-slot weighingmachine, thoy were tempted to learn their fighting Weight,. Stevens dropped in a penny, mounted the platform, .and. eyed, . the recorder.:

Sweepsfako, I lmvo lost more tlmn it stoiio weight since thosession bcgati," Stoward lingered his penny tremblingly, dropped into the slot, and took his turn. "Well I declare, Stevens, I have lost nfc the rate of nearly half a pound a day." Stewart was much concerned, vowed that antifat potations had nothing to do with the matter,ami seriously expressed his fears that his constitution could not longer stand the late sittings and hard work of the sessions. The member for liaugitikei was not so disturbed, but later in the day made it his business to test the scales in a grocer's shop, when he found that he registered his normal weight.

Grocers' scales are ever under the eye of the Inspector of Weights and Measures, and if they lie, it is certain to be a white lie, but with the penny-in-the-slot machine the Inspector is not tumbled, and it may therefore record anything it ehnoses. Stevens saw in this all the. elements of a good joke, ami related the marvellous decline in the weight of Steward and himself, at the same time letting all bat the Major into the secret of tho affair. Members with one accord began remarking on the apparently worn condition of the Major, and greatly sympathised with him. At a late hour in the evening the Major could be seen wollitig dozons of oysters and bowls of beef-tea, with the object of regaining the lost flush. His friends enjoyed the joke immensely, TIIK IklliK i.v the watilt is curious how names are given to localities; and what comical names we do coiiiG across sometimes. There is a place in Wellington called "The Hole in the Wall" and any \vlmrf lumper will tell yon where to find the spot. In the distant past there may have been some affinity between the name and the locality, there certainly is none now. " The Hole in the Wall" is on the other side of Willis-street, and between 12 and 1 o'clock when the lumpei's lunch, many a mug of good beer washes (town the frugal meal. " The Hole in tho Wall" is a familiar title tor a public bar and, anyone desiring a half-hour's fun would get it here, Watch I lie faces of tho frequenters of " Tho Hole " and you will see some honest ones, Some are the fairs ol real topers; there are not a few loafers hanging about on the off chance of being invited to " have a pint,'' There is a deal of intelliguacu in the crowd, and now and again argument upon some subject foreign to theui all, waxes warm. Pithy expressions, comical tags, expressive attitudes can all be picked up here. The tap-room politician, ami the beer-lionise philosopher are both licit'. The politician hangs away at social problems, arguing for itml against the Government of tho day, just as it happens to be in or out of favour. The philosopher whom I met expounded to me the effects of sleep on the body and the spirit. " Take the case of drunkenness," lie said," when a man is halfdrunk, his body is asleep but the spirit is not, in such a case a man is upt lo see hobgoblins and blue-devils, in fact get the horrors, but when thoroughly drunk the body and spirit are both asleep and tho man snores." The philosopher seems to ant up to this theory, and when I left liini? was going full steain ahead for the port of" fully drunk." IitiUDNKSS-UKACIOIJS-M I; SMITH." We get some funny business in the House in the course of an evening. The members are not unlike a troupe of minstrels, for they take their tarns in amusing the galleries. Daring the tariff debate the other evening, when weariness seemed to possess the house, Mr Duthio was speaking, when he suddenly looked towards and accused the member for New Plymouth of yawning at him. White - waistcoated, ironsaiul, "lie Hem" retorted, "The honorable gentleman accuses mo of yawning, but how could 1 help it after listening to such rot!" The fat was in the lire. Is tho word "rot" parliamentary ? Mr Dutbic appealed to the Chairman, and the elect of New Plymouth was called upon to withdraw. This Smith gladly did, substituting the word " bosh;" this was also ruled out of order. Ho Hem was done. His range of the Queen's linglish is 'limited, and to he obliged to tiiul a third word to express his meaning was too much, and Smith subsided | with a fervent ''goodness gracious me."

John Keown, charged with the murder of Hugh StpwaTt, at Balfour, lias been sentenced to death. The stallion Blairgowrie, owned by Mr W. Waters, of Auckland, dropped dead on Sunday afternoon. Mr William Fenwick, editor of the Otaijo Witness, was descending the stone steps at the main door of the Ohi/iv Laity limes office on Saturday morning when he slipped and fell, receiving a compouud fracture of the left leg below the liiiee. Mr I'. Hider received the following letter from Air A. W. Hogg, M.10., this morning" Dear Mr Hiiler, I have seen the Minister of ltailways in reference to your request that railway fares shmihl be reduced during the visit of General Eooth to Wellington, but I regret to say he cannot see his way to grant any reduction, as he says that other bodies would require similar concessions in connection with their meetings or demonstrations if lie allowed such a precedent. lam referring vour letter to the General Manager of Kail, ways, but I thought it desirable to let you know the opinion of the Hon. Mr Cadman, at the earliest moment.—Yours very truly, A. W. Hogg." A man named Isaac Wilcox, a bricklayer, living in Newton, Auckland, was discovered this morniug oil a sofa in his residence with his throat partially cut with a razor. His wife'had summoned him for threatening language. He bad written a note stating that he could not live longer owing to domestic troubles. At tlie Masterton S.M. Court this morning, .Toe Karaitiana was charged with the larceny of three skcep-skins, the property of _ August Stempa, Accused pleaded guilty, Sergeant Mc. Ardlc, who prosecuted, said that accused had not been bei'oro the Court for anv other olfenno. Mr W. lorns, Interpreter, said that he had known the accused from childhood and had never known him to commit any offence. August Stempa, butcher, said the skins were hanging on a fence about 25 chains from the main road. He liad no desire to see a severe sentence, but wished for protection. Some time ago ho had lost beef from his slaughterhouse, since which time the building had been kept locked, His Worship imposed a fine of 2()i together with 9s paid to accused by the person to whom ho sold the skins, or in default one week's imprisonment, explaining that this leniency was by the .request of Mr Stempa, and on account of tiio good character borne by accused, Messra L, J, Hooper & Co., of the Bon Marebe, are now opening up their first consignment of Spring and Summer novelties, and will make their display in a few days. Elegant millinery, tosh from the hands of Parisian modistoß i gems ol fashion in bopnets anfihatPjtogether with their own creations, copied from the most stylish itiodels. Abundant supplies of sailors hats in the most fashionable shapes and colors, extensive varieties of children's millinery,] untrimmed straws in the newest styles,! : dress goods, mantles, blouses, parasols, , prints, etc,-Am, j

One e( tko drawbacks of country life, at least to the smnll settler, is undoubtedly the Increased price he has to pay for any I articles el clothing or general drapery, by reason o( tho oxtra charges for freight or I carriage. This drawback need exist no i longer, (or extra charges arc done lway with under the new system which lms been inaugurated at Tk Abo llouss, Wellington. Untior this system, any of tho parcels advertised, will be sent to any address in I New Zealand, mi hies, tlio prices charged [ being esactly ihe sanir as those at which the gnnds arc sold over the counter in Wellington. As may lis imagined, however, this lihiir.ll offer is only extended to cash 'customers, and all orders for ailvertist.d pwcols, must be accompanied by cash for the amount, liefoio the order win be executed At Ts Ano House, Wellington. In illustration of this system, wo will Rive an example. Take for instance No. 3 Part;?', which contains 1 Lndy'H White Maimocik lllouse, trimmed with embroidery and with the new buttcrlly collar; 1 Navy or Black Sateen lllouse, with white spots, new style; 1 pair of lilack or Coloured Taffeta liiovcs.iwid 2 pairs of Ladies Black Cashmere Huso. This comolclu parcel will lie sent, post free, to any addreis, on receipt of 12/ li, from Tis Ano Housn, Wellington.—Adyt.