COLONIAL HOTELS.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 331, 27 June 1874, Page 2

COLONIAL HOTELS.

I like -horses. I think there is nothing so exhilarating as riding a good -strong, fleet, spirited horse that' bounds along with you-, scarcely seeming to touch the ground. - And they are^naturally so enduring and . powerful, and withal, as a rule, so patient and docile that they present aVpleasing contrast to the (to my mind) more ignoble animal that bestiides them. Yes, in general; I -am fond df homes, but in particular I am not fond of the horses kept for the, purpose of hire at colonial hotels. They don't, as a rule, bound along with you, and they do touch. the ground — frequently with their knees. ,„ They are certainly docile, but even their best "friends' cannot compliment them, on their endurance and power. A colonial public-house horse is' not calculated to enable a man to 1 "realize the beautiful picture dra>vn by Job of a war-horse of his time. As a rule he 'don't paw like Job's horse, and I can't say I ever heai*d;of him,, "wallowing .the ground with fierce-;' ness and ragV', If 'like the prophet's animal, h# " smelled. the battle from afar," he would not put himself ou± of the way to hurry up to it. He is a quiet peaceful animal and not ambitious. I rode one of these animals once ; it was in the colony of Ifew Zealand. Before he was brought round,, I, went to the stable to inspect him : he was a horse of meek aspect, apparently of considerable antiquity; his forelegs resembled a bent bow,,,an(ihis skin w_as. stretohed" so tightly over his' ribs, that with a' powerful magniiyifrg-glass you could have seen right through him. A raw sore about the size of twp , crown, pieces, satisfied an observant beholder that he was broken to saddle. I called the ostler, and said, "Will this animated skeleton travel?" ]EEe r replied by kicking the horse in the stomach, and shouting, " Git up, G r." And then I became aware that the frame 1 saw before me possessed- 1 powers of locomotion, fojj,he;took one feeble ''turn a-head;" " Splendid horse that, sir,',' said the ostler, — " he belonged to General '- once, and he never j; tires." I found 6'ufc that the man must have^ meant that the brute " never tired " of feeding, and I agreed with him — it was a very hungry horse. " How oftefi do- you feed your animals," inquired I. ".We, never feeds 'em, sir,"' said. he,. " They goes on the run at 'arf-a-crown a 'cad for the year, and we fetches 'em as we wants 'em." It was then I took out my note-book and. made the folio wring entry : — "Look out foj? equine skeletons at 30s apiece ; pay half-a-crown a, head for keep. ; charge 7s 6d a day for hire — splendid investment," and I mentally resolved to enteratonceinto the livery-stable line. However, I got on General >'s late charger, and by dint of untiring- energy in the application of whip and spur,. I induced him to proceed to his destination. IMtoved to pity by the poor brute's miserable condition,. l determined that I would personally see tfy&t he got a good feed, and r it was then that I observed another little peculiarity about colonial hotels. , I discovered that the, ostler was afflicted with the disease of kleptomania, and consequently was constitutionally unable to " keep bis* hands from picking an£ stealing the- oats." I pitied the poor fellow for his, infirmity, and would have forgiven him if he had no tadded the further sin of " evil speaking and lying-" I had walked into the 1 stall where the unfortunate beast was greedily feeding, and running; my hand through the provender, I found that about seven-eighths; was-chaff and one- , eighth oats. I called the kleptomaniac and requested an' explanation. He swore th^t was evil speaking — he took a most solemn oath that the whole of 'the district knew him to be the most scrupulously honest ostleu in it, rand that the horse had had his foil complement- of corn, and that he was so fond of horses that nothing would persuade , him to rob them— that was lying, — so, I didn't for- ] give him.. I have, since discovered, that this form; of disease is prevalent amongst the ostlers of co- [ lonial hotels. I did my best to assist ■the poor crea- I tures in arresting an 4 curing their malady thenceforth. Some.* 'ofchdr day 3? may expatiate on. other ] slight peculiarities appertaining- to- colonial hotels, ! which have been brought in a very practical manner under my notice.. Viator. j

The experiment of employing ludies in the Post-offieo and' Telegraph Pep&rtmenM>as (says fcbo Age), been attended with very 1 fortupate results: Not oply have the Government been able to afford many, deserving women the (opportunity of earning a respectable maintenance for themselves and families dependent/ upon, them* >, bat, a • considerable saving has been effected,* In every caso where a post and telograph mistress lias been appointed to take charge of a station, she receives a muoh smaller salary- than .wqiS4 have been given to n malo official t and telograph-o'fficcs have been opened at several places, such •s,Birr?guri,'a, Winohelsea, and ton, where the amount of business would 'not have justified the appointment ola telegraph master. ; Several of the streets of Clerkenwo^l have, their names on ' the gas-lamps. The improvement ii to"' be carried out more extensively." The eldest son &f the Duk« and Duchess of Saro-Coburg is, it is stated, to be married to Princesa Louise, daughter of the King of the Belgians. A man has been lined at tho Ennis Petty Sessions under, • an obsolete ttatutc, for keeping grcyhoundn without having tho qualification of a freehold estate, value £1000.