ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1292, 9 October 1880, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Tas Melbourne Exhibition was opened with great eclat on Friday last, and the Ist of October will long- be a red-letter day in the annals of Victoria. Reuters agents gave a full account of the opening ceremony, hut the Herald^ not content with that, published a long report from "our special correspondent," purporting to be sent by cable> but which everyone believes was sent by mail and was in type before the eventful day arrived. Well ! there are tricks in all trades. "Waikato contributed rather mote than its quota to the criminal calendar this time— Smith for forgery, and Raven for horse*stealing. I hope and believe that these gentry are not fair samples of the Waikato people. Some one has been guilty of an act of gross discourtesy to Mr A. Taylor, of Mount Albert. An advertisement appeared in the daily papers to the effect that Mr James Buckland would give an entertainment in Mr Taylors barn for the benefit of Mrs Bees, the widow of the unfortunate man who was murdered last week. The object was a good one, the reader would probably have drawn a large audience of those who had not heard him before, but Mr Taylor had not been asked for the use of his barn. The consequence was that that gentleman wrote to the Star a letter in which he said he had not been asked for the use of the barn, but that, if he had been, he would not have had time to clear and prepare the barn. I think that if anything is worth having it is certainly worth asking for, but I suppose I am wrong. Mr J, B. Russell has resigned his seat on the Domain Board, and yet the heavans hare not fallen. Indeed, immediately after hia farewell speech, the weather began to clear. I sincerely hope we are not going to have a drought in consequenoe of Mr Russell's action. His farewell speech reminded me of the com* plainings of a spoiled child. From it, it appears that, over since J. B. became a member of the Domain Board, the other members have united in thwarting him at every turn. This was very wrong, as, in everything he did, he was actuated by the best and purest motives. Unfortunately, neither his motives nor his actions were appreciated by his co-adjutora, so he has resigned. " A prophet is not without honors," &c The other evening there appeared a letter in the Star over the signature of William J. Speight. It was written, not by the loquacious Good Templar who misrepresents City East, but by a gentleman who has the honour of being both the uncle and the father-in-law of that worthy, and who would be all ihe better if he also were a Good Templar. He, the uncle and father-in-law, not the nephew and son-in-law, was in the British army and now receives a pension from the Imperial Government. His cause of complaint is that he had to affix a penny duty stamp to the receipt he gave for the amount of his pension. He expresses his opinion that the clause in the Stamp Act requiring a stamp to be affixed to the receipts for the pensions is illegal, and : , states his determination to appeal to the Imperial Government. If the pensioners j want their grievance properly attended to, ! they had better send Dick Feltus or Sir George Grey home to urge their claims. The Editor of the Herald is in a great state of perturbation iv consequence of our new Governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, retaining the office of High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, as well as the general supervision of the government of Fiji. The Editor looks upon this as an. attempt to organise a confederacy embracing New Zealand, 3?iji and I know not what other islands. lam not sure if he does not fear that a British squadron will one fine day attempt to tow New Zealand to Fiji or Fiji to New Zealand. However, I do not think he need distress himself unduly about this nubject, as this colony "will not be joined to Fiji or any other placi without the consent of our own legislature. "Otbello's occupation's gone!" Mr. Garrard has, for the present at least, left the ranks of the "unemployed," and gone to weed potatoes for our respected Jtt.M., Mr. Barstow. I have no doubt that going to work went sadly against the grain with Mr. Garrard, but he was doubtle's afraid that, if lie refused to work, he would be "run in," as a vagrant having no visible means of support. Mr. Firth almost succeeded in preventing the Lincolnshire farmers, for whom Messrs Grant and Foster were ajrents, obtaining the Te Aroha block. Mr. Percy Smith, Chief Surveyor, a thoroughly competent and as thoroughly impartial an authority, furnished the Waste Lands Board with an estimate of the value of the block, which was, taking the good land with the bad, an average price of thirty-three shillings and fourpence per acre. Mr. Firth who is a membar of the Board, said that the land was worth two pounds per acre, and objected to it being sold for less. Captain Steele, who is acting as agent for Messrs Grant and Foster, declined to purchase at £2 per acre, and the matter came to a stand-still. Fortunately, it was decided that a special meeting of the Board should be called to consider the matter. It took place on Wednesday, and it was agreed that the block should be sold at the price named by Mr. Percy Smith. Captain Steele agreed to purchase at that price, and the conditions of occupation &c, were arranged, and so, as the Welshman said, when he signed the promissory note, "Thank God that's settled," says St. Mungo.