ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1336, 22 January 1881, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

About those books ! Some time a<?o the Library Committee of the City Council were requested to select JEGo worth of books for the Free Public Library. After they had selected a number of books, among which was the new edition of the 'Encyclopedia JBritannica,' the Mayor, Mr T. Peacock, was requested to finish the selection. He did so, and handed over the libt to Mr Phillip 1 -, the Town Clerk, to copy and forward. When the books came to hand, it was found that they were not according to order. The new edition of the 'Encyclopaedia Britannica' was not sent, nor weie several other works which had been ordered, while a ( oneirjerable number of books which had not be^n ordered wore sent instead. So many books were sent that the invoice exceeded the amount to be expended by about £20. The question was, of course, asked, '• Who altered the list?'' and it has not yet been answered. It is asserted that no one except the Town Clcik had the opportunity of m iking the alterations, and the mfeience is that he did so. However, as the City Council have the matter under consideivifcion, I will not express my opinion as to who the culprit is, but merely say that I think ho displayed veiy bad taste in omitting the • Encyclopre lia Britannica,' as it seems to me to be a most desirable work to have in the Fiee Public Library, While speaking about this institution, I must express my gratification at seeing the large number of people who avail themselves of the privilege of iibiug jt, and at knowiug that moit of them do not spend their time in loading novels. I would not think ot condemning novelreading, a*- I consider that reading .such novels as those of Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, and others of our loading English novelist-!, is a proper relaxation ior a weaiied biaiu ; but I think that supplying the wnnt* of the novel-reading poition of the public is more in the province of the circulating libiarios, and that the Free Public Library .should contain works of reference of all torts and books ot science. By the arrival of the biigantine Myrtle intelligence was received of the loss of the Auckland bngantine Active, at Apii, m tho y.imoan gioup. I was very sorry to hoar of tho wieck, .is Auckland tr.ideis to the islands of the South Pacific have quite enousrh to contend with, in the opposition of the German merchants, who have obtained so firm a hold of the Island trade — in the opposition of the Sydney merchants, who have the advantage of what in practically a free port, and in the want of a proper drawback system heie, without having marine disasters Theie is one consolation that Messrs William McAithur and Co. — who were the principal owners of the Active, and who owned her cargo — have, and that is, that they Avcre well insured. Ido not suppose that the nephew- of the Lord Mayor of London, or buch a very goody-goody man as Mr Lirkins, would insure their cargo foruioro than its value: bat it must; be very satisfactory to them to know that, now that the cargo has been disposed of, they aio sure to get the money for it, for such has not always been the case when goods have been sold to traders at the Islands. The " strong aim of tho law '* i-> rather weak down theie, and if a man wants to evade payment of his just debt-, he can do so without much trouble. It is not necessary for him to go through the B<inki uptcy Com t. Indeed, Ido nob think it is possible for him to do 60. All be hai to do is to dispose of his goods and decamp with tho proceeds, and it is very difficult to follow him. Not long ago a number of Auckland visitors were spending a few days in a country township (I do not say it was in the Waikato, nor do I sa.y it was not). There was no meat on the breakf.yst-tablo one morning — nothing but fish. While the Aucklanders weie sitting at breakfast, two of the residents entered the room and sat down at the table. One of them said he did not care for fish, and asked the waiter to give him some meat. The latter replied that there was none in the house, and that it was a case of fish o*- nothing. The resident grumbled, but said he would take some fish. Tho waiter served him, and then went out of the room. As soon as he had gone, the resident informed the Aucklanders that ho was sure that there was meat in the house, "for,"' he said, j "I know that the butcher killed half a j sheep this morning, and sent some of it here. " A roar of laughter followed this speech, much to the astonishment and anncyanca of the speaker. I was very much disappointed with the result of the yacht race in the Melbourne Eegatta, as I believed that the Taniwha would have beaten the Janet. Instead of that, she was beaten by her, as well as by the Auckland-built yacht Secret. She did not get a very severe thrashing', however, finishing- a fifteen -mile race only two and a-half minutes after the Janet, and before the Secret, which gained second honours through receiving a time allowance from the Taniwha, oi account of her greater tonnage. It is satisfactory to Aucklandera, and to Messrs Niccol,' who built both the Secret and the Taniwha, that in a race in which six of the fastest yachts in the colonies were engaged, the Auckland-built yachta came in second and third. Mr. William Horace Lingard, the actor, has, nqt suqcee&ed ill getting his discharge from Mr. Justice GjdlliQs, ppe, siding in the Bankruptcy Court, so e,asily as he anticipated. Mr. Browning, his solicitor, applied for, the debtor's discharge on Wednesday, hufc-the Judge, 'said he did ij,ot feel "justified Jn» grantfag it, iEJe said |Js|h^djduQ^ see'^as tn

debtor had any right to fib liia petition iff Auckland, where his priucipal creditor does not reside. I quite agree with the Judyo (satipfactory for him to learn, if he does learn it, that I agree with him on this point !) that a mim who travels about a8 Mr. Lingard does, should filo his schedule in the place in which his principal creditor lives. Of course, in the case of a merchant carrying on business in Auckland, though most, if not all, of his principal creditors, resided in London or elsewhere, it would be right and proper for him if he was compelled to seek the protection of the Bankruptcy ' Cotirt, to file his schedule here, it is quite different with a man like Mr. Lingard, whose business engagements necces&itate his moving about from place ' to plaos. In such a case it seems to me that he should file his shednle where his principal creditor or creditors live. After the Judge and ]tfr Browning had discussed the matter for some time, a fr^sh complexion was thrown on the case by Mr Hesketh, who appeared for the trustee, and objected to the discharge being granted, on the grounds that from information received by the' trustee, that gentleman was lead to believe that there had been fraud, conspiracy and perjury in connection with the case, and that the debtor ' had concealed' a large portion of his assets from the trustee. The Judge at once decided to postpone the matter in order that the debtor may be examined. If the information supplied to the trustee be correct, Mr Lingard will probably appear in a role in which he has never yet been announced to appear in any play-bill and he will not be able to cany out his intention of going to America by the next mail sta.imer. Well ! we will see what we shall see. St. Muxgo.