ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1348, 19 February 1881, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Last Monday was the 'day fixed for the election of three members of the Harbour Board, and.: the eleotion turned on the question of whether a large dock is to be constructed or not. There uno question about funds, as the Board has ft large and constantly-increasing surplus of receipts in excess of expenditure, and the intention is to use that surplus ior the purpose of constructing a doofe large enough to provide for the requirements of, the port. Messrs Comptoh, Stone, and Isaacs pledged themselves to support the .undertaking, and were elected, while Captains McKenzie and McGregor refused to pledge themselves, and were rejected. Captain McKenzie's. notions of what is due from a candidate to his constituents must hare altered very materially since the ,date of the last general election for the General Assembly. Then he wis chairman of the Central Committee, which made it a sine qua non that candidates should give an unconditional promise to support the great Liberal policy, and Sit George Grey as leader of the party. When he was waited upon by a number of gentlemen who asked him to promise to support the large dock, he declined to pledge, himself, by saying that his interests were bound up in the port and city, and that he would do all in his power to advance their interests. Capt. McKenzies reply "is very similar to that given by Mr John. Clark to a deputation from the Central Committee, who asked him to pleige himself to follow Sir George Grey, no matter through what vagiriea he might lead him. Mr Clarks reply was not satisfactory to Capt. McKenzie and his eonferrea, so they brought up an unknown engine-dnver from the Thames, and supported him against one of the beat men in the electorate. Now, however, when Captain JJcKenzie is asked to pledge himself to support a definite project, he refuses to be bound in any way. What Capt. McKenzie thought a very good thing when applied to Mr Clark, he cannot approve of, when applied to himself. Cspt. McKenzies conduot reminds me of * ttory told about a sailor. When he was "before the mast," he used to complain of the way in which the captains treated the men, and to say that, if ever he were captain he would behave very differently. After a lapse of some years he became a captain, but he did not inaugurate the reforms he had promised. Some one asked him why he did not fulfil his promises. "Which promises?" he asked. "Those you made when you were 'before the mast.'" "Ah! he said, circumstances alter cases. I was not captain then." I was glad to see the vigorous article in the Waikato Times last Saturday, on the Purcha* charges, for there is not the least doubt that Mr Anderson has been most foully slandered, and, whatever the Board of Governors may do, I would, if I were in Mr Andersons position, have the charges investigated by a judge of the Supreme Court, and twelve of my countrymen. Could there be better grounds for an action for slander ? Mr Anderson is employed in a lesponsible position in a public institution, and Mr Purohas goes to his employers and, both verbally and by letter, makes charges which, if they were substantiated, must result in the instant dismissal of Mr Anderson from his position, and debar him from obtaining further employment in his profession. Mr Purchas, who, by the way, U no longer a parson, except on the principle of " onco a priest," having given up his charge at Onehunga, because ho found it would pay him better to practice medicine in Auckland, has deprived himself of the best defence to nn action, i. or libel ov Blander — that what he said was true and wa^ said for the public good — by his retractation of his charge?. Yes ! if I were in Mr Andersons position, I should place the celebrated Purchas in the hands of a solicitor. The daily papers have been completely inundated with letters for and against the introduction of the Bible into the common schools. Thoae in favour say that no system of education which excludes the Bible i8 complete, while tho«e who are adverse say that it will Cause discord and militate against the present system, which will gradually drift into deuommationalisam. Ido nob .believe that it will cause discord, as, when I was a schoolboy (many years ajro now) the school was always opened with the reading of a portion of Scripture and of prayer, and the sons of Roman Catholic or Jewish parents simply remained in an outer schoolroom until the prayer was finished. The plau did not cause discord then and I do not see why it should do so now. Considered merely as a book, the Bible is admitted to be the bent book in the English language, so why should our children be told that it is the one book we will not allow them to use in sohool ? One of the most regular diners at our Cafe is. a young Irishman who is very earnest on th,e subject of the wrongs of Ireland, and,. who is quite satisfied that the condition of the Irish people requires amelioration, and that that amelioration can be effected only by an alteration of the Land I aws, such as .the Land League has been formed ,to obtain. Usually very quiet, he becomes quite eloquent when speaking of the wrongs of his country and his countrymen. I have just read a lecture delivered by the Rev Robert McKinney, giving a short resume of the history of Ireland, in which, he gives an account of the injustice under which the Irish are, and 'have ' been for centuries, groaning. There cannot be a doubt but that the Land Systemis the root of the evil, for Irishmen, who, tired of starving at , home, have emigrated, have proved .themselves excellent .colonists. .It is alleged that the Irish agitators are Roman Catholics and bigoted people are disposed . to import the religious^ element into the struggle, and make it * religious war, but the Rev. R f McKinney is a Presbyterian minister, 'and many of the most prominent agitators for justice to 'Ireland are Presbyterians. No! the question is 'one of lan.d, notAf religion. 'The tenants; ha*vi no fixity of tenure, and receive hdcoinpensation fpr ( improvements, unless 1 an increase of rent can be considered compensation.. „■,.,,• « t ,' >' The 'Bdatd of Governors of the Gram. infer School have placed themselves in a 'rapher awkward*'pnjd!dament. -'-When the "Board consisted of seven- members, it, was, tfesolvedtii that" three -form a quorum. When the number, of; increased 1 to* ton, that resolution was resoinded, and it was resolved that five form a quorum. At the present time,^ (My ,&,,&,, Q'RprJke,- . Cqlpnel HaulUfe, 1 i^Messr^jftrSdlrneld, Bargaville, ; and Feiitoa are away, from .Auckland, Smother members' pi thy^Qar^»Mi|6r>sent,,no business can be twrosMt^. r 4C>n Tuesday there wad to have been a meeting, in; con-, aeotion with thef^ot^j^'k 4 ||Pdreh»« 'cnarges/jjh^^tolil'P^l^Jand Tote

lapsed for, wantf of tf quotum. However, the Board have made ao many muddles that one more cannot ' affect their reputation very much. ;>_ "J. On Wednesday a poll of jihe burgpssea 1 r-vrasr -vras taken. for ' the purpose of 'suoWiug whether they were in favour o^fchefCoa-' "atruction Of tramways in the oity. Itreflulilied in, 319 voting for, and, 16 voiing, agramafc the proposal, tthe.opppnepia of, the Bcheme may 'allege ;that the small number of votes polled showed a waut of interest in the subject on the part .of the burgesses, but I do not believe this. I' think it showed the absurdity of the place chosen for a polling-place, the V.M.C.A. Rooms', and the absolute necessity for a Town Hall in a central position. St. Mxtngo.