ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1456, 1 November 1881, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Auckland City East is to have the honor of being represented in the new Parliament by Sir George Grey, a man who enunciates views utterly at variance with those of the better class of the electors of the constituency. It may be, and it has been, alleged that it is better to have him for the member for City East than one of the ' ' tag, rag and bobtail" who form his followers. Granted that it is so, it would be still better to have as representative a man who has some substantial stake in the constituency, a man of unsullied probity, a man, like Ciesar's wife ought to have been, above susp>cion; such a man in short as the present Mayor of Auckland. j I was very sorry when I heard that the arch humbug himself was going to stand for City East, as I believe that our Mayor would have been elected had theGreyites brought out a windbag of the Rees and Speight type, but neither he nor anyone else could successfully contest the election with an orator, for he is an orator, like Sir George Grey. I believe that some of the Greyites would like very much to see Mr J. M. Clark contest Manukau with Sir Maurice o'R.orke, and would do their utmost to secure his election, for they have not forgiven the Speaker for the firm manner in which he stopped the "stonewalling" on the Representation Bill last session, but they have greatly mistaken the character of Mr Clark if they think lie would enter Parliament to the exclusion of Sir Maurice O'Rorke. The very act which caused the ire of the Greyites is just what Mr Clark would most strongly commend. Dr. Double-shuffle will probably not be a member of the new Parliament, as Mr Theophilus Cooper, junr., is, I believe, going to oppose him. The latter is a young lawyer of considerable ability, and is, I think, able to defeat his aged opponent. Although he will come out as a Greyite, I do not believe he will remain in the ranks of the party very long after his election, as he will soon see the futility of keeping to his allegiance to a leader who has no chance of attaining to office, and avlio has alienated all but a few personal followers, a gigantic fraud, who, a thorough autocrat in heart and in action, advocates democracy of the most flagrant type to gain his own personal ends. That other autocrat, Sir Arthur Gordon, did not receive a very flittering* reception from the peovle of Fiji, who had their fiasrs flying 1 ha'f-ma'-t-hi^h "aa a token of their feelings at seeing him ouce moie. The reception was ju&t what misrbt have been expected by a man who said ho would teach the British residents (his own fellow-countiymen, mark yon) that Fiji was not a " white man's country." I suppose almost every-one knows how he left Fiji. No one went down to bid him " God speed with, the exception of some of the officials and a few flunkeys, many of the principal stores and shops were closed, and a casual observer would have thought that a public funeral wns t iking place. As soon as ifc was known that Sir Arthur had left Fiji for New Zetil.wd, flags were hoisted, guna wero fired, binds bosran to play, and there was general rejoicing. fin "honest John Bri-op" has joined the Ministry once mom, ,md it has beon decided to seek «i ppe a (?y bolution of the Paiihaka tioublo. God gran*" it may be a peaceful solution, for we do unt want to have another war with tho Maoris If we do have to fiuht tho natives inu-t be t.mght once and for all time what we are the dominant race and that, as they havo representatives in the New Zealand Parliament they must submit'to the laws made by their and our representatives. They must be taught that this is what Sir Arthur Gordou anid Fiji was not, a " white man's country," and that they are not to be permitted to keep the whole colony in a ferment. I should very much like to know that Te Whiti, Tohu, Tiiokowaru, and a few more of the ringleaders of the Parihaka law-breakers wpm safely lodjjed in one or other of Her Majesty's gaol* Tho'o were very expressive instructions (riven bv the Roman srovprnor (at leash I think it was a Roman governor, but it is so many years since I read the story that I am not quire s'lre about it) to his son when ho ivkpd him how he w.ih 1o quell an incipient insurrection. He said not a word but took hi-i son out into the garden where there were a number of poppies growing:, and with a «tick struck off the heads of all the tallest poppies. On Wednesday evening Cny's CKxrra Company opened at Hio Theatre Royal in thp "Piiatos of Ponzance," bpfore a urood house. Miss L p af, who fi"rt appeared as a professional opeia singer in Riccardi'a " Pin'ifore" Company, is one of f'o leiding ladies. She has improved very miu'h, in both actincr and sinking, and is now really vtry good. The wh"le company is much above the aveiage. and ou^ht to have a very successful season. On Monday evening thp stock company tendered a benefit to Mr De Lias, but, though tho reiformance was excellent, the attendance was poor. The fact of the matter is that tho Auckland play-goers do not appreciate '"Shylock," which is De Xiias's pet name He wants to get as much money as po3<-ible, and as Auckland people, play-goers included, like to get fair value for their money, his tactics are not appreciated. lam of opinion that if the performance on Monday evening had not been announced as a benefit tendered to De Lias there would have been a better house, but the general belief that the proprietor of the theatre would get the gross proceeds and the actors and actresses nothing, militated against the success of the performance, The fact of the announcement of the opening of the Oppra Company had, doubtless, some effect, as many people would prefer to save their money as a good opera company always proves an effective draw in Auckland. The hearing of the cases against the "Kelly Gang" has commenced, and I pity Mr Maodonald, the Resident Magistrate, before whom the cases will be heard, as I am sure he will be heartily sick of even the names of Kelly, Morton, Emrile, Polkinghorne, and the rest of those conuected with the cases, long before he has heard the last of them. However, he must ''grin and bear" it, consoling himself with the reflection that the cases will come to an end some day " in the sweet bye-and-bye-." That is an excellent idea of the Government, sending as many volunteers as possible to the Wai mate Plains, I suppose we shall have a number of people howling out abont the expense. Let them howl I The expense is a mere bagatelle in comparison with the moral effect of the additional number of trained soldiers on the minds of the natjyes, and, if there is any fighting to* be dorie, which it is to be hoped there will not be, the more fighting men we have on the Plains theahorter time will the Maoris be able to hold out My only regret is that it is not practicable to place cv.cry, volunteer { in the colony on the Plains in the course of a few days, to prove conclusively to the natives the titter futility of any attempt at resistance on their part. In spite of Sir Arthur Gordon and Sir George Grey, the Maoris innst be taught to respect the law of the land. St. Mttnoo.

Iff potting soil is placed foiN a day or two io the hen-yard' every particle is^ugr over, and all gmba and egg* of insects