ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1642, 13 January 1883, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Tin; all-absorbing topic of conversation this week, both at the Caf6 and throughout the city, has been the alleged Hamilton imudur cabo. On Monday and Tuesd.iy the evidence, winch was most \ohinuiious was taken, and on Wednesday Mi Setli .Smith, the Resident Magistrate, having .stated his intention to commit the piLsoneis for trial at the iStipienic Court, they ipserved tljeir defence. As 1 have said, the evidence was most voluminous, but many people, your humble servant among them, aic of opinion that it is not sufficiently strong to warrant a jury in convicting the prisouci.s. However, that is a matter for the consulciation ot the twelve "good men and tine," >\ho will be sworn to try the case between our .Sovereign Lady the (,)ueen and the piisoneis at the bar, of w horn I sincerely hope I will not bo one. By-the-bye, that form seems rather absurd, seeing that, unless a cablegram is sent to her, Her Majesty cannot possibly know anything about the matter until after the case has been tried and the jury have given their \erdict. Of course it is merely a form, but it seems to me that it might be altered with advantage. During the hearing of the case, the Police Court was crowded with people, who were evidently much interested. I went thither on Tuesday to see the prisoners. Mrs Hamilton is a hard-featured woman, of not very pieprosessing appearance, and with rather prominent teeth. Priestly is a miserablelooking man, and has every appearance of ill-health. Of course, it is impossible to account for these things, but many people are at a loss to understand why Hamilton should have married his wife, who was some years older than he, and why, as is alleged, Mrs Hamilton should have preferred Priestly to hor husband, who was a fine, manly, good-looking young man.

I do not think that Mr Earl, the solicitor for the male prisoner, succeeded in gaining public sympathy for his client, if, as I' believe, that was his object, by making complaints about the way in whichhe was treateclin the police • cells.' Inspector Thomson is too well-known as j a kind and courteous gentleman for the public to believe that he would neglect anything requisite for the comfort 'and health of a' prisoner, especially tone in a delicate state' of health and in the terrible position in which Priestly now Btaiuls. It has been rumoured that an application would, be made'for a> change of venue in this case, but nothing has yet been done in that direction. At Tuesday's meeting, of jjthe i Harbour Board, Mr John Lamb Jand set apart by th^'t^body ' as a site -for a Sailor's Home vhpulratj&^f&'tedj in , ,)rja%e»,'t|mtih'e^%#SM^.%rssGP' ( itm'Mti^tij , W6ptiQtt%^|»Bil#|s#M M

that purpose, and that au application should be made to the Government for a similar grant. After ome discussion Mr Lamb withdrew hi& jnotion in favor of one for referring the matter to the Works and Endowments Committee. It is to be haped that the committee will report in favor of the project, a3 it is full time that something was done in the way of providing a respectable homo for the hundreds of aailora who come to this port. Despite the fact that we do not load so many large ships as some of the Southern ports, there are far more sailors coming to Auckland than to any other town in the colony, and yet there is no special provision made for their comfort. The consequence is that they are driven to the public-houses, where they " melt" their hard-earned wages, and go away worse instead of better than when they came. It is absolutely necessaiy for the the credit of Auckland that provision should made for giving the sailors a comfortable'home, where they will have opportunities of improving their minds, and enjoying innocent amusements, apart from the baneful influences of the publichouse.

Bishop Moran, tlie Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, has announced himself as a candidate for the representation of the Peninsula in the House of Representatives. I sincerely hope that he will bu defeated, as he comes out as an avowed opponent of our present educational system, and we cannot afford to have that inteiiered with. Before coming to New Zealand I lived for some time in Victoria. While I was there, about a dozen years ago, a change of Ministry took, place, the Government having been defeated on the education question. "When the now Ministry was formod, it was necessary for the seveial members ot it to seek re-election, that being the law iv Victoria. Among them was Mr Langton, the member for West Melbourne, who was a prominent free-trader. He was opposed by Mr Langlands, managing dnector of the Langlands Foundry Company, who was very popular among his own men, and among those employed in other foundiicb, &c, almost .ill of whom weie electors ot West Melbourne. In addiessing the electors he made a capital speech, winding up with a slashing attack on his opponent, and calling on the electois to roll up at the ballot- boxes, and by their votes to " sign the political death-uairant of Edward Langton, the incarnation of free trade in Victoria." The success of Mr Langlands seemed assured until the Sunday before the election, when a pastoral from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, calling on the people to vote against the Ministry on account of their " Godless education " system, was read in the Catholic Churches. That roused the supporters of the system of " free, secular, and compulsory education," and, whether piotectionists or free-traders, they voted for the Ministry, all ot whom weie le-elected by large majoiities. It is the same here as it was in Victoria. The people will not have secular education. The Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, not Mr Langton, defeated Mr Langlands for West Melbourne, and I venture to predict that the electors of tiie Peninsula will show their appreciation of our education system by placing Bishop Moran at the bottom of the poll.

In " Harper's Magazine I read a stoiy which cam used me very much, and as it will prooably be new to most of the lcadeis of Tin Wuihato Tunct>, I will repeat it as well aa I can. A legiinent of the United States Army was quartered near the Niagara Falls. One of the pi i\ dtes, who was notoiious for getting into sciapes, asked and obtained leave to go tor a day's shooting. He was returning, after a poor day's sport, when he saw a ciow pciched on a tree, within easy lange. The temptation was not to be withstood. He shot the bird, which fell almost at his feet. He was not awaiethatit was a tame crow, belonging to an old general, v,\\o had been an unseen spectator of the death of his pet. The geneial detei mined to be revenged. Coming forward in a friendly mannei, he said to the soldier, "You'\e got a fine gun thcie."' "Yes," was the reply, " that's just the neatest double-barreled gun in the digging, >% and he handed it to the general. The latter put the barrel that was still loaded at full cock, and then pointed it at the soldier, telling him that, as he hid shot his pet, he must eat it. The soldier explained, and begged, and prayed to be let ofl", but all to no purpose. The general told him he must eat the crow or die. Satisfied that there was no help for him, the soldier shut his eyes and began his meal of carrion. After he had succeeded in swallowing a few mouthfuls, the general told him that lie might leave the rest and go, and gave him back his gun. No sooner had lie done so than the soldier presented the loaded gun at him and told him he must finish the ciow or die. The geneial laged and stamped and swore, but it was of no avail. The soldier made him eat the rest of the crow. The next day he went to the colonel of the] legiment and told him that he had been grossly insulted by one of his men. He gave the colonel a description of the offender, whom an orderly was immediately sent to bring. When the soldier was brought iv the colonel asked him, "Do you know this gentleman?" "Yes," replied the soldier, "we arc slightly .acquainted. We dined together yesterday." The general was so much amused at the soldier's witty impertinence that he buist out laughing, and asked the colonel to let the man go, as he heartily forgave him. St. Muxc/o.

A coxviur sent to pri&ou, was asked what trade he pieferred. He said that it it was all the same to them, he preferred to be a traveller. It does aggravate a man to think that while his wife isn't afraid to tackle him and nearly pull his head off, she is madly terrorised by a mouse. Tjik best reason yet advanced for having Monday washing day, the next day after Sunday, is because cleanliness is next to godliness. In Russia, "Hello" is rendered "Tzijakaufitkrajanjanzski," hence the telephone can never be introduced into that country. A JOKe is told of the Empress of Austria. The Empress went on a visit to the Island of Zante, and on lauding, up came the consul, Herr Moretti, and down went the consul on his knees, quite m the Eastern style, asking what might be the gracious sovereign's demands. The Empress smiled at the consul, and said quaintly', "My commands are that you get up i and dust the knees of, your breeches."