ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1748, 18 September 1883, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Our football team returned from their Southern trip on Tuesday, apparently none the worse for the rough handling they received in the matches, not.ibly at Dunedin. Of course, we Aucldanclers are rather disappointed that they did not win all the matches they played, but it is so far satisfactory to know that that they were not beaten. The only thing which occurred to mar the pleasure of the trip was the dibpute about " that try "at Wellington, but there has been far too much fuss made about it by the Wellington newspapers, and a lot of nonsence has been talked about Hendersons threat to take his men off the field if the try were allowed— a threat he did not make. It is a pity that the match was played during the " big gooseberry season," for there enn belittle doubt but that there would have been no fuss made about the matter if the Wellington newspapers had not been in want of padding for their columns. The Wellington players admitted that the game had resulted in a draw, and the action of the newspapers will do no good, but may do harm by causing an unpleasant feeling between the members of the rival teams. I do not wish harm to either the French or the Chinese, but if they are determined to fight, I wish they had begun operations last week, so that the mighty organs of the Empire City might have had their trouble to write about, instead of spoiling sport by making unnecessary fuss about " that disputed try." Yes, it does lpok as. if the French and Chinese wore determined to fight, and 1 should not be surprised any day to learn that the trouble had begun. Of course, it is impossiblb to predict with any degree of accuracy what will be the result of the struggle, if struggle there be. France shonld have t\\e advantage of greater skill, better organisation and a more intimate knowledge of the science of modern warfare, but on the other hand, she would suffer from the inconvenience of fighting at a great distance from her own country, which would entail great delay in sending reinforcement.*, whereas China, with her immense population would be able to pour into Tonquin tremendous numbers of troops very easily and quickly, Whatever the result of the war, France would inevitably be the greater sufferer, even if Germany did not, as sh§ probably woult}, make some pretext' 'for taking uart in the war and adding a few more provinces to Alsace aud Lorraine, and getting a few more million of francs as war indemuity. As soon as the Germans found how easily the, French raisedt themqney to pay the, lasjjwaj indemnity! they begun tq regret th^t they had .not,' as Oliver 1 Twist nid^asked 'for' more, 1 and' they would not be sorry to .have a chance 'to repair their mistake. , „, - > r That; salt * electea/,ch/ifnpwB s ,, l oi,t,h«

whanga, has been in trouble again. This time it is with his " uncle," or rather his, wife's " uncle." It may be remembered that Sydney, who 13' a fullblooded Maori, married a European woman. She thought that he was a great chief, and that, when she married him, sliu would become a great chieftainess, a person of little less importance than Queen Victoria. She soon found that she was mistiken, and that Sydney was not a chi^f afc all, but merely the teacher ot a native school, in which she had to do most of ths work, receiving " more kicks than half -pence." Then Sydney was dismissed for falsifying hia return*, and lie went away from his wife, leaving her destitute, with a number of children to support. Unfortunately, she attempted to " drown her sorrows in the flowing bowl," and sank so low that she pawned Sydney's " best store clothes" to get money to spend in drink. Sydney released them, and warned the pawnbroker, a man named Hart, not to take them in pawn again. Hart promised that he would not, but while Sydney was away, Mrs Tai whanga took the clothes to "uncle" Hart, and pawned them. On his return Sydney laid an information agiinst the " uncle" for taking his goods as pledges, after having been warned not to do so, but he could not produce the piwn tickets, so the Resident M.igUtiate dismissed the case, with costs, so the Maori agitator has lost his clothes, and is mulcted in the costs of the ctsc.

People are beginning to think that that Resident M igistrale of ovid is too good a lawyer for the position he occupies. The I'esident Magistrate's Court is, or rather ought to be, a court of equity, rather than a coutt of law, ami, when Mr Barstow presided over it heie, cases used to bo decided on their merits, irrespective of any legal quibbles that might be raised. The same plan was adopted, though not in the same entirety, when Mr Macdonald was on the bench, but since jMr >Seth Smith haa been Resident Ma»Utratc the court has been as veiihible .1 court of law as the Supieoie Couit. if there is any knotty legal point to be considered he reserves his decision, and goes into the matter as carefully as if there were " millions in it," instead of a few pounds, or even only a few shillings, at stake. There is such a thin<? as being too paiticular, and our l.esideut Magistrate has reached that point. He carries his overniceness down into the Police Court, where it is even more objectionable than in the Resident Magis* trate's Court. For instance, a few weeks ago two publicans were charged with adulterating liquors. The cases were most glaring, and the proof most conclusive, but they were dismissed on account of some wretched technicalities. Any ordinary man would hare convicted the publicans on the evidence, and left them to appeal on the law points if they felt disposed to incur the expense. Mr Seth Smith would be an excellent Puisne Judge, but he is too good altogcthcv^Bf the Resident Magistrate's and , Police Courts.

I was very sorry to hear of the arrival in New Zealand of two emissaries of the Irish Land League. We do not want them here, and it is a great pity that they hi\ve come. People of all creeds and all nationalities live here together in peace, ami I very much regret the arrival of those emissaries, who are almost certain to sow discord. We ought, when we settle here, to forget any differences that there weie in the old woild, and to consider ourselves all New Zealaiulors, and to strive for the prosperity of ourselves and our adopted country, and we would do so if we were let alone, but the advent of the Messrs Redmond aud Mr Walsh is sure to rouse the patriotic feelings of the warm-blooded Irishmen in the colony, and there will be a lot of gush about the " dear old sod " and the cruelty of the Baxon invader, aud our Irish fellow -colonists will subscribe hundreds, possibly thousands] of pounds for the purpose of continuing the baneful work of the Lind League, more baneful, though it is, to the people of Ireland than to any one else. Of course, that is the object of the mission, and if the emissaries succeed in "bleeding" their compatriots pretty freely, they will go away quite satisfied. They will not leave us in that state, however. They will have rubbed a sore that had almost healed, .and set it running again, so that it may be years before the healing process is complete. I should like to see our liish fellow-colonists refuse to give a single penny to the Land League, and spend their spare cash in nominating their friends as emigrants to this colony. There is plenty of room for them if they are able and willing to work.

We have made a new departure in the way of raising money for churches. It has taken the form of a chess tournament with living pieces. A man describing his visit to a menagerie said, "For a menagerie it want much, but for a lark it was grand." So it might be said of the chess tournament that, for an exhibition of chess it was not much, but for a display it was giand. The kings, queens, bishop 3, knights, looks and pawns were gorgeously arrayed, and there were a number of court ladies, heralds, trumpeters, and pages in addition, to add to the brilliancy of the pageant. It is stated that Mr W. E. Sheridan, the tragedian, who concluded his season at the Opera House on Saturday, and was a spectator at the chess tournament on Monday evening, aaid that it was the most gorgeous pageant he had seen on any stage. The most curious fpature of the affair is that the dresses, which were paid for by the performers, cost considerably more than the exhibition realised. Of course, the ladies will be able to wear their costumes at balls, &c, but I do not think that the kings, knights, heralds and trumpeters will get much future use out of their gorgeous apparel unless the fancy dress ball mama sets in again. St. Mungo.

Mr D. Richardson, architect, Cambridge, invites tenders for the erection of a house. The rates for the Borough of Hamilton are now, due and payable. Mr John Hill's well known entire horses, MerrylegM and Young Prince Charlie, will travel in the YVaikato di&trict this season. Full particulai'd will be given in a future issue. Tenders are invited by the Piako County Council for building a bridge over the Waikato at Aniwaniwa. The Board of Eduoation announce that the Michaelmas holidays? for the schools iv Auckland and at the Thames mil cq^r" menoe on the 28th inst. Country sch<&=. -. committees can arrange the holidays at their discretion, subject to the regulations. The Piako Cotinty Council notify then* intention at a special meeting to be held on the 10th Ootobei 1 prox., to levy separate rates for the oixtlying districts of Patetere and Ta Aroha. Fuller particulars concerning Mr J. Allwill's thoroughbred sire Feve, and Clydesdale stallion .Bonnie Prince, with pedigrees and list of prizes gained by the latter, will be found in the advertisement in another column. The pi-ograinme for the second half of the 188S session of the Cambridge Mutual Improvement Association will be found iv our advertising columns. Blotting paper was discovered in 1455. * Previous to that, when a man dropped; a .splotch of ink on 4}le lower Jeffchand corner 'of his paper, he would give it a lick with his tongue towards ,the uDper right hand corner, and", make & better picture of the comet of JBB2 than any that has i yet 'appeared in thfiilliwtriK, ted papers! "' ' . , ' \ < ' ' i "J^Ve«omef6rmyumbrell4"B9ida 5 [ lender of it on a rainy, day to a friend. " Can't .help** that,'*'. 'said the borrower ; »* don't yon^see 'l'atn'goW'ou't''\?ith it?'' f ' WeU, yey," 'the; lender, ' a«. taoi«he&<at- Dich ? cfutrSgeoas ;irnßHden ( c& ; \* y«a, .hut-^butUWhW 3 att> T WW f $ V » "I)o ft said ,the otbeV;'{ife t Ke j 6p'Mtf'tije' ? mnb ? eU^ajcidfWjaU^off/A^Sa4 ij $$-*