ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1834, 8 April 1884, Page 4

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

[The following "Echoes' were unavoidably crowded out of last issue : — ] Another extremely objectionable thing which is tolerated in Auckland is the existence of a number of what are called "Loan and Discount Banks." These are not banks in the ordinary sense of the word, but are simply the offices of men belonging to that ancient race, who uoie enjoined upwards of three thousand years ago to " spoil the. Egyptians," and who have obeyed the injunction ever since, consideiiug all Egyptians who were not of the " chosen people." These men lend money at exoibit nit rates of interest, taking bills of sale over the bonower's piopeity as security. A bankrupt, named Mackintosh, gave evidence at the Siipieme Court on Tuesday, to the effect that he borrowed £15 from a man named Cohen, who has a ' ' Loan and Discount B.mk " in Shortland-stieet, He gave a receipt for £18, and a bill of sale over his effects, and was to pay £3 per month inteiest until the £1-5 was returned. Cohen expressed himself as quite willing to wait as long as Mackintosh pleased, for the repayment of the principal, provided the interest was paid. Well ? I think he would be willing to wait, seeing that he had got security and was to receive interest at the rate of more than 200 per rent \or annum. Such daylight robbery as this should not be toleraatcd in what is supposed to be a civilised country, and the sooner the proprietors of these " Loan and Discount Banks" are hounded out of the place, the better for the community at large. The rate of interest chargeable by pawnbrokeis is lcgulated by law, and 1 think that the sooner the late chaigeable by these unlicensed p.iwnbiokcrs is simi l.uly lcgulated, the better it will be for unfortunate small tiadeis and contiactois who go to them foi assistance ? There is a splendid opening here just now for a man uithagood head on his shouldci's and some spare time on his hands. Mr C. B. Stone, who was Chaiinian of the llaibour Uoaul, has icsigned his position, on account of ill health, and there will be considerable difficulty in finding anyone able and willing to fill his place. The position is no sinecure, as the (Jhaiiman is piactically the administiative oflicer of the J3oaid. He has not ineicly to preside at the meetings, both ordinary and committee, but it is Ins duty to sec that the resolutions passed aie eanicd into effect. At no time have the duties been so oneiou** and impoitant as they aic now, with an immense dock in couise of constiuctiou and other, large and important works being carried on, and with the question of a canal to connect the Waitenuita and Manuk.iu hai hours to be faced m the near futuie. It is absolutely impciatne that the Chairman of the Haiboui Board should be an able man, and one who can look ahead sonic ycais and pi ovule for the contingencies likely to ansein the future, and, as Iha\o alieudy said, ho mu&t be piepaied to devote a gieat deal of tune to the duties of the office. The question is, " Whcio aie we to find such a man," and echo answers "Whcio?" ■A Of all the institutions ever staited in Auckland, none did more leal seivice to the deserving poor, albeit in a quiet unobstiusive way, than the Ladies' Benevolent Society, which, unfortunately, ceased its operations some time ago. One of the best and most useful members of that institution was the late Mrs Gillies. That lady showed her anxiety to assist the deseivmg poor by lequesting her husband, Mr Justice Gillies, to make piovision from her pi ivate fortune for the endowment of two scholaiships in connection with our Univei&ity College, to bo held by " poor scholars." In a letter to the council of llto Unheisity College, Air Gillies intimated his intention to set aside the sum of -€3,000, for the puiposc of canning out the wishes of his late wife, and submitted a number of conditions for the consideration of the council. Theio is not much likelihood but that those conditions will be accepted, with, pei haps, slight alteration in detail, and then the advantages of a University education will be placed within the reach of the pooicst in the land. It is really a most foitunate thing for Auckland that it should ha\e been the lcsidence of a lady endowed with such benevolence as the late Mis Gillies, and with the means to gratify her benevolence, and probably many of oiu best citizens in the futuie will thank her for the stait in life given to them by the " Sinclair" and " Gillies" scholaiships. St. Mumio.

Wuatkvj it may lie said of the average Englishmen lie always gives you credit fen the po&sossioii of intelligence, for when telling )on anything lie inv.ui.ibly winds up with " >ou know." — Soivenillo .louinnl A S^ nM« p.ipoi says : — ""Wliat would the noble, hiuli spuited inagi&ti.it<j&, the g.iolus, tin nkt} 6, and police, do, if there weie no giog? Wh.it Avonlil the Tie.isiuei do .uul what the publicans ? It is not easy to find an nnswei in a moment ; but m.iy we ventuie upon a question by way of cacuso for a leply : What ■would the tempei.uice advocates do ! 110w r would they blow off sle.un and ease the pi ("-sin o of their fen id imaginations? Would thcic not be much danger of many cases of .spontaneous combustion ?" lloiiACh Mwiihw once -joined a league for the .suppie&sson ot ' tips' to waiteis. Lunching one day, he began to feel nervous as the time for paying the bill ai lived, but finally musteied courage, ' "William, I am sorry for you ; but J have joined the Notippeis.' 'Well, Mr Mayhcw, answered William mildly, ' as you are an old customer, I don't mind telling you that I have joined a nun lot too. We've bound out selves to upset hot dishes by haccident over the legs of stingy customers.' A ticked eleven of lawyers from Liverpool played a cricket match w ith a picked eleven of lawyers fiom Manchester. The day was beautifully fine, and a large company had assembled to sec which set of lawyers had had the most practice. With the first ball of the second over, however, a dispute arose, and the twenty-two lawyers gathered round the umpire to argue the point. The argument continued with no sign of abatement till five o'clock in the evening, as which time the umpire died. Great astonishment is felt that he held out so long as he did. A noteworthy tale of girlish attachment to bhcl and beast comes from Port Agusla, South Australia. During the height of the drought, on one station, when native larks and magpies in flocks sought shelter and water in farmers' houses, numbers of them expiring after their thirst had been quenched, a little girl, with pannikin and teaspoon in hand, was to be seen surrounded by little leathered sufferers whoso wants she ministered to, gently caressing whose who survived, weeping over the defunct, and burying their bodies with tender care. Some of the more rabid of the temperance people appear to have become quite mad, and are doing much harm to the cause they advocate. The "minister" of a large town in Midlothian recently preached a sermon in which he maintained that no publican or other person dealing in alcohol was fit to be admitted to the " membership " of a Christian congregation, and that with the consent of the kirk session [i.e., the vestry) an applicant belonging to the abhorred trade had just been refused admission to their church. Tufa, in Scotland, isanequivalant to a refusal of the holy cummunion in England. A great row has ,been the result of its in-tolerance, and several members: of the kirk session have signified their dissent from, the minister's views. The aggrieved persons haye 1 appealed, to the -Presbytery, and the case i will probably be brought [Jbefore . {the 1 General Assembly,— Tyutb,, 1 " ' /^