TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1953, 13 January 1885, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU.

A couKhsi'OMHvr, who signs himself " Billy," sends v-> the following gossiping lettei —The people here aie nu oiling in a real down-right etterve-euig schism, wind) keups,, as the tiite old saying has it, the pot boiling, c\en to ovei flowing. His Loid.ship Bishop Cowio visited heio a short tune ago, and if his teinpei.uncnt resembles mine he will lemembei the vibit with pleasure and pioht ; pleasure to know ho survives it — profit never again to come, but ever to perfoun his Te Awamiitu ecclesiastical duties, if possible,^bv pioxy. He was badgered propei ly, which expiession you must take in its Parliamentary sense, for without that reservation n careless reader might cm nipt it into pei.secutum. The Cliurch of England Minister ieMgned, packed up, and was all leady to go, but being requested to lecall hjs resignation lie did so, and the old routino is to be carried on as herotofoio. This is a wonderful example of the truth wiitten by liobeit Burns : — But, Mousie. tliou ait no thy lane, In proving foiesight may be vain : The best laid schemes o' mice and men, Gang aft agley An' lea'e us nought but grief and pain, For protnia'd joy. Everything's "ganging agloy r> here but the teetotal movement. By-the-bye, when a person's drink-abused, broken-down constitution inspires a fear of premature death, it is as well to give up drink, and shrouded in the mantle of teetotal sanctity be ushered respectably to your new duties in the nether world. Teetotalisin is a great and good work, but, by tho act of pledging, it gives little credit to the moral and umutual courage man, in his dignity is supposed to possess, lv nine cases out of ten it is "an act of eye-service, as men pleasers, not done in singleness of heart, fearing ( Jod. In some case the epithet *' teetotaller ' conveys a reproach in the same man ncr as speaking to a timid person about a vicious dog. One calms fear by saying, "He is chained." So by the Act of signing the pledge is a bibulous person chained or restrained by public censorship, genet.illy accorded with the uncharitable amendment, "It won't last. He id sure to bieak out." The return of the sinner to his besetting sin is received by the Pharisee with a self-congratulatory smile to the muc ness of his prophetic wisdom. Pledges repeatedly signed and dishonoured utteily destioy trustworthiness, and by so doing, instead of an honour, actually Uck another dishonour upon the pei->on so offending. To tho^e who cannot abstain from drunkenness I say bo teetotallers, but sign no pledge, for what is the good of repeatedly dishonoring a name you hold in trust foi your children. The chairman and commissioners of the town board have prepared a petition, which, in spite of two or three oppo-i-tionists, who belong to the pessimist school, is being rapidly filled with signatmes. It prayeth for a bridge midway between Te Awamutu and Kihikihi. The general opinion of the natives is that the only suitable sito for a bridge is Pai sons', on account of the high banks on both mclcs of the river. The other places proposed, rytng low, aio liable to be flooded, and any '■'tructuio erected there carried away. Another idea is to make thy 1 ail way budge a double one, that is of sufficient w idth to have two ways on it, one for the tram, the other for general traffic. I w-ould suggest Te Awamutu and Kihikihi each build a bridge of then own. Such a coui.se would save much unnecessary poispiiation and tuibulency, as well as foster that giand spirit of self reliance recommended some years ago by the Imperial Mother to hei Colonial Daughter. The cheese factory is in full swing and piospenng, the choe'-e turned out being excellent, and what is better still, saleable. The hay ciops aie niagnih'cient, and haivest prospects very encouiaginp. Summer now appeals to have tin own off all her e\tia ga-ments. and seems to bo prepai ing to scatter with lavish hand the rewarding fruits of agricultural indubtry.

Can't Prkach Goon —No man can do a good job of work, preach a goad sermon, try a lawsuit well, doctor a patient, or write a good article when he feels miserable and dull, with sluKK'sh ln.un and unstruntf nerves, and nonrshould nuki" the altcmpt n Mich a condition when it ctnbo so c isih and ( In 1 ipl> removed b) a lit lo Ilt.p ['.itler* I i»»!> fm