ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2003, 9 May 1885, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

.IftK (Y. by present appeal .mipi s, those of Us who "don't want to hulit ' ought to feil more h.vppy, a-< it .seems tint tho rhlfoiences between llu^land and Russia aie to bo referred to aibiti itioli. This i-, the best thing that could be done, provided the thing is genuine, but we do not v. aut any of the " hanky-panky " v\oik of which Hiissia is so tond, nor of the "Ink eating" foi which Mi <.lnd->tone is famed. If the ailutrattoti is entered into and eirnedotit bv the high contiacting parties m good faith, it will lead to a lasting peace last mg until Russia feels that «lie is stiong enougli to risk a war with Kngland, 01 until Ik r aggression-, have become so great that thu I'ntuh lion is once mole amused. There is 1 rally something admirable in the way in winch Ru^ia has for ennturies steadily puisued her advance towards India. Kver since th- tm c of Peter the tJieat has this object been kept firmly 111 view and pei sisteutly acted upon. Dining that time tho foreign policy of Kngland has not been dome all it should to letam that Luge, and nnjioitant section of tho Empire. Much has been done but much h.w been left undone. A gieat deal has been dono in the way of affoi ding facilities for the education of the masses, but they are still treated jus a conquered people by the majority of the Knghsh othciaW, looked down upon as of an in fei lor race, and ground down by excessive i taxation. Unlesn this state of affairs is j speedily alteied, we may find that we havo to re-compier India, and that it is a much more formidable task than the former confjuest was.

While affairs in Kurope havo assumed a iimie pacific aspect, we are still continuing >>ii! u .ii like i >ie,paratioiis hero. This is <iuite light, because the danger is not over yet, and much has yet to ho done before wo c in be considered to be in a po«ition to de fend ourselves. Almost every week we hee some now volunteer company enrolled, despite the bunkum talked by a few cle.rgyineii and others about Ciuistiaiis not fighting. It vvas a piece of the worst possible cant for a few bi .unless youth belonging to Mime of tlie " littlo liethels" m tho city to form a volunteer company among themselves, for fear they nhould In 1 contaminated if they joined any of the existing coiupame.s, but those who condemn them foi otfetuisc their services as volunteers are guilty of even greater folly. Any man who refuses to fight for the protection of Ins mother, bin wife and his children is, I think, unwoithy of the name of Gtmstistt*. by nil means U-t o\fiy»«« piay that war may bo averted, but we here cannot do anything to prevent it. All we can do is to defend ourselves and those who belong to us if wo ate molested, and if we have to tight it is to lie hoped that our pious young friends will pruvo theinselve-s like Cromwell's Ironsides, men who can tight as well as pray.

I suppose that, now that a well-known citi/.en, like Mr Thomas Macffarhme, who is also ;l (loveinment official and a lelative of a niemlHT of the Upper House, has been knocked down and received most heiious if not fatal iujuiies, the Covem ment will take, steps to protect the life and limb of those whose business takes them down to the buildings attached to the railway station. The place win in the accident occuued is close to the Heach Road, and is the lecognised crossing, but it is so situated that anyone Using it is prevented from seeing or healing an appioaching tiain until lie is almost between the i ails. The piesent is not a case of, trespassing on the line, but of a <!ov eminent ottici.il going to see another on busi ness, and walking ovei a ii-c-giiisitl ciossing. Kither the road should be closed, or thero should be a budge ovei the hue of rails, or a man with a daugei Hag should be stationed theie to urevent people passing when a train is due or about to start. When the new iailv\ay station w completed, as it s,, ( >n will be, Iln-ii' will b ■ less in ed foi people using the dossing, but so long as it is used It is tho boundeii duty of the Cov eminent to adopt some effective means of protection. I'nfortunately, it is v ei y difficult to get Ministers to move in such a matter as this, but two .seiunif. accidents, ono or both of which may prove fatal, should ceitsunly be sufficient pi oof ot the danger of the pieseiit airangement, or ntther want of hi rangement.

Not long ago a young man came here from the South Island in search of employment. He had iv very small amount of capital, which he, of course, wished to lav out to the bust .id vantage Unfoitun•ttely foi him ho met <i, smooth-spnk* n scoimdiel, who called himself by a giand soiin<liiijjr name, but who should nave been called Sh.upei. The latter was earning on a business, which he represented as a very good one, and he persuaded pooi nrv. < hum to l>uy linn <mt, :is he Haid that be wished to leave the colony for family reasons. A certain Mini was agieed upon as the value of the stock, and new chum gave Shaiper all his leady money and a promisoiy note for the balance, with the understanding that the whole or any pait of it should be renewed, if new chum lerniiitHl it. The business did not turn out an Iterative as Sharper had leprecented it to be, and, to add to his misfortune, new chum fell ill. Dm ing his illness, Sharper used to call and read the Bible to him, and pray with him, but befoie he vvas able to letuin to business, Sharpei left for Austiaha, aftei having collected new chum's accounts to a c-'ii-sideiahle amount. Before leaving, he disused of the promisoiv notti to a local money lender. When it mattucd the latter lefiised to lentw except at sixty jM-r cent interest. New Chum saw that that would be only prolonging the agony, ho i ef used to accept a renewal^ on such terms and tho inoney-lendei sei/ed the stock under the bill of *ah> w hi< h new chum had given as security foi the pay ment of the bill. It was sold by auction and le.ihsed birelv sufficient to pay tho pimnissoiy note and the expenses of the sale. The const (jtieuee is that the uufoi tunato young man is again looking for employment, and lias not even the small amount of capital he brought with him.

The shareholders of the. Northern Steamship Company have been most unfortunate lately. Almost imuiediiitoly aftei the collision between their steamer (inn loch mid the Hei aid, two others of their boats, the Wellington and the Muegregor went into collision nour Hawaii. How- the accident occui red i« not apparent, as it is stated th.it those on each vessel saw the lights of the othei when they weie ten miles apart and continued to do so until the mishap occurred. Of course., un enquity will beheld, when wo shall havesomo further light thrown on tho matter, but in the meanwhile tho affair appears inexplicable. Whatever the cause, it is most mifoituuate for the shareholder-!, whose pros. pect of a dividend thi« year ao'jins very leinotc. Steamboat accidouU appear to be veiy much tho fashion just now (and a very bad fashion too) as it is only tho other day that the Union Company's new steamer Taupo was towed into the haibour disabled. )5y tho way, I am somewhat surprised that the company should have given tho same n.iino to tho new boat m that borne by their steamer which was wieiked at 'I'aniauga a few yeaisago. lam not a be hevvr in lucky and unlucky names, but tlifie me many people who would lefuse to tiavel by the " T.iuihi*' simply on account of her name. Kvcn admitting that the com pany wish to L'l ve their steaineis tho names of Kew Zealand lakrs, there are surely enough lakes fur their purpose without u-<ing agniu tho name given to tho vussd) which lies in deep water somew here between here and Tamanga.

Talking about Tauranga there seems to lie eveiy prospect of a lively contest between Messis Sheehan and Kelly for the seat rendcied vacant by the calling of Captain Moms to the I'ppei House. My humble opinion is that neither of tlipin is fit for the position to which they aspire, as they are both Cieyites, and I should like veiy much to see a really good man come out as a candid ite and slip in between them. There aie surely some good men m tho countiy able aiid willing to give their services, but they Mcm to bo most difficult to find. It is a \< under that Mr Richard Lai-thh-y is not heie, to try and put himself "in svnipa thetic accoid " with the Tauianga electois, but I suppose that Sir Julius Vogel omitted to telegraph to him that the Ministry intended to call Capt. Morris to the Legisla tho Council, and ho he, in not aware of the chance he is missing. For myself, I regret that t ircunifitances ovei which i have no contiol (n event mo fmin otTei ing myself on the pieseiit occasion. Sr. .vllsi.O.

Mr |<hn Knox has received instructions fn m \lr C It Johnson, vvlio n Ipatinc Hamilton for AulUI md, to sell at his mart the whole of his household furnituio and rlTects, &■ „ -\t\i\ 20 tons Hre wood.