ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2091, 1 December 1885, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

JunoiNG by present appearances, it would seom as if the Knglwh elector* were going to let the Conservatives remain in office for gome tune to come, as, ho far, victory seems to lie with that party. However, no many elections have yet to take place that it is rather noon to form a definite opinion. I notice that Lord Randolph Churchill has J^»cen defeated at Birmingham. This ih not surprising, as he has, apparently, been acting the part of an Ishnwehte, or rather of what the diggers call a "hattei,' that being a nun who works a claim by himself. Though holding a portfolio in a Conservative Ministry, he evidently did not wish to beti ammelled by party considerations, but wished to " play a love hand. The consequence has been that, vigorously opposed by the Liberals and Radicals, and disdaining the aid of the Conservatives he has been euchred. No doubt, th.it absurd manifesto of his, contributed to this result, and, it is not niiprobuble that the ridicule of "Punch "had some effect. Of course, Lord Randolph may successfully contej*t some other se.it, as all the elections aie not hold on the <arne day in England, as they are here. [Lord Randolph h.w since been returned for Paddingtou. M.] Among the successful candidates is the Hon. W. H. Smith, Secretary for War, the original of Sir Joseph Porter in " H.M.S. Pinafore." By the way, that gentleman showed \ery good sense in tho way he acted with regard to that clever .skit. He went to see Mbeits comic opera and laughed as heartily as anyone. Ho was Retting a yacht built at the time, and, whon she was launched, he had her named the " Pinafore." * * * Talking about oj>era, we have had an inferior opera company performing here to better houses than the quality of their «ingdeserted. On Saturday last they finished their season with a benefit to Mr Charlie Harding, one of the company, who was formerly in business here and was un- , successful. On Saturday evening, the ~*M»yor, on behalf of the subscribers, prewniud him with a gold watch and chain. The reason for the presentation is not very apparent, but I suppose tho subscribers were satisfied with it. I was not one of thoso 'subscribers, but just as a matter of curiosity, I should like to know what Mi Harding has done, or is supposed ;,,> have done, to deserveth.it gold watch and chain. Ho was in business here in tho firewood trade, but came to grief. He then joined Kiccardi's Opera Company, which was not successful as a money making concern. Then he went over to Melbourne, wheie he got .in erigigcmont and has been dt.iuing a good salary ever since. So far as I know h<; ha-, not followed the good example of one of our VV'aikato friends who came to grief, and after w.uds, when fortune smiled on him, paid his cieditors in full. If he had done that I could have seen in that a very goixl reason for presenting him with a testimonial, but he has not done ho, to the best of my belief, and I do not know of anything else he has done, botideb making a good income for himself, to cain that gold watch and chain. However, the o|>era Company has gone, and ha* been succeeded by Dion Bouaicault, who, like the gre.it Shakopere, writes plays and then acts them. As I supple 9 most |>cople know, he is the author of "The Shaiighranu." " Arrah-nu-Pogne," "Colleen Bawn," ie, and his object has been to kill the u-u.il stage Inshmen with his "Arrah lie Jabers, who'll tread <>n the tail o' me coat ? " and all that M>rt of nonsense, and represent the genuine Irishman. He is a splendid actor, and almost everyone who has been to heai him is hugely delighted, though there <iro some jieople who were disappointed. I suppose they are those, who are so accustomed to the usual stage Irishman that they do not approve of his being abolished, and think they know how Boucicaiilt's pl.rv-- should be iwrforined better than does the author of them. * * By the way, it stem* that I owe an apology to Mr 1). E. McDonald, the late engineer of the Harbour Board, for having accused him of lx:ing to blame for tho faulty construction of the ictaiiung wall of the lailway reclamation. Mo far funn being m fault, it appeals that fit; had nothing to do with the work, but protested against the way in which it was (lone, as being unsafe .md likely to lead to the misfortuuo which has occurred. Well, whoever deserves the blame should n.ceive it, seeing that the wall h.w givui way. Mr I'allon, the contractor for the work, was very hard on Mr McGregor, the board's present engineer, in the letter he wiote denying that he had done his wmk unpiopurly, as he said that if the buid h.td instructed their engineer to desttoy the wall ho could , hardly have orrud out his orders better than by digging a giave for the wall to fall P into. Well ! it is very evident that a huge blunder was made in the construction of tnc wall in the first in«t»ncc and that a dugraccful waste of public money has been the result, so it is impel ative that there should be a searching enquiry and that the saddle should be put on the right horse. * * Last week I referred to the successful efforts of the City Council to remove the beautiful trees which now ornament somo of our streets. If Dume Rumour lies not some of the councillors are not satisSed with their past achievements, but are an\iotis to carry their vandalism srill further. There are some very hno trees on the uoith side of Welleslf y-street Kast, where the now Free Public Library is being built, and it is said that these are doomed. What do you >>uprxneistho reason alleged for cutting down these fino trees? That they may not obstruct the view of the new building from Queen-street. lam not a city councillor, and so may not be competent to form an opinion on the 'übject, but it t-eeins to me that the Public Libraiy will look very much better if those trees are allowed to remain. Some of them must be cut down to allow Coburg-.street to be connected with \V'ell«nley-str«ct, but if any that arc not in tho line of that street aredestioyed, I think the city councillors should be punished for wilful damage to public property. * There wiw a very general feeling of satisfaction when it became known that the rumour that the New Guinea Exploration Party had been massacred was groundless. There have been quite enough maityis to science in the Aictie regions, m tho continent of Australia and elsewhere, and it is well that New Guinea has not siddud to the list. I can understand why biavu men should risk their lives to explore the, interior of Ati«tialia and New Guinea to ascertain whether they arc fit for white men to live in, but I really cannot comprehend • why so many valuable livxs should have | been thrown nyaw in fruitless exjwditions to the Arctic regions. It has been known for manyyeats that the attempt to rind the nurtn-wist pj^sn^'e had been, and must always lw a failure, and that if over it could be found it would be of no practical use, and yet many thousands of pounds and many \ afuable li yes have been lost in useless expeditions to the North Pole. Tho story of the latest attempt made by the American*, with its hoirible results, is too fresh in i>eoplo's mind, for it to be necessary for one to refer to it more particularly, but I do hope that it will always remain tho last expedition to the Arctic rogums, at any rate until some means can bo devised for . v preventing such on appalling loss of life as there has always been m connection with those journeys into the regions of everlasting ice. •»* The " Escaped Nun " has left Auckland with w«ll filled pocket* and a hjmdsome album of New Zealand ferns, and I hope that any ill-feeling that has resulted from her vimt will soon be allayed. I would much rather sen a good actor like Dion Ttaucicault, or oven a clever humbug like (r.( r. A. Sala come here, than such a one an Mrs Auffray. In each case the result is the name as far at the transferring of a large quantity of loose com from our pockets to theirs is concerned, but with people like Boucicault and Sala, the trouble ends theie. Not «o with the " Kscapod Nun." Sho ha» Dot only taken away a large quantity of money which might have been usefully employed here, but sho has sowed discord among friends and even in families, and tfie mischief she has done may never be repaired. I_ notice that we arc to have another visit from an old acquaintance — Thomas Walker, the quondam trance-lec-turer. When he was here before he professed to go into a trance, and when in that atate to be able to answer any questioni he ■wan asked. When anyone propounded a riddle he could not road, his reply was, "The conditions isn't favourable." I RiippoM he found that the conditions wasn't favourable for him to continue to make money out of the trance- medium business, because he wn»*nnounc«d to lecture on Sunday evening on tho reasons why ho left SplritUAlism. For the sake of his audience, it in to be hoped that his knowledge of the English language and " how she is spoke " has improved ainco the time of his last V * Si, MUJIGO.