THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

Press, Volume XXVII, Issue 3695, 25 May 1877, Page 3

THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

You will be glad to learn the following bit of literary gossip. I found it in an Indian paper: —

MS. KOKKONBA VBNKATABATHNAarCT Puntulu. who is the editor of the TeVugu , Tongue Reviver, has published a poem in honor of the Empress. It is -written in Telugu; and its title may be translated "The Empress of India Nine Gems." With it, and illustrative of its views, appears an English poem. I don't know where Teiugu ie. I don't want to, but I should say the paper was either named after the editor or the editor after the paper. It does not in the least matter which. It is appropriate in either case. If the Eng- I liah "poem be really illustrative of the views of the author, I should say it would take some time to read.

The tidal wave has caused quite an excitement, and has been quite a godsend to those gentlemen of the Fourth Estate whose business it is to go down into the sea in ships. I have read carefully'the various repoits of this remarkable phenomenon, but for real originality commend mc to the report of a southern contemporary of yours. Hβ commences thus—" A remarkable fluctuation of the tide occurred yesterday, and attracted a great deal of attention. The pulsation of Old Ocean was, in fact, quite abnormal, indicating a feverish restlessness that has not been noticeable here since the so-tanned tidal wave of :1868." For an introduction you can't beat that very much, and when I learn that " our representative, who was afloat at the time," timed and measured one of the pulsations I JiaTe, -I'm sure, said enough to convince you that his report was ahead of anything written on the remarkable fluctuation. A little quotation would have made it quite complete, and the one from Childe Harold commencing— " And I have loved thee Ocean! and my joy Of youthful sports was on thy breast to be Borne like the bubbles upward; " And finishing ; —.

" I trusted to thy billows far and near " And laid my hand upon thy mane—as Ido here "

would seem particularly apposite. There is a Maori minister in this province who is anxious to impress the advantages , of truthfulness upon his congregation. He lias endeavoured to work this by fining the members of his flock a shilling upon every occasion they lie. Assuming the noble Maori to be as good on the falsehood as the white man, I should imagine the minister's regulation must be more nonored in the breach than in the observance. Otherwise (the ecclesiastical mandate has now been -in force some months) the reverend gentleman would long ere this have reduced the whole tribe to the lowest depths of insolvency. It appears, however, there are times when the rule works out in a flawless style. The following fact proves this: —A Maori went to pay a bill which he owed the storekeeper, amounting to 11s 6d. While counting it out he observed to bis creditor that he supposed, as the account had been etanding so long, he had given up all hopes of getting paid. "Oh no," eaid the storekeeper, "I knew you were honest, and I felt sure you'would pay mc soon." " That's a lie," responded the truth loving Maori, " You *re fined a shilling, co here's ten and six. Tenakoe," and he walked out. I don't know much about law. The more I see of it the less I like it, but even in that ignorance which we are toM is bliss I can see something extraordinary in a late decision given by the B.M in Dunedin. It appeaw a man brought a case against another for goods supplied, producing liie delivery and other books in Court. His Worship, however, declined to allow for any items except those the vendor or his employees could swear to delivering. Well might the Star observe that for the future the tradesman bringing the action will require a particularly retentive memory. In Dunedin "the warder of the brain" will now be the tradesmen's best friend; and while they will doubtless re-echo the orison of the misguided man who hoped his memory might be kept green, it becomes a matter for the P.M. to consider whether some of them will not, under the circumstancea, become living contradictions of the text which assures us that no man shall be tempted, above that which, lie is able. I nave,been very much interested, and I may add very much wearied, by the torrents of. Drainage that have been recently to to speak poured over us. But anyone who cannot give an opinion on this all absorbing question B«t i»w ia t«njj|y out of. the* pelo of our cmlizafckm. On these ground* Ihavemwl&a

few investigations of Drains. I am no wiedr tnan before, but m the ooureo of them I came across Mr Carruthers'e Plan. The mystic* letten M.I.C.E. affixed to that gentlemWe name might remind some people of the famous Horatian lino Partwiuwt vumtet nascetur ridUntlus MUB. The stone breaking machine recently imported by tho City Council has been an exciting item. lam not up in machines, and whilo perfectly willing to coincide with all that has been said as to its utility I must confess that to mc the most striking point about it is its name. Why Invicto ? I understand that the trade mark of the makers, Messrs Awling and Porter, is a horse rampant with the motto Invicta. Whether the mime sounded euphonious, or whether the omne ignatuat pro wagnifieo principle had anything to do with, the adoption of the name by the civic dignitaries I know not. If there were a little want of originality about their selection it may at any rat© bo presumed that tho Invictor will crush stones under that name aa well as any other. The captain of the Yeomanry Cavalry has heen proceeding in the R. M. Court against some of his corps for fines incurred by them for absence from parade*. This ia really the first thing 1 have heard of our Volunteers for a . n l» except the reason given by a> friend of mine for sending in his resignation* ac a defender of his adopted land. . He informed mc that there wus too much of tho official, and too little of the private element about his regiment, He said he never went in parade without thinking of the " rt-siatlcaa force" of the army of General Bombastes, and being unable to form a closo column with tho assistance of two other full privates he left. There seems to bo a little difference between Australia and New Zealand. There "The mustering squadron and tho clattering car' , are all tho go, by which I mean thnt they are looking after their defences. Hero our preparations in the same lino are limited to fining a few Volunteers for non-attendunoo at drill. NOT A CADET—A young Gentleman, ago! 21, who is accustomed to most kinds of work, seeks an engagement on a station or large farm, where he_ may gain experience in management. Hβ is willing to work for low wages If hois treated as an equal by his employer, Reference, &c. The above applicant for stationary hononrs is certainly, as he states, not a cadet. I should imagine he never will bo. I should say too he is not a bit too modest in wishing for experience in management. When ho gains that experience he will learn to look with amazement upon the temerity which prompted the wish he expresses to be treated as an equal bj his employer. Mr Thackeray records a feeling of envy for tho hero of ono of his own poems who " was handsome, bravo and twenty two, with nothing in this world to do," but- to> be " a young gentleman of twenty-one " in the some position here is quite another affair, and the only consolation I can give the young gentleman is that there are plenty more ia the same boat, though few perlmps with tho same lofty aspirations.