OTAHUHU: CAUTION TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: GENEROSITY REWARDED.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5708, 8 January 1876, Page 3

OTAHUHU: CAUTION TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: GENEROSITY REWARDED.

(To the Editor : Sir,— It is tho height of ingratitude to accept :i favour and then insult tho giver. Where there's a want of sense there's a corresponding want of feeling, and we think it fully exemplified m a would-be critic, who makes his remarks in several Auckland papers (dates, December 25, and January 1), on an entertainment given in Otahuhu Hall, in aid of a picnic for the childien of Otahuhn and Woodsidc Sunday-scl ools, in the following very sagacious manner, varying a little : — Otahuhu has had its Spelling Bee at last, and it came about in tlu's wise, &c, and then insults a gentleman, who having been solieited to do so, exhibited views by limelight at an expense of at least £2 to himself, besides tin's trouble ami inconvenience — neglecting liis own business — viz. : Fn'&t, to prepare lanterns, lenses to be made scrupulously clean ; ditto, views for exhibition ; then prepare retorts, purifier, and tubing ; ditto lime, cylinders, and chemicals for making gas, which requires gi eat care, gas-bag examine, inflate with air, and press all out again, make suitable fire and manufacture gas, get ready iron and wooden parts of frame tor screen itself, pack as much as possible in boxes, carry these boxos (some heavy) and the rest of the things to a cart not sufficiently large, cram them in and self likewise, and have a most uncomfortable ride of four or five rnileb, half standing, half sitting, arrive, carry boxes, &c, again into the hall, erect scree* as Quickly as possible, unpack boxes, fit up lanterns, place gas-bag in position, send for weights, get improper ones, make shift with them, put lime cylinder in its place, ditto views to be exhibited, turn on gas, play solo on piano, sing a song, read "Enoch Arden," sing again, comic — therefore encore, comply, read, Ingoldsby's " Knight and Lady," down with the screen, undo all and pack again as quickly as possible, carry the boxes again, for a la critique — the Spelling Bee was coming about at last, and it came about in this wise, and have another delightful rule. This gentleman, who has thus exerted himself, has been very handsomely rewarded by the insulting remarks and insinuations alluded to. The writer did not like the reading of "Enoch Arden." What a coincidence ! We didn't ourselves, but we don't suppose that he would, if read ever so well ; he would try lo make us think ho had a refined taste ; but we are of opinion that Jack the Giant Killer, Cock Robin, and a few cats, would be more suitable subjects for him to expatiate upon. And so it comes about at last, and it comes about in this wise — that there was no tea and cake to take off the monotony of the thing. We should like to know that individual's name and creed, and if ho paid to go in. As for the reading, it was surprising to us that it was attempted at all under siioh ciicumstanccs, and we .should feel ti uly ashamed did we possess so despicable a spirit as tho one who could thus insult a gentleman who had been so kind. — I am, &c., A.O.