THE DEPARTING YEAR.

Hastings Standard, Issue 209, 31 December 1896, Page 2

THE DEPARTING YEAR.

Onck more the unerring hand of time has added another year to the age of the world. The joys and the sorrows, the prosperities and the adversities that have been written by the finger of time during the past twelve months naturally arise before us 011 an occasion such as the present. The dying year will be recorded in the historic pages of great nations as one of peace. No great national conflict has taken place, and the map of the world has not been changed at the instigation of a monarch's wealth or a despot's pride. There is, however, one page in the history of the year that has been blackened by the atrocities of the barbarous Turk in the land of the Armenians. The actions of the tyrannical monarch who has caused such desolation in the homes of our Christian brothers and sisters in distant Armenia should not be_forgotten, but resented at all hazards.

Turning to our own land we tind that the home of many have been made sorrowful by the terrible Brunner disaster which occurred in the early part of the year. Let us hope that these poor creatures will not be forgotten in their fond and sad recollections which this day is sure to bring. The recent election, may, perhaps, have caused dessention between bosom friends, if so, let all extend the hand of fellowship and goodwill, and face the coming year in harmony and with a will to act together in deeds of worth

for the good of the human race generally. We sincerely hope that the people of Hastings will wake up to their sense of responsibitity during the coming year ; that the chains of bondage with which the progress of this town has been encircled will be rent assunder, and that the breakwater village will no longer retard our onward march of progression. W r e trust that no conflicting feeling will arise in our midst, that where there has been dispondency there shall be hope, where there has been mistrust there shall be confidence, and where there has been alienation and hate there shall be woven the ties of strong attachment between man and man. With the last issue of 1896 we wish one and all A Pkosperoits New Year.