The Contributor.

Hastings Standard, Issue 304, 23 April 1897, Page 4

The Contributor.

BUZZINGS. [By the Hornet.] The following has been crowded out since Saturday last: — I'll tell of some things I don't like to see. Old Song. Well, I don't like to see so many fires in Hastings, not that I am afraid of my place getting burnt, because I'm not insuerd and you don't hear of places getting burnt that are not insured, not down this way at any rate.- I don't insure because the rates are too high for the man that don't want a fire, and with ordinary care there is not much risk of a fire starting promiscous like on its own account. I hear it is on the boards for the Insurance companies to raise the already exorbitant rates charged here, which goes to show that it is not the companies who pay for the fires but those who insure with them ;• and, furthermore, it is those who don't have and don't want fires that pay for those who do. How is it that no official enquiry is held into the causes of the many fires occurring in this ! borough ? It is high time the fire I " rats " or '* bugs " were caught.

Another little matter of even more importance to the community is the way in which past sums of hard earned money are squandered in betting, sweeps, and the totalisators, and on horse racing generally. The ready cash goes for this whilst the grocer, butcher, baker, and draper is asked to call again next week for that little account "as money is so scarce just now." When men have lost enough, they generaally stop short never to go again, but they oftentimes die before they get there. To the man about to speculate a pound I would say, keep it. A pound in hand is worth a good many on the totalisator.

~ During my travels the other day I across a curious document, to wit, an agreement between two men in reference to a job of fencing. For obvious reason I can't give correct names, but it was after this fashion :

" I, Michael Whalan, agree to put up —.chain of fencing and I, Thomas Smith, agree to let him do it, and as cash is short, I agree to take one red cow with a white spot on her forehead as part payment, and I, Thomas Smith, agree to give it." The agreement was made out on a half sheet of note paper with a rough sketch on the back. There was not room for the signature at the back. Whalan, who wrote the agreement added: P.S., remarking to Smith " Of couse you know that means please excuse mistakes." He further added, N. 8., " If the spotted cow dies I must have another," and further he added "Please take notice this is not the agreement; if you want to see the agreement please look the other side." Like my father used to say, all this speaks for itself.

It came to pass as I was coming home one day last w T eek, that my young hopeful of three summers came to meet me. I could see that he was brimming over with some news. " Papa, papa," he said, " I want to tell'u something. Our mother's busy to-day—making soap, and there'll be no dinner." I was surprised at the appearance of my wife. " What's the matter, my dear?" I asked. "Oh nothing,why?" Iremarked thatlthought she had been crying and thought, may be, that she had bad news of some dear departed leaving her £SOO or so. " Nothing of the sort," she said ; I've been busy getting ready for soap making to-morrow, and as you have a half holiday then I thought perhaps you would help me to finish it. Meanwhile I wish you would stir the fat in the boiler while I lay the table." I mildly remarked that I thought it would be best to buy otir soap as usual, whereupon I was told that everybody around here made their own soap, and what other people could do she could. To make a long story short the soap was made next day and the following morning I took a piece to wash with, to try it. I got my hands well covered with it and was about to rub it about my face, when my wife shrieked, 'don't was your face with it, it is too new to use yet.' I had to get another soap to clean my hands because ' our mother's ' soap stuck like so much fat. I am told the longer it's kept the better it gets. I may let you know how it acts at some future time.