Random Shots.

Lake County Press, Issue 696, 20 February 1896, Page 2

Random Shots.

[By “ Old Snoozor.”]

I see, Mr Editor, that a Dunedin Budget writer is very much- of your opinion regarding free passes to doctors travelling to. the recent Congress. He says : —“ The doctors had free passes, over our railways. N.o, one, I daresay, grudges them, the- privilege.. But it seems hard that people well able- to pay should travel free, while the same thing is denied to those whoso purse is empty. A working man has been out of employment ; he hie> at last got a job at Oamaru

or Tiraaru (the place is of no consequence) J but he has no money to pay the railway fare. Could the railways be turned to better use than carrying such an one free to his destination ?• Let the Government order free passes in ail such cases. I shall be told it wonld be liable to abuse. Perhaps so, but the difficulty arising from abuse is only something to be overcome. Where there’s a will, there always is a way.”

General Booth says the Army- will last a». long as the Church. I believe it. The secret of the success of the Salvation Army lies in its practical charity, and’ as long as it pursues that policy,, it can’t go wrong. Its religious diplomacy of giving a convert a square feed, and a brand new rig out ere asking him to sing to the Lord ortake-a turn at the drum or triangle, has a wonderful' pull over the tract and “my poor dear brother policy of the churches.

In a leaflet concerning the census to be taken on the night of Sunday, April 12th, the Registrar general states that besides the information, as to the population, special returns will be collected relating to all" industries, raann facturies, or works in the colony, giving particulars as to hands and power employed, values of materials operated on, produce or manufacture, value of land and buildings, machinery, and 1 plant. Further, returns of places of worship, land,and bailding societies, literary and scientific institutions, etc., will also be collected by enumerators, from information supplied by sabenumerators.

“ The fever fiend goes straight for the youngest. In the cemetery scarcely a grave has closed over a man who numbered more than 30 summers. From 20 to 25 seems the favourite age for the fever’s , victims.” So writes a r ecent visitor to Goolgardie. And yet people are still flocking there in the hope of “ bettering themselves.” The successes of the few arc chronicled, but to thousands,. the famous Goolgardie, destined, we are told,, to be the greatest goldfield the world -has-, seen, has spelt ruin.

A Balclittha man told a Budget re-, reporter the other day that enough gold:, could be taken from, the bed; of the Clutha river to pay the whole of, the debt of the colony. Then why the dickens don’t, they take it ? What is the gold doing in its bed; when it ought to be out op the blankets ?

A correspondent of a Dunedin paper is ; exercised over a practice which,is coming into vogue in that community—that of : ‘publishing lists of wedding presents, together with the names of the donors.’ This, he adds, ‘ illustrates the tendency which is so marked in these colonies to carry social - observances to such extremes that they be- - come meaningless and absurd; This is true even in the case of customs that have their - root in the best feelings of our nature. Another instance is presented by the custom of •• of sending funeral wreaths. Corrupt* o, optimi peisima.