THE LARRIKIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7412, 1 December 1884, Page 6

THE LARRIKIN.

TO THK EDtTOIt. Sin. —1 was pleased to find my skd-diei of tiie Croaker and I*oafer inverted in your journal. A’our able article on tiie "cruiker" ha* led me, on further consideration, partly to rvvito my views. But with regard to the “loafer” one of y-.>ur c-»rres* pomh'ut#, uafiivourahly noticing my remork#, breaks forth into mpturoiH vena? -■n tiie charms of the spade (alb-it tlu* epade and the loafer arc not often in Mi.-h cl.-.M'company), which be compared to the cory sw.-rd ; and expressed a stern dc>ir*- I-* use it (the spade) instantly in turning over the soil and making the prairie bl '-s-ca .u the rcKte. Now I very seld nu met anyone who could sing so nicely aU*ut a spade who cared very much to use on**, I vr.xs reminded *.>f the stage |ieasant girl who, in short petticoats, thin b!j*h*s. a very wide straw hat trimmed with ribbon, triU- a pretty little ditty bo the ple-iiures of milking n cw or feeding a pig, hut who wituld R- sadly puc.r.b'd if in rval life were she calk'd upm to p*-rk>rm cithv>r opera-li--n. Now I must turn to *' the larrikin.” A " larrikin *’ is strictly a Colonial product, well nigh the only one, not requiring to be protected by a special duty. Whereas th*.- "croaker” in » citizen of the world ; ?h<- "loafer” an imported artick—the larrikin is racy of the soil. No other > '.'.intry but a Colony haa a hirril.in. L -n----don may have its street Arab, I’-iris its -MJiiai; n-m" but ft C-dony can produce it* larrikin, i now proo-ed b, tviint *,ut t>> y-esr uns-uentific reader the di.-tinctmn R-tw-en these lLr-*c, vi/..—the street Arab, {he c iimn, and the larrikin. Thestn-et Arab has fr.-quenliy inudligem-c undcveioji- d, the of Baris lias wit combin'd with mi- -i.kf; but the Colonial larrikin is destitute of th'-.o- rt-dwming k iturcs in hi- character. Tin- I/ondon Arab, und>-r prop-T survcillnne*-, may d»;v*dop iiit-» a df-x-nl shoeblack, or even an L-ci-mI ;o-a-man ; theyau.mof Baris not unfr*-pi-nlly is -v nvert-'d into the active Zouave; but the larrikin is the " rough ” in embryo. As • eh-brab-d musicians ami cotup—t« are fr-ips'-ntly retried to show signs of abnormal genius at a wonderfully *-arly ag**. »o ti.-- larrikin dcvot**s himself almost from infancy f» works *»f wanb>n d"«tructi'/u. By a subtle alchemy he cam pervert si! knowledge. The art of writing in-i-pir'-B hita with the dm ire of rutting hts- name on jesits, bridge*, or r*n;ks, ot of covering walls with filthy and offensive words. Flu- aft of reading only .vrv«ri> to supply him with a ehoice '•f -.-slLs and bla-plu-my. M*mey enahles him to 'tint hi* growth with tobacco, or to s-.fc the .v-.--is of decay with gin. The larnkin is more ignorant uf the common j;de> of j»o’.!terieftß than a Hioux, and has r. "‘. bo mu- .h decency as a Hottentot. He is » mpl-t.’’.v ignorant of the rights and d-iti -- of eitiM-tuhip. He is the l*Tr*>r of all < fiaiu of public gardens and parks, a> L.s chief delight i* in pulling up plants ai ; .| dei-tt eying fejmejg. In all large cities in lkir«>j*e you may a*-** chihir<-fi playing in the j-J iic gat-lens, but in New Zealand the larr.km i» t**» much miut**rof the situation to p :m.t any au« h innocent riseri'fttioiK 1 ; y :!t/ xwmeii and « hiidren have too oft*'ii ri-as-’ii 1.-, tri'jiibk- at his appr*c»i-h. He Tcsj-';, - -L » the Ms <• of «ie»tiot!i"l by ‘•wjft, n;. i <!--»-■} »•-* a similar Ircatmeiit, ‘i hanks %t> the active lueaaure« ad'ipted doniig ti.*- last few years by our magistii’.e;. ib< uumß-rof latnkuiv h.w w-naihly 'Lmintshed. Non a wold a-s to the origin of this evil, 'I L* istieet Arab <A Rj-ndoii is the result of I»>verty, Jgnoraijee, «ud vi< e sometime* of is'! thive KtUibinei. Th*-ie ie «o cull ei* os*- f.,r the Umktu. Then- u no d< *titiiiiojj in a Colony, <■»>»,parable t-, that existing in a European < Hy. N* hor*fes. *,f wild children sir*- found here, wonly playgr-oind is the street gutter , no i-eljais or garrets >*ontaii»ing four *,r fU«families aptae. No < hiidren n« <-*l sleep oa the d.'orsb’p, t>r under tie* ms h* « of our bridge-#. The larrikin is n-#t**l in e-,m----parstivo affiucncc, tie springs rather from a rank luxuriance than from uu<-t paujx-r----hfirr. He w the ottbuoum uf be* much «eur>l>efi*}g, mthur than nf ta' great neglect. Ifh< is the mwt noxious growth in this or any country. Slum Id he wnfortunatidy live, be {Uivdojam into the o rough/' (Old l»eco«MK Ui» most exja’nsive tw-ailwr of widely. Far him roformatrn« s and prie-otw are built In order to exterminate tbU“ireed'‘«l axirtv, ww might taka a leaf out of Urn book of the Japunew*. la all thdr aehoola, iwpect to mnnita. tta* sued, ftolitooewi to women la «trict)y ertod, as well as regard to public garden* and public property, to that «ven » foreigner and a woman coo pa**, o®v umoob-wfced, but turn to meet, even in nm ae»t unfrequented villogins, witii respect and civility. —I «», &c., BPECTATOB. Uhrisichmrch, Nov. 29.