LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11644, 4 May 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

'' Let me have audience for a word or two." —Shakespere. Tire Pitt-street Wesleyans "have "rediscovered" the Ten Commandments. From what I have seen lately, I thought they were pretty well obsolete. The whole story is told in the report of the Pitt-street Sundayschool:— With, a view to dispelling the ignorance of Scripture knowledge, and inculcating " fixed principles," we are having the Decalogue inscribed and mounted on o canvas sheet 7ft long by Bit bin wide. Tins will he hung over the rostrum, so that all may read, and the whole school periodically repeat. The design is in (he form of an open. Bible, with the four Commandments showing our duty to God on one page, and the remaining six, setting forth our duty to man, on the other. The painting will bo tastefully done, the capitals in red and the,smaller letters in black. It is to be hoped tint the movement will " catch on," and lead to the Ten Command- i ments being put up in some of our public institutions and business establishments. I , would even suggest that a like tablet be exhibited over the Speaker's chair, where it is badly wanted among the members of the General .Assembly, with a view of dispelling the ignorance of Scripture knowledge there and inculcating "fixed principles." The movement is a timely one. and the Pittites deserve the thanks of a community which is fast drifting into the state >f New Yoik. of which Henry Ward Beccher (aid tint " there were 30.000 thieves in New York, not counting the City Council and the aldermen." "What is religion?" and the answer is given thus by one who had '" lived in the oubliettes of God." " Religion is not the Rule of Three, but the Golden Rule. Not the major and minor premisses and copula of logic, but the sacred instinct of the soul." At the Pitt-street Wesleyan soiree the other night the Rev. C. H. Garland told a good yarn, which he heard uttered by Dr. Parker, of the Temple, London. He said that if the people in the graveyards came out of heir resting-places at night and went ba k to them in the daytime they would not be able to find their way back again, because, on looking at the sweet epitaphs on the headstones, they would say, regardless of grammar, " Ii ain't me!" ' I occasionally stroll into the Auckland cemeteries, and the thing that impressed me. after a casual survey, was what became of the bad people, as they appeared from the tombstones to have been ■'frozen out." I was especially tickled with a tombstone. where lay one described as " a kind hus- I band, a loving father, and a good citizen.' whom I had remembered as a terror when en the jamboree, bunging up the old woman's eyes, and making the youngsters fly for their bare lives. I looked at the inscription through rev specs., then over then;, considering that I might be mistaken. No. there it was—right! I turned round, hearing a noise, and there was a bloomin' old horse across the fence, having a quiet laugh at the whole business. Lor", what a I funny world it is, my masters ! A pathetic bowling story was told me the other day. An old Auckland bowler had | come to the finish, he had " played the game,' and, as he lay a-dying, in his delirium he fancied he was playing a game of bowls— I the ruling passion being strong in death. I As the game went on. there came a time when the bowls -were " a measure." He called for his measure and measured the bowls on the coverlet. Just then there came that supreme moment when soul and | body part company, and the spirit left its frail earthly tenement to take its flight to that Unknown Land where " bias" is unknown, and " heads" do not count. A volume might be written about the incidents which have befallen Canon Calder since his elevation to the post of Archdeacon of Vvaiteraata. Fist of all he received congratulations from nis own people, including two little girts from the Sundayschool, who hoped that he would not leave for " St. Sens." That's the general idea. They had written their note on a bit of paper, which they had carefully ruled, and it was superscribed, "Mr. Calder." Then he received congratulations from the outside people—the " separated brethren"— Father Paterson, Rabbi Goldstein, the Hon. J. A. Tole. and Dr. Bake well. One churchwarden said. " If Canon Calder had had the stomach and legs of Mac Murray what a splendid Archdeacon he would have been !" forgetful of the fact that "the mind's the measure of the man." and that " choice goods" are generally put up in small pardels. The new Archdeacon is in good company, for our " Bobs" is on the nuggety side. Archdeacon Calder is making a good start, and is not letting the grass grow under his feet, as he yesterday left for Paeroa. Waihi. and the Thames generally to see to Church matters. The Premier was this week presented v-rth congratulations from the heads of local bodies and business people at Wellington" on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of his Premiership. In reply, be is reported to have "declared his determination to retain his present position a3 long as he retained the confidence of the people." That means that King Richard hopes to merit being made " a lifer."' Wild horses won't shift him, and there is every pro-spec:; of his serv%ing, or rather ruling, the colony for eig'ut years more Tie doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men yalk under his hu?e legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. The following paragraph, which appeared in a New Zealand paper, has attracted the attention of some' of the descendants of Colonel Balneavis : "A model of the Ruapekapeka Pa has-been added to the Maori collection at the Christchurch Museum. The model was constructed by Lieutenant (afterwards Colonel) Balneavis, of the 68th Regiment, who was at the pa at the time it was attacked in December, 1845. The work was on view at the London Exhibition in 1851, and the local authorities subsequently wrote asking permission to obtain a copy of the model. Thanks, however, to the services of Sir Walter Buller, the origins! itself has been obtained." Some of the descendants of Colonel Balneavis would lie glad to know who gave permission to obtain the original, and who were the " local authorities" who asked permission to copy it, as they had always been under the impression that the model "" the pa was presented to one of the military institutions at Woolwich. Thomson's "Story of New Zealand," page "?9, contains the" following footnote: A model of Ruapekapcka Pa, made by Captain Balneavis, 58th Regiment, was exhibited in the Great Exhibition, and there is another made by Colonel Wynyard in the United Service "VTuseum." The paragraph is rather hazy as to where the model of the pa was obtained, whether from private parties or otherwise, or it mav be the one by CVonel Wvnvaid, in the United Service Museum, thoui'h that seems scarcely likely. I adv.se the descendants of Colonel Balneavis to write to Sir Walter Buller and ascertain the facts, 'i hey think, if it is their father's, and given to a public institution, that the original should have come to Auckland it surrendered at all (and not to Christchurch), as a more lilting resting-place for it. Mr J Id. Hannan, member of the City Council is a bold man, and in two motions he has dealt with the sartorial necessities of the Mayor, and with. the social evil, in one act He .moved, in one motion, "That the Mayor Messrs. A. Kidd, T. Maseiield, and the mover be a committee to get designs, and select a suitable robe for the Mayor to appear in during the visit of Royalty to our city," which was unanimously carried. 1 am sure 1 do not care what robe he garbs himself in, as long as he does not appear in his robe de nuit. Mr. Hannan has fortified himself with Denham couplet: When any great design thou dost intend, Think of the means, the maimer, aud ue i and. - "™ *

Is the expense to be chalked down to contingencies in the municipal accounts? 'Die Mayor-elect is an average-sized man, and the robe may be made to fit him, but suppose the next Mayor is a man of the build of ''Wee Davie," is the robe to be razeed? The subject has to be approached from all sides, and I go altogether on the divine William's Measure for Measure." I understand that one firm is willing to make the robe gratuitously, for "a free ad.," and are prepared to make the Mayor "a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." Has the Mayor-elect been consulted on the matter, or has he bad "greatness thrust upon him?" Perhaps Dr. Campbell feels very much like Sir Geo. Turner, of Victoria., who went Home in the Jubilee year, and of whom a good story is told. Ho was lodged with our own King Richard in the Hotel Cecil, and had a wordy encounter with the John Thomases and the butler. One of the tribe went upstairs to "dress" him. He replied, to the yarn goes. " Clear out, you blithering idiot, do you think that I can't put on my own clothes?" Possibly Mr. Hannan's action is stimulated by the belief that he has "expectations" in the dim future, of wearing that robe himself. Still, he holds— Wo must not stint Our necessary actions, in the fear To cone malicious eensurers. which ever. As ravenous fishes do a vessel follow That is new trimmed, but benefit no further than vainly longing. The town clerk is not to be left out in the cold. for. on the motion of Mr. Parr, he is to he suitably robed also—hi fact, his i robe will be above par. I notice that the bowlers are carrying the war into Africa. For instance.* Mr. C. Kanson (president of the Remuera Bowling Club) tops the poll on the Remuera Road Board, having as runner-up Mr. Thos. Bud—the ratepayers approving of their bias. In fact, tire former gentleman may be said to have " skipped" in. The wonder is that they floated in on water, but regard for truth compels me to make the admission. Some of the other candidates are now having a " toothful" to console themselves in the hour of defeat.

A correspondent, who signs himself "No. 13," desires, through this column, to find out i*' there are any of the Royal schoolboys of Windsor Park, England, cither in Auckland or our colony. He states he was an old scholar over 40 years ago. and if there are any in Auckland of Mr. Horner's time he would like to open correspondence with him or them. No. 13" gives his address as. " No. 13. care of 11. S. Ingram, Frogmove, Marmnaru, Hawke's Bay.

A correspondent. "Anxious Inquirer." stales his case, which is a hard one, but he will not get any cheap law out of me, and. 1 am not so sure that when he pays his Bix-and-eigktpence lie will be much wiser, for as far as I know the lav.- is all in favour of the tenant, honest or dishonest, and against the landlord. I, in one case, got into a, house of mine by the window, and when the tenant returned to his virtuous couch he found me "holding the fort," all the windows nailed down, and a new lock placed on the door, having not received any rent for weeks. I am not sure under our present legislation whether I would not b; liable for an action for damages nowadays, as it is of no consequence whether the landlord gets his rent or otherwise. A case in point occurred not so long ago where a gentleman left Auckland for a year, letting his house for that period, furnished. When he returned he could not get possession of his home, and had to give a full receipt for the twelve months' rent and give the tenant a bonus of £5 in addition to go out! I have seen an eviction in Auckland— woman being the tenant. The landlord took out the windows, then the doors, but it did not shift her. He commenced to strip off the roof, and then the studs and flooring. When he sent a cart for the bricks of the chimney she skipped. It goes without saying that she belonged to that somewhat large class who have conscientious objections to "paying the rint." "Anxious Inquirer" had better bear the ills he knewsthe " nig-nagging" o. the "missus." The following is his narration of his grievances : —- Dear " Mereudieo," —Which I don't warnt no row with you, "Mercusheo," but you causes a lot of trouble between me and my old gal. It's this way, 'oping no offence. I'm in a bit of trouble with a young woman, that is to say, she's my tenant and won't leave the house or pay her rent, and you know, "Mercusheo," if a woman won't she won't. Well, my missus says I'm "a. coward to be licked by a woman," and I "ought to kick her out." I says, "You can't ejaculate a woman out, of a houso without goin' to law." My old woman says, "It's all me eye. You write and ask 'Mercusheo:' he knows everythink." But I don't want, to bother you. Howsomedeve-r, my missus keeps on about "Mercusheo" this and "Mercusheo" that till I'm perfectly sick of her nig-naggm", so that's why I rite this sin. Can you tell us how to get the tenant out? Can I chuck her out? I know I 'ave no claim on yer except that I have, for many years, year in and year out, bought the Saturday's Hekbald. Awaiting an answer, I am, yours respeckfuliy, Anxious Inquirer. The Hospital and Charitable Aid Board have endeavoured to settle a knotty point, namely, as to how often an inmate of the Costley Home should be allowed to get drunk." As I understand the way it has been settled, he or she can get drunk with impunity once a quarter, but if they " doublebank " "then a prohibition order is to be taken out against them. The rule is in the way of tapering off the topers. But some of the new rules are an insult to the staff, such as that an employee shall not bring drink into the Home, under a penalty of suspension and subsequent dismissal: that they shall not take bribes from contractors; that the manager of the Home shall take over and make a catalogue of the effects of a- deceased inmate, in the presence of a witness. Mien who require such rules are unfit to be officers of the institution, and its only effect can be to suggest such crimes to their minds.

The Rev. F. A. Bennett, native missionary at Taraimki, has been preaching in Dunedin on the state of the Maori missions. He speaks " as a. member of one of the tribes, and gives a deplorable picture of the state of affairs. This is what he said in St. Matthew's Church, Duncdin. — When Bishop Selwyn left the colony ho stated that the Maoris wore well cared for and well looked after. What did they find to-day? That in one district the. Maoris had renounced their faith in Christianity, and had held aloof from all Christian teaching for many years. In fact, so little had been done in the way of mission work among the Maoris for years past that it might bo said to be nothing at all. He was before his hearers that day .as one of the race—as one who had come out of the very heart of heathendom. He wished to say that there were 12 000 absolutely heathen natives in the North Island, and this after 87 years of mission labour among the Maoris. Then, at the present time, there were eight vacancies in the Maori mission field, and rot a single person, Maori or pakeha, had been found to go out to occupy the posts, Iho salaries were low, for £40, £35, or perhaps £45 was what was allowed to a missionary, on which he was expected to live and bring up a family. Some, of them had to ado to their means by breaking stones or by gathering sulphur in the baths. Mr. Bennett says that one of the greatest obstacles in the way of elevating the native people was the degrading and demoralising I effect upon them of the drink traffic and he said, with much bitterness that it seemed a strange thing that, the Legislature should preserve birds and fish from destruction and yet take no steps to preserve the native people.:' He speaks with hopefulness of the Young Maori Party, of whom Mr A. T. Ngata is a leader. Some of the young native men and women who belonged to it, graduating from the secondary schools were Irving to raise the race in the social scale. Cithers had taken up the moral work. The intellectual was also being pushed ahead: some were engaged in improving the sanitary- conditions, and some were teaching the'blessings of r**™^^^ "* o Mercuxio.