ON THINGS IN GENERAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12696, 26 October 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

ON THINGS IN GENERAL.

• GREAT EVENTS OF HISTORY. 5 lv must be confessed thai Auckland's Tral- J •■ f»!g»r Day celebrations were "a bit off." They were not worthy of this beautiful city and its patriotic citizens ; but it is to be hoped : that wo will do better next time. Practice, xf& are told, makes perfect. The most British community cannot be expected to celebrate every victory on sea and land recorded in the anrals of ou. country. They a -o J many that if we tried to commemorate i :...•« ] all we would be "celebrating" all the yea'r round, without counting saints' days, ban holidays, and football matches. Still, som thing ought to bo done without interfering with the whole business of the country to keep the memory green of the deeds that won the j Empire. The anniversaries of theso great , ©vents in our history should give the teachers juom public schools an opportunity of giving theii pupils an interesting lesson in patriotism. The story of the British Empire, if properly told, is romantic enough to stir the heart of the nice; unimaginative boy. It may be hard to interest a boy in fractions, geography, or the rules of grammar; but, every British lad worth his salt will give his undivided attention to a well-told tale of the great struggle between Britain and France for India and Vorth America. In this way children learn the great lesson of patriotism, which leads them to realise that their country has a past arid a future, and that the present is but a passing phase in a nation's existence. The nation has « continuous life, and we are what we are because our fathers were what they were. Tin present contains all that is past, and is itself contained in the future. Great things cannot be expected of a people who speak of.iha days that are gone with contempt, and say. Let posterity take care of itself. History, properly taught, should make us and our children good citizens in our own day and generation, and give us cause to look forward with hope and confidence to the future.

SHOUTING. ' The Nelson State Control League think that something ought to bo done to put down "shouting." against which at present there is nc law. Will Mr. Seddon tackle the "sboutine" craze? Not much! He has had about enough of liquor legislation to last him a very long time. As regards shouting" I came across the following story the other day:—Mr. Eardlcy Turner, who was with the "Sign of the Cross" Company in Australia, tells jaii.A.P. that in the trial scene in the "Eternal City," vrhich last piece was played in Sydney, he had to say, to the cue of being called to order br the president of the Court. There's no law against shouting—it's legal I" The words took, much to Mr. Turner's surprise, which was increased when a Sydney man said to him at 8 theatrical club, "That's one of the best lines in the piece, and you deliver it splendidly!"—adding that it was a hot and thirsty evening, and that, as the actoi declared there was no law against shouting, ho could shout there and then to his heart's content! A TEMPERANCE STORY, While- I am on the liquor question J. would like to give a good story which shows how that witty cleric. Dean Hole, who died recently at the ago of 85, regarded this much-debated matter. He certainly was at loggerheads with the teototallers. He insisted on his right to "moderate drinking." "»i aen anyone can accuse me of over-in-dulsence." he used to argue, "I will allow them to talk to me; but no man has the right, on any grounds Christian or moral, to demand that 1 shall give up the legitimate use of any article because he cannot, or will not, tise it without abuse." The dean, once hearing a " temperance" orator proclaim ■ that when a men began to take alcoholic liquor he was sowing -dm seeds ot mortal disease, so far forgot himself as to murmur " Rubbish!" —seeing that, as he said, his father sowed till he was ninety, and he himself at eighty was engaged in the same occupation. High Churchman. fOOTt.sxaan*Ji!rno"rh^Jav.er, of -flowers, and ""full of human sympathy, ana robust common sense, Dean Hole was as good' as gold, and altogether a charming personality. . ....... '

EARLY NOTICE OF CRICKET. Saturday lost saw the opening of the cricket season in Auckland, and I have much pleasure in wishing the knights of the willow a real good time during the next five or sis months. It's a fine old game, and it will be a sorry day when otu fellows cease to play cricket. It is growing old, but the game is none the worse for that, and it has the additional virtue of following the flag. A writer in Note; and Queries states that one of the earliest .separately printed references, if not the first, to a cricket match, is a folio broadside *" printed for J. Parker in Paternoster Row," 1712,. a copy of which (probably unique) was sold at Sotheby's rooms, June 21 last, lot 480, entitled, "the Devil and the Peers; or, the Princely Way of Sabbath-breaking: Beinp a true Account of a famous Cricket Match between the Duke of M , another lord, and two boys, on Sunday, the 25th of May last, 1712, near Fern Hill, in Windsor Forrest, for twenty guineas." The contributor' to Notes and Queries does not mean that this is the earliest! reference to the game. In 1593 John Denwick, of Guildford, testified that, fifty years earlier, he had praved cricket when a pupil at the Grammar School there. This is the earliest notice registered by Dr. Murray in the great "Oxford English Dictionary..

PINING A DEAD MAN. _ A judge's occupation is, as a rule, so terribly solemn that no man ought to be appointed to the office who has not the capacity for finding a little relief for his mind by an occasional glance at the comio side of things, for funny things do happen even in our law courts, and some of our judges, both at Home and in 'the colonies, dearly love a good joke. An amusing incident happened at the Sydney .Quarter. Sessions the other day. A juryman's name was read out, and there being no response a fine of £2 for the juryman's nonattendance was promptly recorded. The next day his name was again called, but there was still no answer, and a second fine in a like amount was inflicted. Judge Murray, probably considering that some reason should be forthcoming for the juror's absence, asked if anyone knew of the man's whereabouts, "He's dead" was the somewhat astonishing announcement offered by an attorney. "That may he taken as a clear explanation of.his absence," drily remarked his honor, rfao fines were remitted.

The General.