Men and Women and Matters all Around.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 2846, 15 June 1896, Page 2

Men and Women and Matters all Around.

When we look seriously into life and nature, as we all, of course, do on Sunday, we find as many reasons to be thankful to the Creator as St. James had honour's in Compostello. It is really a great pity that Wellington has nothing to offer its people on a Sunday save vice and religion—either go to a dull church, or get illegally as well as immorally drunk in a publichouse. No innocent amusements to enliven the heart and entertain tho mind j to sublimate the gross human instincts and refine the spirit. We must either go to church and be a hypocrite, or go to a pub. and become a beast.

After all there is a refreshing candour about Sir Eobert Stout and Captain Eusseli in their campaign that we must all admire. They freely admit that they do not want to vindicate or perpetuate any principles. They merely want to down the other fellows and get the offices.

How the old Marquis of Queensberry does gravitate towards the Police Courts I He cannot keep away from them. Now he has been fined fifteen shillings for riding his bicyele on the sidewalk. He reminds me of a newspaper reporter T once knew in a large city. He had an uncontrollable inclination to hang around the morgue to pick up gruesome stories. Finally he was missed for a few days, and then his own body turned up from the river.

And, by the way, this reminds me of an investigation I once made as to what }kind of people were most subject to suicide or violent and mysterious deaths. The morgue records for five years showed that over 70 per cent, of the bodies that turned up there were those of people of reddish or sandy hair. Black-haired people are more philosophical, and do not run to suicide or get themselves so much into dangerous positions.

Upper Willis street has a nice little story of its own. The other afternoon (since the opening of Parliament) a military - looking man, riding a fine bay, halted, and addressing a handsome young woman on the side walk, said, “ Say, where does Mr Montrose live P”

The young woman thus abruptly addressed was somewhat startled, hut replied, “ I do not know. I am not acquainted in this locality.’’

“But I am Major Elliot,” cried the gallant horseman in impressive tones.

“Howcan I help that?” promptly responded the vivacious young woman. “ I am not responsible. It is not my fault, and you cannot blame mo for it.” There wore others within hearing and there was a little laugh. The individual who represented himself as Major Elliot shot a gleam frem his eagle eye and put his spurs in use.

I met Sir Horowhenua (formerly Sir Morning Glory) Bailor yesterday afternoon. His morning glory seemed all wilted, and he was not a bit cooky either.

One of our country-town contemporaries was somewhat surprised the other day by receiving from a citizen, sent to gaol for seven days, an order to change the address on his paper for the week covering his incarceration. He wanted to keep up with the times.

In view of our approaching elections it will be of interest to our female citizens to know that the woman politicians of the State of Kansas have been in great luck this year. Many of the oitizenessea get elected to office, and many more are receiving appointments to lucrative positions. Mrs Annie Boltwood has just been made Town Clerk of Ottawa by the male Mayor.

I shall be very much disappointed if a good representation of our women voters do not turn up as candidates. And in any oase and at all times let them look out for and insist on receiving half the paid appointive offices. Come, ladies, don’t allow your right of franchise to be a mere sentimental thing. Don’t be satisfied with the mere shadow. Stretch out your- fair arms and grasp the substance, which means salary j and hug it tight to your bosoms when you have got it.

Don’t let the men politicians fool you with fine words, and grab all the cheques.' A neat monthly cheque will buy lots of nice things. You will find it a thing of beauty and a joy, if not forever, at least until it is spent. I want to see the women get their good share of the solid things, and not have the men make the franchise to them as Dead Sea fruit that, fair to the eyes, turns to ashes on the lip—woman’s delicious lip!

A correspondent is not satisfied with tho Mayor’s proposed by-law anent the street preaching nuisance. He says:—“ Why allow the street brawlers to any particular spot, and not compel them to hold forth within buildings only if they must brawl ? I would advise women who must be about after dark, if they can get no police protection from the beasts who prowl about at night, to carry pocket pistols and use them on the legs of the unclean animals.

" I write as one possessing a family of daughters. X begin to ask tho question— Are the police a useless expense, and are they in sympathy with evil-doers ? Are they a demoralised lot? There was that affair at a certain hotel in Christchurch in a Ijcensmg matter, some time ago, and lately the Kirby departure, What does it all mean ?.

“ French women in Prance can walk about at any hour and be quite safe. The American woman, if insulted, would protect herself as above, o- like the bravo woman you mentioned a few days ago, who knocked the ‘thing’ down. There is something wrong about this New Zealand of ours as to its morality, to say nothing of the utter lack of religion. I have been in this Colony since 1852, and should know something of New Zealand.—Yours, &0., Senex.” All of which I endorse. The Pat Contributor. ’