Passing Notes.

Otago Witness, Issue 1342, 18 August 1877, Page 13

Passing Notes.

Our football team have well maintained the credit of Dunedin by their play ; but their intense excitement over the game somewhat astonished the Christchurch people. One of the gentleman who went North as an extra, got bo excited that he yelled and shouted like a maniac, going through extraordinary gymnastic movements all the while, and finally attempting to stand up on his head. Two sagacious conservators of the peace observing him came to the conclusion that he was an escaped lunatic, and bearing in mind the recent tragedy in which one of these unfortunates played a prominent part, they seized him, and attempted to convey him away. He resisted strenuously, but being put into a straight jacket, he was finally conveyed to a place of safety, and kept in durance vile until released by his friends, who, however, had some little difficulty in persuading the police that he really was sane. N.B. — Some of them had doubts themselves on the subject.

We can do some, smart things occasionally in New Zealand, in fact we are not so far behind the Yankees as supposed. A week or two ago a judgment was obtained, and execution issued against a man living in a district within a radius of a hundred miles from Dunedin. The bailiff seized the property of the debtor, and without giving any notice of the sale except to one person, sold it to this person for about a tenth of its value.

In one of the suburban municipalities the Mayor did a smart thing the other day. A certain Councillor — a notorious firebrand — sent in his resignation, as he had done on previous occasions, fancying it would not be accepted. When it came before the Council it was proposed to ask Councillor to -withdraw his resignation, but His Worship remarked that a man knew his own business best, and no one would be foolish enough to Bend in a

resignation unless he meant ifc. Then turning to the Councillor he remarked — " Of course you are sincere in this, Councillor , your really wish to sever your connection with this Council?" *| Yes," replied the unfortunate Councillor in a hesitating way, whereupon the resignation was accepted, to the intense delight of some of the other Councillors, and to the immense chargrin of the Councillor in question.

Captain Hutton has got foul of the Reverend Dr Stuart, re the opening of the Museam on Sundays, without expressing a decided opinion one way or the other. It seems to me that neither of them acted wisely in the matter. First, the worthy Dr makes an incorrect statement as to how the Museum was opened, and then Captain Hutton writes a very foolish letter to the University Council, asking to be protected against this statement. If Captain Hutton wishes to be protected by the Council from all statements of this kind made from pulpits, I am afraid he will give them plenty of work. His best plan will be to treat everything of this sort with the contempt it merits. He must know that the clerical mind abhors anything in the shape of innocent amusement or recreation on Sundays, and will always fight against it.

We do get some extraordinary telegrams occasionally, as, for instance, that " France will be placed in a state of siege, on account of some radical disturbances, but others urge war." Now, what on earth can this mean ? I hear that it's got something to do with General Grant, but which side he's on, and who's going to do the besieging, I can't find out.

A young friend of mine had a very mean trick played upon him the other day. He is very proud of an incipient moustache, and is excessively open to flattery upon the point. His fellowclerks, taking advantage of his weakness, flattered him very much on the subject, and persuaded him to let them feel it, aa they were sure it was growing very fast. They felt it — with inky fingers — and succeeded in giving him a magnificently fierce black moustache, curling half way up his cheeks. Just then hia employer's bell rang, and on his answering it, he got stared at in a peculiar manner both by some visitors and his master. However, he suspected nothing, though whenever he went out everyone who met him smiled, till he went home to lunch, when, on looking into a glass, the awful truth burst upon him. He is still proud of his moustache, but he won't let anyone feel it now.

Mr Blair's report, I think, has pretty well settled the prospects of those big proprietors who set up the Oamaru people to make an attempt to get a railway made over two mountain tops. I would suggest the little song, " Up in a balloon, boys, up in a balloon," as an appropriate one under the circumstances. Whether the railway will ever be constructed is quite a different matter.

I see our friend Barton has got into hot water again, this time with Mr Justice Richmond as well as the Chief Justice. It certainly is extraordinary what a faculty he has of setting every one by the ears. When he was here, Bar squabbles were perpetual, while, since he has left, nothing in the shape of a row has been seen. Wellington practitioners, previous to his arrival among them, seem to have behaved themselves in a gentlemanly way in the conduct of their business, but now a change has come over the spirit of their dream. If our little friend does not take care, he will go too far some day with his quarrelsome propensities, and may get his string drawn effectually.

The cheek of the Victorians is wonderful. They fancy they can beat Englishmen at anything pretty well, particularly in cricket. The prize fighter of the world, one might say, having arrived, a Victorian bruiser took it into his head to try conclusions with him. The result was wonderful, for in two minutes the Victorian cried^" Enough," never having been able to touch his opponent, and having got a dreadful basting.

The interminable dock question is beginning to crop up again. This time the contractor is the aggressive party. Tompkins says P has got the Harbour Board by the wool ; but though I don't go so far as that, I think he will lead them a pretty little dance before he is done with them. How pleased Messrs John Oargill and the crowd who made all the fuss about the site of tha docks must feel with the result of their efforts ! It seems very probable that the old plan may yet be adopted, so that all they have done is to keep Dunedin back a couple of years, and put the Harbour Board — in other words, the citizens — i,o an enormous expense.

For the sixteenth time, we have been told that Martin Cunningham, the Ohau murderer, lias been arrested, and then it proves to be someone else. Of course, if the Police go on arresting everyone indiscriminately in tiiis way, they are bound to hit upon the right man some day — if he'a alive — though it's unpleasant for the unfortnnates who aro arrested on suspicion.

I scarcely understand Bishop KcviU's objection to put a motion that an association be called the English Church

Christian Young Men's Association. It eeemed to me that ho claimed for his scot or denomination the position of tho Church of New Zealand. Surely he must know that no sect in the Colony has the slightest right to arrogate to itaelf such a position It is such ill judged pretensions that excite ridicule, and cause all manner of jealousies and ill-feelings, on the part of the other religious bodies. In Ofcago, for instance, the Presbyterian Church is a far more numerous and influential body than tho Anglican Church. Why should not they call themselves the Church of New Zealand 1 In a recent trial here between a Presbyterian Church and a contractor, the latter being clearly wrong, one of tha Jurymen is said to have exclaimed — " Slate the Church ; d — n them, they are Presbyterians, and I hate 'em !" showing that intolerance is by no means uncommon among us ; and it's not likely to become uncommon when the head of a religious body makes such a preposterous claim ss that of Bishop Nevill's.