PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 5

PASSING NOTES.

. «. (From Saturday's Daily Tinier)

lt was with wliat, I suppose, we must call ntting ceremony that the foundation stone of the Free" Public Library was laid. There were the inevitable speeches incidental to the occasion, and there, has been published some poetry— over twenty stanzas, no less, partly autobiographical and wholly strange, by Dr Stenhous?. This library of ours, when it is finished, is, &o the man in the street disrespectt'ully &ays, to' be a white elephant — that is, unless the Athenaeum subscribers perform the happy dispatch and hand their institution, box and dice, over to the City Council. True, thie involves an appeal to the patriotism of the subscribers, an appeal made, in all solemnity and with magnificent unction, by that genuinely* patriotic soul, Mr Barclay. The Athenteum, he infoims us, received provincial moneys between 1861 and 1874 I to the 1 amount of about £7000, and the ! present value of the institution being, he has discovered, only £7600, a curious arithmetical process leads him to the conclusion that the Athenaeum a 6it stands really belongs to the public and that the committee thereof is merely a trust-ec for the city. That being s-o, nothing is easier than to furnish the Free Public Libiary with all the equipment it needs. Let the Athenaeum books be. placed on the sheSes cf the city library, and there at once you have your stock, and at no expense to "'the ratspa3'ers. And who is a penny tho worse? Are the books no: there for tlie Afherseum subscribers just the same aa they are now? And 19 the city not saved a large sum of money? Nothing -could be more delightfully simple. The marvel must be that a plan so exce!i lent has not appealed long ago to the Athenaeum subscribers. For. maik you, they are, teste Mr Barclay, to have all the privileges they now enjoy at one-half the annual subscription they pay to the Athenaeum. That should assuredly suit them. Their personal interest -vmII be served as a consequence of their patriotism. But the arrangement may strike^ a few people as somewhat singular. We have been led to believe we were to have a free public library. We learn now that, when the Athenaeum hands over its books, the City Council will mn a lending library at a small annual cost, not exceeding half a guinea, to subscribers. Wheie does the public come in?— the public which wants a free public libraiv, and which is netting £10,000 from the millionaire of Skibo Castle to enable it to satisfy its wants. Is it merely to have the privilege of reading the papers fiee and of ufcing a reference library free ?

The ill-mannered member of the Wellington trade unionist deputation to the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour, canicnear changing the whole course of political history. Not that the individual himself could in the least effect any substantial change. Boors never do. But his exhibition opens up great possibilities The idea that all scaffolding inspectors should l>e ' unionists is original enough in all conscience, and far-reaching enough in general application if logically applied. But the idea of members of a deputation putting in telling interjections at inconvenient moments is capable of wide development and possibly disastrous consequences — to Ministers. Imagine the shots I could fire at a Minister were I either politically inclined or materially interested enough in any question to make one of a deputation. "You won't reign long!" would be very tame in comparison. On more important deputations I could take Mrs Crvi-;, and between us the life of a Cabinet Miniut ti-

might be made much more uncomfortable than by any trcde unionist crying for the moon. Xo irere mar. — not even a Cabinet Minister — has yet cornered a woman in an argument or eHieidate-cl an explanation of th° all-suflicieut "Because." Lord PalmerstoD. when Prime Minister, vias on one occasion "touched and pained" because an enormous crowd of Englishmen received him in absolute silence. Such silence may be eloquent, but the new idea of prophesying deputations takes my fancy most. A little elaboration may not be amiss. An Opposition deputation might induce, a Government member to introduce it to the Minister. The Minister would, of course, in glowing language paint rosy pictures of what would be accomplished by the Government, aided by the unceasing exertions of the member for the district — Government again, of course. Then the interjector could remark that ail this must be done soon, for he has sure and certain information that the member for the district would be replaced by an Opposition man at the next elect on as a prolude' to the change of Government, which, it is so generally recognised, is close at hand. Put into action often enough and plausible 'enough, Ministers in time would believe it, ami resign in sheer desperation. It has the merit of applicability to whichever party is in power. I make no charge for advice, but certainly expect it to be followed. And if those X.CL s who are coming do not turn out to be unionists I'll l^consider my determination not to enter politics.

I am no gardener; fuithermore, I know nothing of what is implied in a phrase I have heard somewhat constantly of late, "the lore of the garden." There is a pleading in the turn of the word 6, inspired I take it by the fastionable rraze for dilettante gardening which T<?ve!s in such books as '" Elizabeth and Her German Garden," "Pot Pourri from a Sumy Garden." with its three stout volumes, " The Garden of a Commuter's Wife," and all modern garden books whose popularity may be part of the avowed desire for a return to the simple life. Like most men, I find iquch cause for congratulation in the grovun? tendency among women to busy themselves in gardening interests. Sunshine' and fresh air are sworn foes to headaches and " nerves." Moreover, if the trini young girl-gardener should presently deliver my acquaintances from the tyranny of the "jobbing pardener" an irritating topic of conversation would be shelved. For myself, I ask no more than the regular supply or the kindly fruits of the earth [selected personally by Mm Civis] at my back door, and a pleasant stretch of grass whereon to rest the. eyes as the smoke from my pip© curls upwards. Therefore it is with a distinct sense of unselfish viitue that I pass on to my readers. the letter of a correspondent signing herself " Lettice." A charming name this, fragrant with old-world suggestions of leisure and lavender, yet carrying piquant suggestions of the flesh-pots of modern life as embodied in some skilfully compounded salad. "Lettice"' writes "at length, and must be content to be summarised thus : "Dear Civi*, —Washington lias been called " the city of maznificent distances." "Why ehoiTd nc<- Dur^din be converted 1 hito ''the city of exquisite colour?" Nature and circumstance p rovl<^ e bickgrouncl on which may be embroidered such a scheme- of co'our aswoiild impress your city for erer on the memory of the traveller. ... It is as easy as A, B, C. A few wcrds will explain my* scheme. To realise it, please think of the many fine bVcks of buildings in the heart of the city, such as the A.M.P. pile in Prmces siref', with all its distinctive architecture, the old Colonial Bank buildings, the many fi.i* bocks bo-tb in the heart of the city" avd a'o.ig the principal streets. What a grey, dingy monotone tliev presen', despite the fineness of the buildings themselves. I would call Nature in to change it, since tlio i= the c l! y colourist who never B*nke« ?. discordant note. . . . Nature limited to window boxes, cud expressing J-f-r-uelf in the bright tone* of geraniums end lobelia*, and the tiailing green of creepers, c\ev. the hcjielv, cheerful yellow of i/touecrop . . . What a b'aze of co'our wou'.J greet us m the sunny sheltered aspects, what a pleasant re'ief fiom soidid ir>onotony even the scarlet of geranium and the fragrance of wr.linowei- would lend to the more expcseJ situations. 'lhere would be such a'lded cheeriulnevs in the very vista of the slreeta tba' it would be an outdoor treatment for the- mentally afflicted. . . . I fm rot a business woin<<n, dear Civia; I only know and feel things. The technical details I leave to your e'ever brain; but if my scheme needs a tax to carry it out I am quite ready to be taxed. Lettice My dear woman, for this is a true woman, I know — no pinchbeck lydy — long may you continue to " know and feel" and escnew the conciete path of the business woman. I have presented your scheme (somewhat more difficult I imagine than A B C) to a money-making public in your own words, or f-ome ot them. But, •'Lattice," a word in your ear: Knlist th© sympathies of that excellent body, the Amenities .Society.

A fteiurous correspondent earns my appro\"il by presenting me with a stoiy winch is good enough to he his best; or if he lias any better I take this opportunity of assuring him I shall be glad to hear them. The demand for a gocd story by no means creates the supply — a trade pioblem awaiting solution. Meantime the story . Seme 40 year? ago or thereabouts an Indian minister called Gavadzia came to Scotlard, and was being entertained m Edinburgh by the leading clergy of the city. In a ceitain maiue lie had kippered salmon for breakfast one niornin<r, which be appeared to enjoy very much, fcr ere tlte meal was over he asked hi? ho='.ess if he might be allowed to a<=k what the clish was. The reply was " Certainly, that is kippered salmon" He repeated the word " kippereri, kjppcrd ' Hi^ knowledge of English vras limit'-d, a?ul hrasked, -Then yray what, dee, kippered mean'?' 1 "Oh. pir ~cr\ecl,' \\a= Ih<» repiy. Nothing mare pa-^d to indicate his ignorance, l.ut when the morning of his departure came, en sayirg good-bjc to the ministers wife the=e were hi- vord=1 Gcod-b-e, Mr* , and mjy the Lord kipper yr ur c d. He had taken the first opportunity of übiny a new word which tasted better than

"preserve." To this I may add an instance of what may be called " cautious prayer," which came under my grateful observation many years ago. The clergyman was noted for hie habit of discursive prayer. i He had been most hospitably entertained ' during a somewhat lengthy visit, and was anxious to make a really handsome return. After praying for every member of the household, individually and collectively, he framed his concluding appeal with the anxious air of one who remedied an oversight thus •. " And, oh, Lord, we pray Thee to bless little Johnnie, who is going back to all the temptations of school this morning — at. least, O Lord, so I am informed."

Dear Civrs, — No doubt quit© a number of learned Thebans, after reading the word ' maxissima " in your Passing Notes a week or two ago, fancied that ..they had at last caught Ccvts tripping. Net I, though. I remembered that little affair of " Athelsteaei i the Unready," and declined to step into the j trap spread fesr the feet of the unwary. For i I cto believe that you wrote the word deliberately, of i»aKce prepense. But mow, as. this letter is do doubt only one out of many* addr«3&ed to you on the "subject, will you kindly explain why you used that remarkable" word. Is it formed on the analogy of Shakespeare's " most chiefest," or is there classical authority for it? — Yours, etc., Back Blocks; Thus do "tour best friends misunderstand us ! Only the toughening due to many years of journalism enables me to bear unmoved the suggestion of malico prepense in connection with '" maxissima," or, mii deed, any other " issima." It is rarely, 1 | take it, that we are any of us so completely in the condition of " mens sana in I corpora sano" as to add that note of joyous exuberance to our " mea oulpa." ! More frequently the phrase is conceded 1 grudgingly • and flavoured with acidity. I j remember {he dictum of one, once a familiar figure in "our nlidst, who regarded his always immaculate silk hat with a species | of affectionate regard, and spoke of such head-gear as " the finishing touch of a. \ gentleman." Maxissima might so be regarded in relation to my mea ciilpa, the very apex and finishing' toucli. Yet " Back Blocks " cavils and breathes the odious doubt implied by " malice prepense." Truly some people are never satisfied. Civis.

The case of Bremner and others versus the Corporation of Dunedin, involving a number of interesting questions with reference to the right of the City Corporation and the local Volunteers to the Oavereham Drillshcd, was to have come before Mr Justico WilJiams in the Supreme Court on the 15th. Owing, however, fo the death oi Mrs MacOregor, mother of Mr W. C. MacGregor. counsel for the defendant, the hearing of the case was "adjourned until the week after next., 1 The Iri^h delegates — Messrs J. Devlin, MJP.,. and J. T. Donovan — who visited New Zealand recently, in a letter to the Tablet, express their gratitude "to the people of all creeds ani classes in this progressive colony" who contributed to the success of their mission. "Nothing," they say, "could exceed the- wonderful enthusiasm "and geneI rosity of the friends and sympathisers o£ ! Ireland in New Zealand, who rallied to tho practical support of our cause. "We succeeded here far beyond our keenest anticipations. Apart from tho financial tribute of well over £5000 given towards the exchequer of Ireland's fighting army in the' cause of freedom, the permanent moral effects of our efforts in illumining the issues involved in the Homo Rule problem is tc us the most encouraging feature of our tour through those beautiful islands." Three diseased pigs which arrived in Dunedin from Gere were on the 15th seized and condemned by Inspector Donaldson owing to their being in an unfit state for human consumption. The Southern Maori Mission, which fome two or three years ago was taken over by the Methodist Church, continues to do good work amongst tho Natives of the South Island between Lyttrlton and Stewart liland. In conepquenr-e of the isolated position of many of tho Xatnos, and the large oxtont of ground to bo ooverod, Hemi, the missionary, has found it difficult to visit with regularity some of the outlying pas. Last Sunday Hcmi was invited to the Trinity Methodist Sunday School, and was presented by one of the scholars, on behalf of the school, with a bicycle. The missionary, in thanking the scholars and) teachers for their handsome and useful gift, gave some account of the difficulties he met with in reaching all the Maoris under his charge, and expressed his pleasure at tho help their bicycle would afford him in carrying on the work. The mission is now under the control of a board appointed by the Methodist Conference, and those wishing to support the work are, requested to ■•end their donations trt the treasurer (Mr E. Rosevear, of the Bible Depot). It does not seem to be generally known that boys who are selected for the training 6hip Amokura will have their passage: granted to proceed to headquarters (no matter how far di-tant they may be located), tho cost beinsj dcfiaycd by the Government. If found unsuitable in any report tlm boys will ha\o their passages granted back to their first place of departure. Boys proceeding on, or returning from, hohdaj leave are granted passages both ways at the expense of the Govern* nient, and when going on leave they are supplied with sufficient clothing to carry, them along 'during that period, :this clothing being snugly packed in a holdall specially made for that purpose. - -The first selection of boye will take 'place in about two weeks. The system under which, the boys' clothing is made will enable every boy to be fitted^ in a most perfect manner*