OUT AND ABOUT TOWN.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 31, 4 August 1885, Page 2

OUT AND ABOUT TOWN.

(To the Editor of the P.B. Independent.) Sib, —Being a man about town and seeing and hearing much that is going on worthy of note I will, with your permission, end providing I am allowed to do it in my own way, give your readers the benefit of my experiences. But before I commence I may as well state that I am an old press man, and though a “ snide ” (i.e. counterfeit) one, sincerely hope that I may never become “ snider ” (a worse counterfeit.) And I likewise wish to inform your readers that you and I have not, like somebody else we know, arranged that I should write foolery about the barmaids and other things under the signature of “ S.” and “ J. 8.,” so that you could make some comments upon it in a thing you call a leader, but which I, “ Snide," call a misleader. That sort of thing you know, Mr Editor, may do for decrepid old Sarah, but would not suit young Independent, as it is the last resort of incompetency and sheer humbug, totally unworthy of even a printers devil. “ Struck oil ” has been the faint cry, but I should like to hear your opinion about this matter. There some funny yarns going about as our R.M. identifying himself with this job, and I must say that it does not look quite the clean potatoe for him to affix his signature to a thing of that sort, whether genuine or not. I hear people talking about a Minister of Justice antidote. If so serve him right for allowin"; himself to be made a cats paw or. But I suppose I had better not say too much about this, as you seem, by your silence, to have been squared. Being hard up for pastime last Thursday I betook myself to tho R.M. Court in order to hear what sort of a fist old Turton would make of his dirty job. He certainly seemed in his element, and Kenny could not hold a candle to him. As for the case itself, I am as I before stated, an old paper man and, consequently, not over and above nice, but I got so disgusted with the filthy details, that I hod to clear ; and I and many friends have pronounced a verdict that it is a crying shame to hear such a disgraceful case with open doors, and a lot of larrikins present. Then again, why was a girl, in tho condition of the prosecutrix, kept all day standing in the dock whilst undergoing such a trying ordeal ? If she had been a fashionable harlot in velvet, there is little doubt but what more care would have been taken of her, and a neat

provided. But lam glad io hear tha this has now been remedied. In these days of clever operation: and wonderful engineering jobs th< following might he dedicated to oni gigantic Esculapiaus. A young womat ran a needle into the left foremost digit under the nail where it (the needle) broke off short. Result, great pain and inflamation ; doctor sent for who looks at it, hums, ahs, and advises constant poultices, fomentations, rest and operation. After he's gone Sirs ff. Ward calls in, looks at it, ah, ahs writes letters to Shrimpton, O’Rvan, and another asking for the loan of a magnet ; Shrimpton refuses, O’Ryan sends a powerful one. Old lady goes to work, and without much to-do succeeds in extracting the broken needle.—Moral, science without common sense is like porridge without salt. That was a scurrey trick of the big Tom-and-Jerry shop. Got old Skillicorn to sue the insurance company in his own name, so that if he won they would collar the money and if he lost they would let him be sold up for the law expenses, the same as has eventuated, Hope it will be a warning to others to keep their fingers out of the lobster claws of the Big Pawn Shop its old grubber. JK I see that the young fry of the own are getting up a debating society. Not a bad move if they can get people fools enough to make themselves a butt for whetting their legal knives on, and to pay into the bargain. But as the child is father to the man, so this move is in character with their future professional line of conduct. Councillor Townley’si Special T.nun Sheme seems to have been sat upon pretty considerably by Councillor Graham at the last meeting of the Borough Council, and trje rest of the sheep seemed to follow. It was rather unkind of them, especia ly after the inspired article which ap leared in the rag of the previous ce ’o ; ng—which said journal seems to i rown (slang for “ understand ”) to n ithing, while it (paradoxica’ly) Brow n s to everything but the truth. Ho much the better for the Indefendent 1 Before another loan is started, or at least before I and all my friends agree to one, we want to know what they are going to do about the bridge. It is not I’kely that we are going to allow ourselves to be taxed for the purpose of putting our money in the hands of such men as are in the present Council. The way they have behaved over the Turanganni Bridge is quite sufficient evidence that they are not entitled to the ratepayers' confidence. If they want any money they can get it from the man who bosses the greater part of them, and whose terms they pretty well know. Cr. Graham said the ratepayers would follow what the Council proposed but he will find out his mistake when it eomes to the polling. We have seen enough of the wharf store and foreshore jobs, and now the bridge affair, to g'.ve us every confidence in the present Board. Ou yes, every confidence We will see at the next election. Why the present ■* - Parliament and Sir Julius Vogel is nothing to them and their schemes. I am very pleased to see that Mr Weaver has directed his attention to the practical and honest object of a water supply for the town. If there are any obstacles thrown in the way. I would strongly advise him to takoyour tip and start a water company. There need be no gas in that bore hole. I hear there is some nice little dodgery going on about theharbor, and a great deal of anxiety is being exhibited about the welfare of the sand spit on the Waikanae. The sharks are fully on the alert, and much maneuvering is going on amongst certain wide-awake members. There appears to be much dodging about the place where they are to get the metsl from, and various strings are being pulled by the show men. But I fear I have transgressed too far on your space, if not on vou and your readers patience, so I will cut it short for the present and go on with my yarn in another scrawl. Snide.