The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1892.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9542, 8 November 1892, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1892.

Tue fifty-first birthday' of the Prince of Wales will be celebrated to-morrow. lii is the cußtom of every country to hold festivities on tho birthday of tho heir of Empire. This custom is upheld, not because the people desiro his accession or entertain very lofty views of his capacity, but thatit is for the public good that there should bo steady adherenco to tho hereditary succession, and that a country may avoid all dispnto as to the person who ib to fill tho throne when tho existing monarch dies. Thiu arrangement is eoroewhat happier for tho country than tLo Royal Family, unless tho love overpower tho suspicion of jealousy, which darkens as a cloud the hearth of a Palace. One of the most bitter letters on record is that written by George 111- to his hod, jo wbjeh he

complains of disrespect of tho most hiiuniitatirjg kind, wilfully displayed toward him by the Prince of Wales. The prevhas Georges were oa bad terms with their successors, and the hostility was so conspicuous aB to become a public scandal. The functions of royalty m England are so defined by law that they hardly admit of much discretion. The raoral character of the monarch is indeed of great value as restraining the excesses into whuh luxury is liable to degenerate and as nocessary to that influence which in great crises is the best support to the throne. Tho present Royal Family are respected for their family virtues; and the Prince of Wales ia very popular with the people. It is, however, idle to deny tho fact th t tbe Heir Apparent to th© British Throne does not occupy the same high position aa either the late Prince Consort or liia mother, whom all true-hearted subjects of British rule are proud to honor. But, after all, the main reason why most of us keep the Prince of Wales' birthday as a publn holiday is more for the sako of tho relaxation it affords th .n for any profound interest in tho recurrence of the event which wo celebrate. It cannot be said wo regard the anniversary of the Prince's birth with anything like the enthusiasm they do at Home ; but still by observing the day as a day of rojoicing and holiday making, we show that we pay due respect to the British Throne, and to tbe position tho heir to it occupies. The machinery of the Government, like all other machineries, is a means to an end. Tho machinery is the best that w< rks beßt, and the machinery that is best for ono country may not be the be-t for another. What ever theoretical shortcomings the constitution of Great Britain may bo supposed by other na'ions to possess, it woi-ks well. Under it the people are free, contented und happy, without desire for change, and without apparently a prospect for it. It is this, our freedom we shall rejoice over on Wednesday as well as the Prince of Wales' birthday.

To-morrow, being a public holiday, tho Taranaki Herald will not bo published.

Captain Edwin telegraphed at 1.30 p.m. to-day :—" North to west and southwest gale, with rain and heavy sea after twenty hours from now ; glaßß fall soon."

The Gairloch will leave Waitara to night on the arrival of the express train.

At the parade on Monday night the T R.V. Compiny decided to hold a picnic on New Year's Day. The place has not A*et been decided on.

Annual subscribers to tho Recreation Grounds are reminded that they will be admitted free to tho sports to-morrow (Wednesday) on production of their tickets.

A telegram from Wellington says that Mr Tregear, Inspector of Factories, is about to make a tour of inspection to enforce the provisions of the Factory Act. He also intends to insist on tbe immediate settlement of the half-holiday question. More irritation for employers

Tho surplus from the sports in the Recreation Grounds on Wednesday wi 1 bo applied for the further improvement and beautifying of tho grounds, go we hope to Bee the meeting well patronised.

The property in Courtenay street, opposite Cameron street, which was purchased on Saturday last by Mr Butterworth for £130, has been sold again by him to Mr Bell for £150.

Captain Prooce, for many years R.M. at Napier, and for the last year at Kaiapoi, baa resigned.

Fifty years ago on Monday last the barque Blenheim arrived at New Plymouth with 150 passengers, who were landed the next day.

Wo have received through tho local agent of the South British Insunnce Company (Mr R. G, Bauchope) a copy of their card calendar and some blotting pads. The almanac is an attr ctivo one, being very neatly got up.

The Recreation Grounds Board have been offered a Maori canoe called "Huirangi" at a reasonable price. Ab tho canoe is a valuible relic of old laranaki, there is every reason to believe that the Board will secure it for use on tho lake.

Professor Mason's Musical Quintette Party commence a season of seven nights at tho Alexandra Hall on Thursday next. The party includes, besides Professor Mason, Mr Cadzow, Miss Castle, Mr Borgin, Miss Harris, and Mr Morris, who form an efficient concert company ; whilst tho Chairman, the Rev W. H. Wilson, assists with an address on Electricity, The charge for admission is only ono shilling, and so popular havo these entertainments been down South, that in Invercargill they drew full houses for twenty five consecutive nights.

Wanted a sweep 1 The householders of New Plymouth are complaining that they are being put to a great deal of inconvenience, owing to there beng no one in town who will undertako the sweeping of their chimnevß Persons are liable to bo fined nnd consequently Beveral have had to adopt the primitive mode of trying to a ropo Bomo furze and pulliuj it up and down their chimney in order to clear its soot. Ihere is a good opening here for a handy man, who would lake up the duties of chimney sweep and roady to do odd jobs about the house for people

Messrs J. and W. Jenkinson have just completed an express to the order of Mr 11. Bullot. Tho body of tlio vehicle is made of best Australian hardwood, with beautiful mangpio panels, which »re ya nished with a composition which improves with ago. The body is suspended on full platform gear, the fore carriage being tho celebrated American platform gear, which ia guaranteed to stand any amount of wear. The brake is a novelty in itself, having a double purchuso working in the centre of the vehicle, and thus the same pressure is brought to bear on each wheel. In a trial test on Monday tho brake acted splendidly on both hind wheels coming down Broughain-stree*. The express is fitted with side seatß and cushions, and will bo found very Buitablo for oxcur.iionieta «Dd picnio parties Messrs. J. ftn d \V. Jenkinsou aro to be congratulated on turning ont Mich a stylish and well finished vehicle.

Lord Onslow was lately represented by a cablo message to have told a ropioEontuhvo of the Pall Mali Gazette that New Zealand offered the I eat advantages for a Salvation Army colony, its homestead law being favourable Tho version of tho samo wessago published in the Australian papers was aa followp, and bears an ontiroly different meaning :-"Tho Pull Mali Gazette publishes an interview with tho Earl of Qnnlow, lato Governor of New Zealand, with reference to tho condition of affairs in tl at colony. Lord Onslow Ban! that (ho beßt means of bringing übout tlio salvation of New Zealand was by settling tho pooplo oa th • land, iv order to open up the country. The homestead law which was in force in Iho colony was highly favourable to the accomolishment of extensive settlement." ' * '

In a Southern contemporary there appeared recent'y the following advertisement:—" Wanted— A gentleman to undertake the sale of a patent medicine; the advertiser guarantees it will bo profitablo to the undertaker."

The Minister of Justice is engaged upon a scheme for reducing the areas of Resident Magistrates circuits in the North Island, with the object of minimising the wast© time in travelling and obtaining officers who will bo able to undertake Native Land Court work.

In a very interesting book called tho "Gossipof a Century," Mario's supersli tions are thus alluded to: — "In private life Mario was a3 charming as before the public, although quite in a different way. Well educated from his youth, he had always mixed much ia tho world, whether at courts, or in the camp, or in chosen company ; his conversation was bright and humorous, and he had made friends among the most distinguished persons of many nationalities. He and Grisi received with perfect savoir-v'wrr, and always with a geniality which constituted the most winning of welcomes; bis remarks were often quaint and original, and it was amusing to luro him into the subject of superstitions, I ckyand unlucky days, omens generaly, and especially the 'evil eye' - what Italian, especially what Southern Italian, does not hold a belief in that ? As for tho ill-fated number ' 12 ' and ' Friday,' both Grisi and ho strongly thared the feeling of Dr. Johnson, Byron, Scott, Sheridan, and other great goniiifcca, and spoke of it as of an established and a justifiable conviction Nothing would indued Mario to undertake or begin anything on a Friday, and neither he nor Grisi would sit down to table if there were 13 guests. If his frequent attitude, especially while residing in the country, was that of the dolcefar nientc, it inußt be admitted he emokoi most industriously. It may be said that, except when actually on the stage, he was never to be seen without a cigar between his lips. Even during Iho performance tho instant he could escape to tho wings he would seize tho cigar always held roa ly for him and smoke literally till called on again."

The following is & capital story about Sam Lever :— " Lovor was a genius, and I believe it ib not unusual for geniuses to be touchy ; but if ho was peppery, the provocation given, unless of a very aggravated nature, was, as a rule, soon forgiven. I remember hia telling me how, at a ball ono night, ia a crowded supper room, happening to espy a friend, he attempted to carry on a conversation with him, notwithstanding the din. The subject of the weather, the temperature of the room, and the character of the assembly haying been exhausted, Lover asked him if he had seen his Dew song, naming tbe title of it. ' Oh, yes, to be sure,' replied the other, thinking he had caught tho name ; 'The Angel Swiss Boy, an 4 a capital song, too, my dear fellow ; you never did anything better. . . .' Lover was disgußted. He repeated the title in a louder tone, bnt with no better effect, eliciting the reply, •Yes, yea. of course— The Ancient Sister-isn't that what I said? Everybody's talking about it, and no wonder ' • Ancient Sister, be ,' exclaimed Lover, thoroughly exasperated ; ' Ancient Sister, indeed I" and, putting his mouth clo.se to his friend's ear, he shouted, ' Tho Angel's Whisper 1' 'Eh ! eh !' said the other, hurrying away to hide his confusion, " that's more like a devil'p yell.' "

Mr Montagu Williams, speaking: from his experience as a London magistrate at Worship-street, says: "The woman often mak«s tho first start towards breaking np the homo whilst her husband is away at work. She forsakes her children and domestic cares for the bar of a ginshop to dritk with a friend. Wheu the greater portion of the husband's earnings are spent, she gooß and goes again to the pawnshop, until at last, in a stato of despair, the husband thinks tbe public bouse not such a bad place, after all, and nine men out of ten go after tho wife."

Madame Grid, the celebrated singer, without possessing much sense of humor, often said droll things, and the quaintness of her Italianised English, abounding with literally translated Italisn idiom, was amusing, not only to others, but even to herself. However, she, liko tho others, took kindly to English customs, and ono day in the foyer des artistes, during a concert at tho Bijou Theatre (when various views were being expressed as to tho beverage least pernicious to the voice), a I agreed in condemning tea as dtteslable, coffee allowable only if taken noir, champagne admissible and Modirt only doubtful. Grisi confessed that for hor part she was very partial to • arf an-arf, 1 and Malibran revealed that in the desert scene in one of Balfe's operas, where she has to drink from a gourd, she always had it filled with .... bottled stout ! In fact, this stimulant seemed absolut-ly necessary to supply tho dash und spirit needed in a bravura song, or in any scene requiriug energy near tl c end of a performance. It is known that sho onco fainted on the stage after singing " Ah Non Giunge," tho finite to Sonnambula, just as if she had been tho real Amina. "Kin I 'Bplanify do Wance doin's ? ; Doed 1 kin, Mr Willis Yer pays de company a few pence a week on yer son's life, an' w'en he diesdey pays yer £20 for de kyarcass." "Am dat p'intedly a fact ? Den I s'pose doy keeps de kyaicass V " " No, sab; dat am de cur'tiß part of it. Dey pays yer for de kyarcuas, but dey lots yerkeepit>erself. It am a very lib'ral 'rangeraent."