CHRISTCHURCH CHAT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 9950, 10 March 1894, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH CHAT.

[FROM AN EX-KESIDEXT IX TAKAXAKI.] The much praised climate of New Zealand is a fearful and wonderful arrangement that passeth all understanding. Within the last week or so we have had samples of all sorts and sizes — one day so hot that one only wished to take off one's flesh and sit in one's bones; next day wet, wet, wet, and wind, wind, wind; and now as I write I think irresistibly of the poor fellows finding the North-west passage, and sympathise with them accordingly. The regatta people are most unfortunate, for they again had bad weather. Lake Forsyth is dreary enough at any time, but on such a day as last Thursday it makes you shiver to think of it. All the races had to be postponed. A great crowd, probably with previous experience of Lake Forsyth, preferred comfort and shelter, and so took advantage of the general holiday to visit the Gothic, with the result that the hospital will benefit to the extent of £126. The wisdom* of management of the railways by Commissioners was exemplified. Instead of putting on excursion trains to Lyttelton, only the ordinary trains ran. Any smart business man would have had cheap excursions, and rolled in the shekels by the bucketful. But with our red tape and sealing wax system it would rumple the collars and cuffs of those in the ofiice, " don't-yer-know," to study the convenience of " the dem'd public." We are within a week or two of the local option poll, but I can find nobody outside the Prohibition crowd taking the smallest interest. I should not be surprised to find that not a quarter of the electors will take the trouble to vote. Nine out of ten of the people I meet are so ill-acquainted with the new Act that they fancy that they will have to vote either for an increase or reduction of licenses or prohibition. The returning officer will have a glorious time, and the informal votes will be in more than threefifths majority. Our Cathedral Square has been the general people's forum for years past, but now our sapient Municipal Council wanted to stop all meetings. I suppose they were so highly successful in the late endeavour at mischief making over the Street Corner By-Law that they thought how otherwise they could make brilliant asses of themselves. However, they decided to allow meetings in the evening. Oh ! wise men. I was standing by the Bank of New Zealand the other day when I noticed, as I have often noticed before t how many really pretty girls there are in Chiristcliurch. I do not believe there is another town in the colonies that can show so much feminine beauty. Thinking thus I grew poetical, and recalled Byron's lines : " That womankind had but one rosy mouth To kiss them all at once from north to south." Suddenly, without warning, round the corner came an apparition in a big coalscuttle bonnet, trimmed with flaming red, round its waist was a broad zone on which was conspicuously embroidered, " God first." I looked in the face and fled. When I recovered consciousness my lifelong admiration for Byron was gone. For those two lines he snould have been shut up in a lunatic asylum. But stay ! he may never have seen a Hallelujah lass on the shady side of forty. Although only yet in February our boys are getting ready for the football season. I hope they will have a good time. A Sunday or two ago I went out to New Brighton on the occasion of the annual picnic of the Freethought Association. The picnic was held at Bligh's Gardens, and a most enjoyable day was spent. The Lyceum Brass Band played a good selection of dance music, and dancing was indulged in most of the day. • In the afternoon a cricket match was played between the local Sailing Club and the Association. It was not first cla&s cricket but the game was thorouglily enjoyed. The children were well cared for. There was cake, fruit, toys, and good things in'abundance. I need hardly say that some of the '' goody-goody people " were horribly shocked. For myself I can only say it carried me back to the old times in France. I could not help contrasting the happy, joyous faces on the tram with the dismal, doleful, hypocritical faces that looked up on them from the pathway in such pious horror.