What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1783, 19 September 1874, Page 3

What Everybody Says.

■ «• In multitude of counsellors there is safety. ■ , —Old Proyers I Once upon a time there was such a I thing us party feeling on the Thames, but f * the good sense of the people, aud a weeding out of certain discordant elements had together very nearly effected a complete amalgamation, only disturbed, occasionally, by trifling circumstances, sufficient to ■ prevent utter stagnation. In the old ,' times—when party feeling ran high —it was necessary to belong to., one or the other section ; there was no temporising :it was for or against. Now there seems to bo every probability of a renewal of hostilities—not of tho old type, regulated by differences of creed and inborn national prejudices, but that peculiar arranging of parties which shows a house divided against itself—the most damaging' state of social antagonism which can possibly arise. All this has come about from a very simple cause —so simple iiv its origin that if the participants (that^allof them) had been actuated by ] the best motives thers would have been j the greatest unanimity. It remains to be seen which is right. Perhaps everybody may be right, but the,'settlement of the question is very tardy, and if it is much longer deferred everybody "will be inclined to say *'a plague on both your parties." The Borough Council's recent proceedings betoken the comingl storm. The once happy family are likely to have jars of prodigious dimensions. It may not be altogether satisfactory to see suet a nica little assembly as the Borough Council always in accord, but it should be remembered that difference of opinion need not necessarily lead to discord, because the latter oftimes leads to evil; and there is a proneness in human nature 1o carry opposition to extremes in Uorough matters as in others of greater moment. Reformation does not necessitate revolution. In tact extreme views on any subject are apt to lead those who hold them into the very •rrors which they seek to amend. This little sermon is commended to the consideration of Borough Councillors. Let ( them con it, and remember that somebody has said " whatever is, is right.'* This doctrine of optimism would be good for . electors, if not for members. A little fracas happened the other day which relieved for a time the monotony which characterised tho . Corner. Two gentlemen allowed their temper to get the better of them, and indulged in rather strong—in fact, unparliamentary language, for which they are no doubt heartily sorry. It is not; for the purpose of retailing the language or describing the scene that reference is here made to the matter, but merely to chronicle the opinion of a youngster whose code of honor was shocked by the smallness of results. Relating what had occurred he said : "Mr. — called JVJr. a sanguinary ■" ■ ■ > and he didn't hit him! " The opprobrious epithet expressed by a dash is a little word of four letters; the adjective preceding it is aptly termed sanguinary ; and as in ordinary usage the application of such a term is generally answered with .1 blow, the unit of everybody! -before ie.erred to was thunderstruck that gentlemen could descend to th» use of suet terms, and yet refrain from following it up with an appeal to force of arms when the force of language could no further go. The Premier has created a sensation in Auckland equal to that which was felt when he first came 1 down to the House with his ten million borrowing proposals. He paid a flying visit, and instead of devoting, the few hours at his disposal to those social amenities to which he is said to be addicted in the periods of relaxation —amenities suggestive of a snug room at "the club" and "unlimited "—well, whiskey hot or other beverage, according to taste—in an evil moment he consented to make a speech to the free and independent electors. He made a speech, and a good speech, too, but he disappointed the popular orator class and offended some who would hare gloried in seeing him pulled to pieces. Declining a personal combat with the coming popular man, when the chairman declared the meeting at an end the Premier wished his auditors " good evening " and left —a course of procedure which has furnished his enemies with a harp of a thousand strings— a pretext for abuse which they could not Lav© invented »r arranged in a century of Sundays. But the Premier has an advantage over his enemies now. He's gone away, and his speech will be read and commented upon* while the bowlings of his disappointed cavillers will be disregarded. Mr. Vogel is somebody to everybody in New Zealand ; but the Rees's are nobodies to those who don't know them, and very small potatoes to those who do.