What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1849, 5 December 1874, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

ct In multitude of counsellors there ig safety." —Old Proverb

There has been a holiday, and a very good holiday very well kept, during the week. Everybody ceased grumbling for the day and went in for enjoyment—or a show of it, at least, as there are differences of opinion as to what constitutes enjoyment, even amongst those who are the most consistent supporters of the various means of out-door recreation provided for highdays and holidays on the Thames. On Monday last the " means" ranged from opening a church to donkey racing (bipeds) with the thermometer at eighty in the shade. There is one excuse for holiday making now-a-days, that with some people they might as well shut up as make ajshovv of doing business : it helps the forgetfulness of dull times. We are good at holiday making and good at grumbling, but the latter has to give way sometimes, without the slighest consideration of the expense.

At the "holiday" in one direction might have been seen a feature calculated to cheer the hearts and gladden the eyes of everybody but the veriest misanthrophe. It was the gathering of children to have a day's outing at Tararu. Talk about emigration, the presence of such a crowd of youngsters—only a fraction of what could be brought together— would, or ought to be sufficient guarantee for the payment of any amount of Public Works and Immigration loans. Twenty millions will be nothing to a race of JVew Zealandew to pay off, if the race is growing up as rapialy in other districts as at the Thames. The Good Templars have made several ■ conquests amongst local celebrities of late, noticeably one whose accession to | the ranks of the I.O.G.T's was chronicled in due form the day after his name bad appeared as presiding deity at a " social meeting." Of course this was a mere coincidence, but people will talk. Some blame Good Templarism for keeping Ohinemuri closed. They say that if Te Moananui had not joined the Order he would hare been more susceptible to the influence of raibana and Government money. Hot that Good Templarism must be blamed for this, for they or their principles hare effected a moral reformation in one, whereas the opening of Ohinemuri might have benefited a good many socially. On the principle of the motto, " the greatest good for the greatest number," it would have been better to open Ohinemuri and allow Te Meha to remain—a moderate drinker.

That little business ot the collection for the Ladies Benevolent Society has been satisfactorily clearei up as soon as possible after it was brought to light. The nine pounds odd have lain like the one talent, hid in a napkin, for •yei > a year when it might have been oat at interest if somebody had taken the trouble to mention the matter earlier. A polite note from one of the officers or members of the socie! j (and they would write no other than polite notes) would hare prevented the discovery of a mare's nest and saved a certain amount of annoyance to the officers of the kirk in which the money was collected. It is quite possible, however, that the ladies may have been under the impression that the money was absorbed in " expenses," as the proceeds of other so-called "benefits" have been before now.