What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2105, 2 October 1875, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

" In multitude of counsellors there is safety." / T: , - ■ !'* — Om> Proverb The Bright Smile stoppage has unaouDtealy been the most interesting topic of talk with everybody, during the latter part of the week, and if it is put first in order in this place it is because of its importance. It is a question which concerns everybbdy ihore or -less ;• the shareholders primarily—the everybodies and nobodies next. It concerns the shareholders first, it may be said, because many of them find that what was once worth five pounds, or considered to be worth five pounds, is now of the market value of half-a-crown. Another notable instance of the vicissitudes., of mining, shares. JXo. the shareholders the :Sfc^|>page pf/the wofk's appeals directly f fit ' appeals rt6"~ -their breeches' pockets. To everybody it appeals indirectly as suggesting the •possibility of a crisis which may mean partial ruin, or ab the least a stagnation more appalling than anything previously seen. The shareholders have no doubt ere this realised the full extent of the financial difficulties by which they are surrounded. If they can see their way to "pulling through" everybody will be glad, but at present the suspense is really agonising. They should be able to do it, and it is hoped they may. One thing is urgent. The neighboui'ing mines must come to the rescue and contribute their fair share of the pumping expenses. If they decline to do this they deserve to come to grief, as they undoubtedly will, and the mine which reaps the most advantage at present may be the first to cry out. The Bright Smile difficulty is a public question; the public must bring the weight of their influence to bear 5 and if that is done no doubt the Smile will smile again, and make everybody smile. But those banks. Miners beware ! N ever finance beyond your depth. Let your sinking and your stoping keep pace with your credit, and don't put it in the power of any body of bloated capitalists to bounce you through irresponsible agents. Some businesses languish for lack of credit, and some undertakings come to grief through having too much of it; but in big things the creditor generally comes out best.

Some good natured banter has been indulged in this week. A well known mining manar er has been elevated to the position of." the highest authority on the Thames." Those who know.the native modesty of the " highest authority" also know that he did not court the distinction. He is good at a long shot, and occasionally he might perhaps plead guilty to " drawing the long bow." But nobody ever suspected him of arrogance or affectation in his peculiar business avocation. Some one has attempted to make a joke out ©f it, by saying that as he is the " tallest," he must necessarily be the " highest" authority on the Thames. But if height in the sense understood in the first mention of this subject meant inches, there be some little great men who will have to hide their heads. Some people achieve greatness (which implies height); others have it thrust upon them. Probably the "highest authority" will say that the latter incidence applies to him.

Readers of Auckland papers have been satiated with sensation this week. A young lady has been apprehended on a charge of larseny, and committed for trial after a hearing of the charges against her. This has furnished a text for the most sensational literature of the day. The young lady's diary (or what purports to be such) has been made the vehicle of numerous articles to satisfy the craving for novelty. The weaknesses of everybody have been played upon ad nauseam, and while there has been a lamentable absence of fact, the realms .of fiction have been drawn upon to an extent that no legitimate bank could honor. . It may be of little moment to the sensation mongers how damaging their pandering to a depraved taste may be to the victim, towards whom being a woman, everybody might have expected something better. But it is quite on a par with Auckland journalism to sacrifice the weak to the inclinations of the strong. Sensation must be had at all risks. ■ It is rattle their bones over the stones, they are some poor weak creatures whom nobody owns. What every boy says of the poor unprotected female would equally apply to an ex-constable brought back under arrest for alleged forgery. No generous sympathies for a man in distress were excited, but an ebullition of savagery disgraceful in its display and unexampled in colonial history for its virulence. This may be Auckland's way of showing abhorrence «f crime, but it is not fair. To persecute a man or woman- before trial is contrary to everybody's notions of right, and the remembrance ofx these things will not conduce to a high estimation of popular feeling as displayed in Auckland city. But what can be expected of that species of virtuous indignation which can loudly condemn the alleged peccadilloes of a frail woman and the laches of an ex-constable at the same time that they combine to suppress the falling off of a British merchant? To make a false declaration in order.to defraud the.Government (and in defrauding thfc Government the people are defrauded) is a more venial offence, than stealing a pocket handkerchief or putting some one else's name to a bit of paper, although such false declaration may be equal to perjury; and the person who is guilty can get off by paying a hundred pcuhds fine, when the full extent of the penalty should,be more than twice that amount. It is right, of course. The Bench of Magistrates agree to whatever is suggested, and out of consideration for the said magistrates, as much as in the interests of the delinquent, the papers suppress the report of proceedings. It is justice—Auckland justice, and everybody approves it. Why should they not ? Jf everybody said, '■'. Why should they ? " somebody might say "Because this is only a solitary instance, and'the convicted person is unfortunate, and to be pitied, for his crime is that he has been found out, while many of equal blame have gotoff scot free." This may be the real secret of the Bench's leniency and the Press's forbearance, but it is not creditable.