The Observer.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 58, 22 October 1881, Page 82

The Observer.

Saturday, October 22ni>, 1881

The great question of the hour, next to the Parihaka embroglio, and the conundrums perpertrated by Te Wliiti, is " When will the writs be out ?" Our contemporaries in all parts of the Colony have hazarded many guesses on the subject, all more or less wide of the mark. Some of the special correspondents at the seat of Government who pretend to occult means of obtaining information, have fixed the middle of December for the issue of the writs, while others have placed the period at the beginning of the year. The fact that the Government Mere pressing on the compilation of the rolls, however, lent an air of probability to the idea that the elections would be got through at the earliest possible date. Perhaps the following will set the question at rest. Mr Mackay, who is a candidate for the Coromandel electorate, waited upon the AttorneyGeneral a day or two ago and asked when the elections would take place, to which Mr Whitaker replied "In the first week in December." This will afford ample time for the new House to be made up before the Cliristmas holidays.

To the Editor : Sir, — I called twice to see you re a paragraph, which appeared in your paper last week, purporting to be an aeccrunt of a transaction which took place in St. Mary's Vestry, Parnell. I regret any person shoiild have so imposed on a public journal as to give an account so totally untrue as that which was given you. I will just give you a few facts borne out by the minute book and letters, which are open for inspection : — lst. Mr B. applied in January for the use of a small room in St. Mary's schoolroom, as he was starting a school. (He did not offer any rent, nor did the Vestry require it). This was willingly conceded, on the condition that he kept the room clean, and left it in order for the Sundayschool, held under Capt. Clayton, as Superintendent. Some six months after, Mr B. applied to the Vestry for the use of the large room, as his school was increasing ; and it was moved by Capt. Clayton, and seconded by Mr Hammond (master of the Church Grammar School), " That Mr B. have his request granted, on the same conditions as formally." — Carried. Some few weeks ago a difficulty arose with the contractor for night soil emptying the closets at the school, a\id Mr 8., the contractor said, refused to pay the small amount, though using the building all the week entirely free of charge. So, at the last meeting of the Vestry, it was moved by Mr Kensington (people's churchwarden), seconded by Mr Hay " That Mr B. be informed that unless" lie carries out his agreement the Vestry would have to resume possession." — Carried. Mr Hammond refused to vote, as it avoulc! be misconstrued, and stated so, publicly, at the meeting. The statement lias given great pain to General Gosset (the clergyman's churchwarden), and to Mr Hammond who arc quite innocent of what is imputed to them' I know you are invariably glad to correct any false statement, and though not personally

interested, I feel compelled to give yoxi the actual facts. — I ani, &c, Vesteymait. — [Our correspondent characterises the story as " totally untrue ;" it is a pity he does not prove the charge. He makes but one Specific denial, viz., that B. offered any rent for the use of the schoolroom j but on this point he is quite mistaken. B. made such an offer not once merely, but twice. The nightman's bill has been forcibly dragged into the affair, and made the pretext under which B. should be attacked. B. never refused to pay the contractor. If the latter says that he did, he tells a falsehood. One of the churchwardens, however, told him not to pay it, but leave it over for the present. Our correspondent seems to insinuate that B. failed to clean the room or keep it in repair. B. has, however, put about nine panes of glass in, and has subsidised a woman to do the cleaning on Friday nights ever since he has been in possession. With regard to the proceedings at the last suddenly-summoned Vestry meeting, our correspondent gives a single resolution passed thereat, and discreetly omits all mention of the animated, not to say heated, conversation which preceded it. Resolutions do not represent all that passes at vestry meetings. Who stated that B. had twenty-five pupils at £10 per annum ? Who said that B. had "other sources of income ?" Who recomended, therefore, that B. should be called upon to add £30a-year in the shape of rent for the schoolroom to the church funds ? These matters were all brought up and represented as facts, till some of B.s friends rather freely spoke their minds. The truth of our story, after extended enquiries, we must regard as certain ; and our advice to the parties interested is to let the matter drop. We know of a premature yesignation, and a hastily proposed nomination ; and the latter has a very curious look about it. — Ed. Obs.]

Whatever good qualities Sir Arthur Gordon may possess for governing a colony of niggers, lie is quite out of his element in a country of democratic ideas like Ken* Zealand. His snobbishness, which people here find it impossible to swallow, is again illustrated by the following story. Those who have been only a few months in the colony know that bank managers reckon themselves no small beer. Well, a short time ago it happened that Sir Arthur Gordon sent a request to the Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Wellington to wait upon him at Government House. This the man of bills and discounts did. Having delivered his " pasteboard he strode into the room where his Imperial Highness the Governor of New Zealand, Vice-Admiral of the same, and king of the Cannibal Islands, to boot, sat writing. Ho notice was taken by H.I.H. Then the bank manager coughed respectfully and made it known that he was present, and everyone who knows any tiling of the genus will corroborate our statement that bankers have not much spare time in business hours. At last the great man looked up from his writing and said ; " Why were you not introduced ?" " But I gave my card," said the manager. "Tut, tut," irritably interrupted the Governor, " you should have been introduced before you came into my presence." A thundercloud gathered on the brow of the representative of our big national pawnshop, and lighting flashed in his eye, but will forced calmness, he said, " Probably so Your Excellency. But let me tell you, Governor or no Governor, when next you want to transact business at my bank you will be good enough to call at my office. I wish you good morning." If the Imperial Government wish to consolidate the bonds that binds us to tbe mother country they must send out as viceregents gentlemen — not ridiculous snobs.

Public curiosity is somewhat exercised as to when the Government intend to offer for sale their portion of the Patetere lands. At the beginning of the year two iine blocks (the pick of the whole), comprising an area of 27,000 acres, were selected, by Mr Gill, of the Land Department ; and it was given out that this land was to be immediately surveyed and sold by auction in township or suburban lots. Eight or nine months have passed, and the Government have made no sign. Is this delay another concession to the Patetere Company, and will the Land Purchase Department postpone the sale of the blocks until the company has taken the cream off the market ? or has some grasping Government official cast longing eyes on these fine plains, and reserved them for himself at the first convenient opportunity, as has been so often done elsewhere ?

Everyone will remember how the Duke of Buccleucli tried to " euchre " Mi* Gladstone in Midlothian by creating a number of small leasehold qualifications. A similar dodge has lately been attempted by one of our local companies owning a large number of allotments on the north side of Parnell. The directors proposed to let ,' these allotments to their employes, so as to put

them on the electoal roll, with a view to swamping it ; but the little game was frustrated by some of Mr Moss's friends. If it were not for the old maxim, "De mortuis nil nisi bonum" we might tell how a certain legislator (since defunct) worked the oracle by putting all his employes on the Waitemata roll for small sections of barren land at Riverhead, which were not worth the cost of the Crown Grant, and are not likely to be occupied this side of the millennium.

Nice old man that Titokovvaru must be when he gets outside of his shai'e of "a, dozen bottles of stiff rum." On a recent occasion when this amiable savage was in his cups he playfully threatened to cut the throats of all the European women and children on the Waimate Plains. Now one ef the correspondents deprecates " any necessity for alarm," and explains that it is merely a figurative way the old man has of expressing his friendly sentiments towards his European neighbours. Nature by some wise provision has provided a compensatory feature in even the worst of her nuisances, and perhaps To Whiti and Titokowaru fulfil some mysterious want in the economy of the woi'ld, though for the present it is not very apparent, unless they are designed to stimulate inquiry and speculation as to the meaning of the enigmas they utter from time to time. For instance Te Whiti told Mr Croumbie Browne, the redoubtable " special " of the Lyttleton Times " that he had thus brought matters to a close," and the newspapers are now treating us to various ingenious readings of this sentence. Our own interpretation is that Te Whiti thinks the constabulary will shortly " close " on Parihaka, or that they Avill come to " close " quarters with the Hauhaus.

The " Man-Fish," who arrived in town on Tuesday last, tells a capital story about the new editor of " Liberty." After the fracas in the office, in which the former editor, Mr Montague Moslcy, was severly mauled by powerful bucolics from Timaru, the proprietors felt that some decisive measures must be talcen in order to maintain the reputation of the jmper and to vindicate the freedom of the press. They accordingly made diligent search for an editor who would combine the two qualifications of literary pungency and puglistic prowess. This treasure was found in a certain son of Annie from the West Coast, a powerful muscular fellow who Mas equally at home in the foi'tifer in- vp and the suariter in much). The new editor, or head-hitter, has certain peculiarities of temperament and manner which render him eminently qualified to iill the position with ease and dignity. " jSTatator " describes with graphic and dramatic power the manner in which receptions and interviews are conducted. An irate citizen, thirsting for the editor's blood, knocks at the door of the sanctum ttancforum, and is requested in a voice of Stentor to " Come in." On entering he perceives an apparently small man crouching down in an easy chair with his head just on a level with the table. Graining courage from the diminutive and harmless appearance of the editor, the visitor proceeds to state that he has called about that little piece in the paper. Then suddenly the big head is raised, a gigantic form elongates itself like a giraffe, or a boa-con-strictor on end, a perfect Groliali towers in a threatening attitude with up raised arm over the affrighted visitor, demanding in a voice of thunder "Well, and what about it, eh ?" The interview generally comes to an abrupt termination about this stage. The visitor, backing towards the door, remarks in a deprecatory tone, " Oh, n-n-nothing, only I just called in to pay my subscription," and is politely bowed ont. Under the new regime the internal economy of the office works with the most perfect harmony and smoothness, and the editor, undisturbed by " interviewers " pursues his literary labours in peace.

There is woe and tribulation in the erstwhile happy valley of . Ascetic gloom sits on the jolly faces of the bushmen, the song is hushed, and the jovial glass has been replaced by the old oaken bucket that hangs o'er the well. A certain large firm, which emj>loys a considerable number of hands, has entrusted the management of its business to a gentleman whose religious and temperance views are so intensely strong that he imports them into all the affairs of every-day life, and cannot see any impropriety in seizing every opportunity of delivering himself of jeremiads against the prevailing vices and fauits of the place. Thus a jolly old skipper, distinguished for a habit of embellishing his conversation with strong Anglo-Saxon expletives, was quite taken aback the other day when the manager repi^oved him for using objectionable language in the mill, and said his conscience would not allow him to supply any man with timber who could not refrain from swearing.

But the greatest blow was when the manager caused a strong fence to be erected "between the mill and the adjoining hotel, with the view of preventing adjournments from labour to refreshment. There was a ball at the hotel the other night, and some of the mill hands scaled the fence, a fact which did not escape the observation of the vigilant manager. Forthwith he sallied oiit armed with a tar-pot and brush, and proceeded to daub the fence. Finding, however, that this was ineffectual to restrain the hands within the enclosure, he resorted to still stronger measures by plastering the fence with filth from a neighbouring outhouse. That any man could be so fanatical and disgustingly dirty would bo incredible, were these statements not vouched for by a resident in the vicinity. Furthermore, the manager's private opinions on religion and temperance are said to affect his treatment of the workmen, whose prospects and positions in the mill are regulated strictly according to their outward piety and consumption of cold water. The " Pinky -wcazcls " is the soubriquet now applied to the manager's pets.

Wo are glad to hoar that the people of Hamilton and Cambridge are making determined efforts to secure the release of the unfortunate man Hayes. At Hamilton a memorial to the ActingGrovernor received 100 signatures in one day. At Cambridge, where the Gordons formerly lived, a memorial was also prepared, and in three hours 140 signatures were obtained. These have been att -lied to the Hamilton list. Nearly all the lea ting residents in the two townships have voluntarily come forward, and never was a petition more rushed. Many of those who signed subscribed a small sum of money for Mrs Hayes and her children, and in this Avuya considerable amount of money has been collected in Hamilton. Cambridge added over £8 to the contribution. Attached to the memorial are declarations and affidavits by several important witnesses whose evidence Mrs Hayes was unable to adduce at the trial. '