OBSERVATIONS

Observer, Volume X, Issue 622, 29 November 1890, Page 4

OBSERVATIONS

ON THINGS IN GENERAL.

tIR GEORGE GREY'S serious illness and retirement from public life have formed the chief topic of conversation during the week. There has been a lot of ungenerous jubilation in Queenstroet, and it is freely asserted that his withdrawal from the field giveß the coup de grace to the Liberal candidates for the City. Liberalism and Land Reform have sustained a crushing blow, I admit ; but still I think it a cruel suggestion by the Star, that the grand old war-horse should not be allowed to end his days in peace, admired and beloved by all for many years, but should be forced into the field of conflict, to fall amid the tumultuous din of political battle. #* * *

Onslow and Toole are said to have been inseparable at Wellington ; but opinions differ as to whether it was Toole who ran after the Governor, or whether William Hillier pursued John Lawrence. I suppose it must have been the latter way ; His Excellency is thin, and no doubt wanted to laugh and grow fat.

Another political schoolmaster has appeared above the horizon. T. W. Wilson, who birches the boys at Paparoa, has been furthering the candidature of ' Marsden ' Thompson, and he aiso closed his school on the date of the County Council election that he might help to return his friend. If one or two of these gross breaches of discipline were punished by the offenders being promptly sacked, it would be more effective thaH disf ranohisement in curbing the political influence of our un-Civil Servants. Are you listening, Mr Udy ? ■** # ,

Mb Lee, a Sydney magistrate, recently expressed the opinion that Sunday School picnic parties ought to be stopped, because of the trouble that results from them.

As the picnic season is about to start in New Zealand, it might be well for our local parsons and Sunday School Superintendents to hold an inquiry into the matter. I fancy T hear some sturdy Presbyterian denouncing the Sydney magistrate, and declaring that ' his story's a' a lee!'

Still they go ! For the nine months ending 30th September last, New Zealand lost 3,552 of her population by the excess of emigration over imrnieration. And a crowd of brainless Tories yell out that Sir George Grey is responsible for it all! They forget that Sir Harry Atkinson, their idol, has been in power, and that he sneeringly said, ' Let them go !' It is now his turn to go. ■PF ijp

There are three candidates for Auckland seats who ought to be defeated at all hazards on Friday next. These are — Sib G. M. O'Robkb, Hamlin, and the Hon. E. Mitchelson. I hey are the head and front in the north of the bad regime of* Atkinson and Co. and if Auoklanders send them down again. I will have no more faith if> their political sincerity. Mitehelson is the only one ol the triad who can by any stretch be called a good man, and if he would swear off ' bad company ' all might be well with him ; but the other t.vo are incorrigible, and ought to be rejected by the people. * * *

W. Hodge, ' taking an active part in the welfare of the rising generation,' is the latest phenomenon in Auckland. For a gay old bachelor like Hilly, t>us is a refreshing admi.-sion. How many children dooi William support ? Or does he bate his claim in this instance, as in the matter of visiting the Admiral's flag-ship, upon, the general ground that he is ' one of the owners ?' * # #

The Victorian Government have declined to give any money to help on Antaictio exploration. The Plat Earth Faddists will accept this as a confession that they are afraid the result of exploration would be to show that there is no South Pole? On the other hand, I see that the Government Astronomer at Sydney has discovered a ' new universe.' This settles the question of the alleged infinity of space. .Beyond the limits of universal space, there are other universal spaces, and so ad infinitum. Seems to me the ' fiats ' are nor, ail among the Zetetists.

Co-operation for ever ! By the adoption of the cooperative system at the London Docks, the labourers now earn 9^-d per hour instead of 5d or 6! as before. « mcc men get enlightened enough to abo ish all middlemen, they will recognise t'nat it i-s not Capital, but; the idle sweating bosn, wno is the greatest; foe to Labour.