THE CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF – CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3608, 3 November 1879, Page 2

THE CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF - CHRISTCHURCH.

:- ■— 1 + —^ — - ■'-■ - (Coutinuod.) , , Gammon and spinach plants grow in the Colony — " With my roley-poley, gammon and spinach, hey no, said Anthony Eoley." ' The former plant is grown in the gardens of auctioneers, and is distributed very liberally amongst the public. ' Somo have endeavoured to imitate the gardeners aforesaid, but the result is generally a miserable failure. When a spurious plant or " pretence" is grown, the " Vag " is called in, and the " gammbners " are sent on a pleasant journey, and they generally are bo pleased that they chant a song, the refrain of which is— i " Over the hills and far away." Handicap. — So called because of its useful or handy form, and the ease with which it can be put on or taken off. Not only widows but " grass widows wear it. During the racing season a brisk trade is done in these, and Bometimea wearers are not only "capped," but " bonnetted," especially if they be of Welsh extraction, or " Welshers," as the equine phraseology runs. Ink. — This is a very übiquitous gentleman, and sometimes kind hearted, but frequently changes the colour of his dress, rod, blue, and black being the prevailing colours. Mr Ink is sometimes inquisitive; he once asked of a gentleman a question respecting his dress, and received the answer — " How was he dr?Bicd ? Oh, he was dressed in his Sunday best ; His coat was of red and his breeches of blue, With a hole behind whoro nig tail peeped through ; And over the hill and over the dale Ho walked and he pwitched his long \ril As a gentleman switches his cane." Mr Ink has many friends who stands by him, named ink-stands. • Jew. — A peculiar people who live on Gentils, or more definitely speaking " the Gentiles." " The Gentile " sometimes tries to live on the Jew, but the result is not succeaful; A society was formed at Home for changing the apparel of the Jew, <or as the Secretary described it, converting him. But the expense of the new suit was very great, and even then they did not always fit. Some think the Jew is anxious to take a ticket for Palestine, and by way of "improving the occasion," as the Hev. Mr Smalley would siy, wo once had a conversation with an . eminent Israelite, in whom there was no " guile " or " yeast " on the subject. We put the inquiry in tho abstract not personally. . That pious, experienced and sobered man replied : — He did not care to go to the Holy Land, he thought there was not much business doing there. He should prefer Brisbane or Sydnev. : Justice. — Said to bo "blind," but in the city very wide awake indeed. Some, indeed, think they get injustice, but everyone cannot be satisfied. There are 6omc justices called " J.P.'s," or junior practitioners, because they have not the experience or learning of their seniors. The "J.P." is a manufactured article, as is sometimes said to bo " half cracked."