THE ARCHDEACON AND THE BARMAID.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12084, 13 August 1917, Page 5

THE ARCHDEACON AND THE BARMAID.

An amusing anecdote of the early days of the Thames goldfiolds was related at the jubilee gathering of old Tharuesitcs at the Town Kail in Auct* land this week by Archdeacon OaJder., "There was a very decent old chap," ho said, " who used to come in from' the Billy-goat range and spend niosU of hia time in ' happiness' at the 1 ( Thames. There was a barmaid at the 'pub' ,at Butt's Corner, and when the 1 old chap was in town sbo was always coming round to me, saying she wanted to got married tio him. I would ask' her where he was, and she. would reply that he was out in the street, and thatj he was not presentable enough to bring inside. (Laughter.) When I remarked that eke was surely not going to marry the man in that state, she! -would say, 'He will not marry me when he is sober.' (Laughter.) Sh«j tried that on three times with me, but) she never got the old chap." (Laugh-1 ter.) x\rchdieacon Calder also evoked' hearty laughter from the old identities present by recalling the Enterprise,' the steamer which conveyed so many of them to the goldfteld in the " rush " days. On the subject of the smelia and the mixed drinks he grow eloquent, mid his feeling expression of opinion that everyone who travelled on tne Enterprise ought to have been given a freo passage raised roars of merriment.