Correspondence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1041, 14 May 1884, Page 3

Correspondence.

MORE LIGHT. 1 {To the Editor.) Sib, I—We1 — We are supposed to live in an enlightened age, but I am sure that anyone travelling in our railway.carriages, or through the streets of our town at night, would be very much inclined to doubt the fact. The lamps in the railway carriages just show sufficient light to make darkness visible, and as fOl our street lamps they are a disgrace to the contractor, as well as to the civic authorities ; and as regards the electric light displayed at our post-office, the less said about it the better. Trusting to live long enough to see an improvement in these, and other arrangements, which are supposed to be for the public convenience and comfort.— l am, &c-» _• DioaENBS. " CIRCUMBEISDUS." (To the Editor.) Sib,— Will you kindly give me the deriva* tion of the word " Circumbendus " ? On reading your report of the meeting of the Tuapeka County Council, I find the word made use of by the Mayor, but I cannot get it either in the English, French, German, or Hebrew languages. Not being a master of the Chinese language, I apply to you for the meaning of this confounded expression, as I am very curious to find it. Perhaps you will have some 'later authority on different languages than I have ; if you have, let me know the meaning of tho word and its author. I have searched for the meaning- of " Circumbendus " .until the confounded thing is haunting me. Can it be a rattlesnake or & ring*' tailed monkey, or some antiquariaupicted-' up word ? The nearest I can come to it is — " Sir, come bend us," when schoolboys resign themselves to be laid over the schoolmaster's knees. — I am, &c., Cibccmceemon. [We are afraid we cannot help " Circum* celiion " to circumambulate " circumbendus." It is merely a circumlocutory cirjumplication evolved from the circumvolutions of the Mayor's inner consciousness. — Ed. " T.T."]