OCCASIONAL NOTES

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8245, 10 August 1893, Page 2

OCCASIONAL NOTES

By "The Idler."

"In his brain he hath strange places crammed withobservation." — AsYouLikblt. " I'll knock spots off you, if you don't mind !" is a somewhat popular expression id town just now, consequent on what the newspapers term the prevailing epidemic y'clepfc measles. It seems quite fashionable indeed to suffer from the complaint, and business men, tradespeople, and workmen make light of the matter when discussing it. But little is said of the weary vigils I night after night during which " mother " , is constantly called upon to tend her sick and ailing, and performs her ministrations with that deft skill and untiring energy so characteristic of New Zealand women. I am often tempted to wonder, when brought face to face with oft recurrins sickness amongßb children, whether in the sweet by-and-bye, all the care and attention lavished on the little ones will be remembered by them when they chance to speak lightly of "the old man" or "the old woman !" There is something here for our growing youth to think of when they are inclined to scoff at parental control and the many home hints given them. * # # This epidemic of measles, though, is a distinct leveller of persons. There is nothing Conservative about it, but may be termed distinctly Liberal— inasmuoh as rioh and poor suffer alike. The spotted sickness comes along, rings at the drawingroom door, knocks at the window, or climbs over the back fence — it gets there just the same— and it doean't matter who the nhild is, or who it belongs to, down it goes. This reminds me of the fact that the Governor's children are affected with the complaint, and the ban ton of Wellington are consequently in distress. * * * Of course it it only natural, as we have heard so much, of '' slips " lately consequent on heavy weather, that the morning paper, in its thirst for notoriety, should have one all to itself, or as it ingenuously puts it " n strange slip." There must indeed have beep hear? weather in Bidgway-etreet • while in the vicinity of the Post office on Monday morning there were many anxious queries as to the bearing of the seventh commandment on the youthful enthusiasts who desecrated the Maw bath by playing football on that day. Those of the " unco 1 quid " who had imbibed their catechism when feeding bottles were not thought of, hastily refreshed fading memory, as best they could, and the younger members of the ■ community who had not paid strict attention to religious teaching found themselvei in a quandary when confronted with the query as to what that seventh oommandment really was. What most people roosl , commented on was the singular fact thai . such an extremely pious and unctuous journal as the Chronicle could attempt th< i teaching of religion, and yet did not mani- . fest a knowledge of one of its corner stones ; When ifc was settled, beyond doubt, thi hilarity was pronounced, although the sub , ject was a ticklish one. * # # 1 But the foootballers in the community [ laughed the loudest at a still etrangei • "slip," wherein they were urged by tbi 1 religiously-inclined paragraphist "to maki • a well-timed push for the touch-line." Thii 1 is distinctly good. In the minds- eye, om can see two well-trained teams of foot > baljers, exhorted by the above enthusiast saving all their energies for that rush, anc 1 can imagine the turbulent excitement oi ! the part of the spectators, culminating in i wild scone of uproar as the victorious tean • eventually gained the object in view, re I gardless of any minor contingencies sucl aa scoring what must now presumably bi > the old-fashioned try in the orthodox mannei ' by crossing the goal-line. It has beeu ' said that the paragraph in question was s 1 good advertisement for the morning papei 1 — »nd so ifc was -of ignorance and atu< ■ pidity. l # # * ' Flaying football and cricket on a Sunday 1 is not, per se, a sin. The late Canon Kingsley 1 whose piety, not even the saintly paragrah1 ist of the morning journal, would dare tc ' question, frequenty encouraged the vounj 1 men of his congregation to en-joy a health; game of cricket or football after church, ii 1 preference to spending tho afternoon in the 1 ale-house or in > standing about street 1 corners swopping risque atones of i ■ Babellasi'an character. * * # By-the-byo, I heard noras footballen talking last night, and after the subject o : "on the ball " had been duly dilated on, ' one enthusiast turned to the other, anc asked how he was getting along with the pretty little girl he had been seen witf on the previous Sunday. " Oh," the othei fellow replied, "very badly, old man; shf invited me to tho house 'and her fathei i booted me out!" With v twinkle in hii ! eye, the query was then put was it a punt oi ! a drop kick ? To this a feeling reply waa vouchsafed that it was neither, but a place kick I !" * # * What has become of the grand spirit of emulation tbat permeated the old-time footballer? Indeed, I might ask in th< language of the song " Where a-e the boyi of the old Bridgado," when the name o Wancanui struck terror into the breasts ol footballers up and down the coast. There were giants in those days, and from recent events it looks as if they had been succeeded by an undisciplined and funky lot of pig' mies. It is enough to make an? man that ever donned a jersey blush for th< fair name of Wanganni to learn oi tho paltry excuaes made by some of oui " kaighfca " (save fch» mark) of the leathei when chosen to represent the local Union on the Wairarapa trip. They even have the whole of their travelling expenses paid, and then they're not happy. It has beoc nuggested to me tbnt they want something more. If I were boss of the Union they should have it — a good solid leather medal! I hope the team lately ohoson will not, by their actions, call down one fraction of the severe remarks passed on those who were the means of the first team being broken up. # # # A correspondent writes asking me to draw attention to a grievance the Taylorvillo residents are suffering under, more especially those who travel Putiki way. There is no path, and pedestrians, consequently have to take the middle of fcho road with the chance of being bespattered with mud by passing vehicles, to say nothof the danger to life and limb by reckless driving. One very bad place is just past the boarding, and something should certainly bo done, if only to drain the surface water into the River, so that even a dry road might be At tho use of those who havo to travel on it. # # * The recent visitations of Jupiter Fluvius have been severe. y felt by our country cou&iop, more especially in those places where road making is in progress, and where communication with the larger centros at the present time is almost a matter of impossibility. Your ordinary navvy can put up with many discomforts as long as he has plenty of " prog," but when that needful runs short he general'y strikes out for himself, and by hook or by crook makes a bee line for the nearest: township. I hear there are gome forty men working on the road at Pipiriki, and if snpplies do not como to hand this week there will be a long suooesioa of heavy boot tracks along that road, all tending in the direclion of Wanganui. * * * I was intensely amused at a correspondent in the morning paper drawing attention to the aotion of v local baker who, it was i rumoured, had dispensed with two of his staff owing to competition. The fall in the price of bread, I may state, has meant during the past week inoreaaert consumption of the staff of life, and as a matter of fact, instead of bands being knocked off, it has been found necessary to take others on. Personally I am pleased to note that the bakers have brought down the price of bread, that ia in the interests of householders, and Borry as I should be to learn that the producers or manufacturers should be the sufferers, I am of opinion that it is a gross piece of impertinence on tb,p part of private individuals to diotuta as to what staff a tradesman should or should not keep. I put it to yomselves. # # # I had occasion to bo in a bush town the other day and was talking business at (he " shanty," when a hmghty touriit, who. had just taken his liquor, aiked the publican with some asperity what the decoction way. Mine Hout (a bit of » wag) replied lnya terioualy " Sb. ! It's painkillor and Worcester sauce !" The haughty one waxed further indignant and gave vent to a forcible Ijufc not Altogether polite exclamation,

wherepon, the publican, with some fine dissimulation remarked — " Be the powers, me foine gintleman, but ye're moighty proud, co ye are ! Why, them coves in the bar beyant's drinkin' oorf mixture and 'oree embrocation and divil a growl out of 'em, eider !" # * * The fact that the sailor from the ketch Comet, although refused admission to the local hospital because he was suffering from the measles, had been taken in for some other complaint, set many heads nodding in town during the week. The concensus of opinion seems to bo that the local Board of Health must at once erect a suitable place for the reception of infectious diseases, and moreover they must not shirk their responsibilities in the matter. I might point out that had the proper course been taken the skipper of the ketoh should have been indicted for allowing the man to land at the wharf at all, and also that it was the imperatitre duty under the circumstances that the skipper, under a penalty, should have Loiufced the yellow flag, hauled off into the stream, and kept there until his craft had been properly fumigated. * , # * And so the members of the local lodge of Foresters intend to hold a social and farce on Friday, Ist September. I quote from the immaculate morning paper, which is now considered as much a guide on the commandments as it was in the past on other matters of religion. The secretary is justly indignant at the Wanganui lodge being thought guilty of even suggesting anything like a farce at their annual gathering, which this year I am told takes the form of a concert and dance, and which j moreover is likely to he very successful, , too. * # # That comic-singing competition at Waitotara must have been a gigantic farce, if you like. "The Waitotara push" had evidently made up their minds that one of their own men should win, and win he did, bus at what cost, ye Waitotarites? By not doing the correct thing, and not judging the competitors on their merits, apart from those ideas associated with Little Peddlington, you have brought the name of Waitotara down very low in the estimation of those people who are always ready and willing to support such a go-ahead, but evidently very bigoted and narrowminded township. The fact that it cost the winner of the cup something fourfold of its value in " wetting it," does not diminish the action of that local push, whioh will be remembered for many a day to come, and to the detriment of Waitotara, too. ** . # The Taranaki Turpin (as Wallath has been termed) has evidently read and emulated the adventures of Jack Sheppard, and thereby effected a brief but exoiting season of liberty. I am sorry to note that my genial friend, Dr Paddy O'Carroll, has fallen off in his shooting of late, and failed to bring down the unfeathered biped. I did not know it was part of a gaol surgeon's duty to take flying shots at escaping prisoners, but all's well that ends well, and Wallath can congratulate himself that it was not a scalpel the sporting medico brought to bear on him, as with that weapon he would have puc a speedy stop to the truant's gallop, and out short his absence without leave. * # * During the week a number of the Maoris encamped on the foreshore were engaged in the participation of the somewhat lugubrious tangi over a brother native of high degree from up-river. At I passed along the Quay I noticed several small groups af i both sexes pursuing what is evidently a congenial function — or, as one of the bystanders remarked— they were hard at it. A darkskinned damsel, considerably inclined to- i •wards rotundity of form and prodigal of her charms arrested my attention. She was engaged with one hand in stemming the pnarly drops that ever and anon coursed down her black and tan oheek, and with the other she furtively yofc successfully adjusted her bustle. Of course, the ladies will say that bustlea are not in fashion. I know that, and I know that the natives are great sticklers for fashion, and if I am not; positive as to the glistening tear-drop I am regarding the bustle, because I absolutely saw the latter. * # # The fact that the Australian crioketers have broken the world's record in tearing ths gigantio total of 843 runs against the' combined universities of England, 'has been the means of somewhat altering public opinion, especially amongst those inclined to assert that the colonials were not, in point of mer:t, anything approaching teams previously sent home. One often hears that the people iv the colonies are given too much to outdoor recreation, and spend too much time and money on matters appertaining to sport. I do not think so, but on the contrary affirm jthat cricket, football, and kindred sports act as safety valves to a populace acknowledged to be particularly precooious in its youth, unswerving in its determination to be the first out of the ruck in the raoe for wealth, and ever ready to ciroulate money when occasion demands. We in the colonies are often twittod with many little idiosynoraoies. I venture to say that not only in outdoor sports, but in other ways, we c»n give points away to those wbo are over on the gui vive to imitate us, and in figuratively patting the Australian cricketers on the back for their brilliant record, X verily believe that they and their predecessors have done signal service to the colonies as far as Great Britain is concerned.