ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1360, 19 March 1881, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

I am very glad to see, by the telegraphic report of his speech at Christchurch, that Sir Arthur Gordon knows his position which he as Governor should occupy — to have close connection with no political party, and to oil the wheels of the machinery. If Sir Arthiu always remembers his position and keeps to it, there need be no doubt about his giving satisfaction, but if, on the other hand, he shows undue partiality for his friend, Sir George Grey, as the Greyites believe he will, he may " look out for squalls." Sir George Bowen showed strongsympathy with the Berry party in Victoria, and the consequence is that he has got " Irish promotion," having been sent from Victoria, where he had £10,000, to Mauritius where he receives only £3,000. So the Czar of Russia has been mur- ; dered at last, after any amount of futile i attempts. His must have been a miser- ! able life for years past — in constant dread | of assassination— not knowing, when he went out of his palace whether he would live to return to it— not knowing, when he went to bed at night, whether he would awake in the morning or whether his sleep would merge into that which knows no awakening, in this world at any rate. I certainly would not care to be the Czar of Russia, and, if the crown were offered for sale, as that of Poland was, I do not think the bidding would be very spirited. Well ! I daresay lam wrong, and that there are plenty of people who would not consider the danger sufficient to deter them from seeking the honour. Some enterprising American possessed of any number of millions of dollars would probably be the purchaser. It is really wonderful how fond of titles those republicans are. Last Saturday I went to the Cricket Ground to see the Amateur Athletic Club's Sports, and my humble opinion is that they were decidedly slow. One event on the programme proved to be an absurd farce. That was the two miles walking match. There were about half-a-dozen entries, but only three competitors faced the starter, of those one started only to make a race and then retired, leaving Moginie, who had 40 yards start, and Gallagher who had 440 yards — a quarter of a mile. The result was that the latter won the race ? Then the row began. The local book-makers and a number of others, who had loßt money through Moginies defeat, said that there had been swindling, that Moginie had sold the race, and that the other competitors had been paid not to run. I believe the facts of the case are these — Gallagher who is the proprietor of the Thistle Hotel, and who is a stout, fleshy man, has been in the habit of entering for various races, solely for the purpose of contributing to the funds of the club. The handicapper, knowing that he had no intention of starting, has generally put him at "scratch," but on this occasion he gave him a quarter ot a mile start, " just for the fun of the thing," even with that start. Gallagher had no intention of competing, but the local bookmakers, the very people who made such a row on Saturday, '"chaffed" him and offered him beta at such long odds that he accepted them, went into mild training, walked in the match and won it, having only one opponent, and he being totally unaccustomed to walking-matches, and, consequently, walking with very bad judgement. Moral. — Never call any one, even in fun an old, snuff-coloured, son of a gun. No, that ia the wrong moral, the right one being, never give anyone, even if you consider him a duffer, a quarter of a mile start in a two mile race. The Property tax is being paid very promptly, as I see by the Wellington telegrams that L 120,000 have been paid up tiU Wednesday last. It seems that, in this instance at least, class legislation has been successful, and that the capitalists — the hetenoir of Sir George Grey and other stump orators — are coming forward splendidly, and paying their share, and more than their share, of the cost of governing the colony. Not being a capitalist (I wish I were), I can look on disinterestedly, and express my approval of the way in which that much maligned class have responded to the call made on them. Ihope they will have their reward, that their capital will inoroape rapidly, and that they will find an outlet for it by starting factories to employ labour, develop the resources of the colony, and add to its material wealth. Ido not presume to decry agricultural pursuits, but it must be admitted that manufactures must be started if the colony is to become wealthy. The Grammar School Enquiry is still dragging its weary length along, enlivened by language which ought never to have been used, and which will not tend to give pupils of the school a very exalted opinion of their governors. For instance the Rovd. C. M. Nelson, one of the three members elected to seats on the Board by the University at the instance of Mr Fenton, is imported by the " Herald" to have said, " With the exception of Sir Maurice O'Rorke I did not consider any member of the Board qualified to sit in judgment on my papers. I thought it would have been gross impertinence." The papers referred to were the examination papers set ior the pupils of the Grammar School by Mr Nelson, and he, in this gentlemanly manner, expresses his opinion that it would be gross impertinence, on the Governors of that institution to pass judgment on them. My own opinion is that the "gross impertinence" ia to be attributed to the gentleman who makes such remarks about his coadjutors. Judging by what has appealed in the papers and by what has been talked of in town, Mr Nelson has not been eminently successful in the management of his own church and parish, so it would have been much better had he devoted the whole of his attention to his own business and not taken office as one of the Board of Gover-

nora. I am very sorry for Cambridge. Mr It. W. Dyer, the latest addition to the number of banisters and solicitors of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, is going to commence practice there. Mr Dyer is a very nice young man, and will be a welcome addition to Cambridge society, but, as lawyers always make work for themselves and for each other, I am sorry for Cambridge. The Industrial Home has again come prominently and unpleasantly before the public. It has been discovered that there has been gross unmorality among the inmates. The Herald says* the time has arrived for the ■nbolition of the Industrial Home," and I think the Herald is right for once. The children who have been sent there simply because they are homeless and friendless, should be boarded out with such people as are willing to take them, as this has been found elsewhere to bo the best plan for dealing with them*. The Home should then be used as a reformatory for the children who have "been sent there for theft, &c, and they should be placed under proper surveillance aud taught to work at various trades.' For somo years attempts have been made to teach the boys' trades, but, for want of being under proper control, they have made very little progress, and the spirit of mischief is so strong among them, that, they have committed acts of wanton wagiiefulr ness. For instance, one day, -while the bootmaker, who was teaching some of the boys his trade, was away at dinner, several of his interesting pupils took the knives whioh they used for their work, and out up all the leather in the room into small fragments, Of course, tbafc eorfc of thing

■would not be possible if the boya were under proper surveillance. , Yes ! a radical change muafc be made, and the sooner the better for the inmates of the Home. St. Mxtnoo.