Larrikinism and Sentiment.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 283, 6 April 1889, Page 3

Larrikinism and Sentiment.

[io the editor.] Sib, —I can give “ Your Original Correspondent " more credit for his ingenious manner of twisting words and sentences to make them convey a different meaning than I can congratulate him on his success in doing so ; that " well connected ” story is nicely told, but one can see many things from behind a strong pair of spectacles—perhaps even the identity of the writer is not hard to distinguish; would he not be insulted it he wore told he is not “ we’l connected ” ? Whan in future hs takes to beating “ tom toms ” and other noisy instruments, he must not delude himself with the belief that the sound helps to conceal his whereabouts, But after all, your correspondent and myself appear to be so agreed on ihe main points that it woull be more sensib'e to shake hands over the matter, than piou a quarrel. He thinks larrikins should be punished, and ho offers no defence of the “ well connected ” boy's conduct, further than that he considers he was more severely punished than ha deserved. Now, I know nothing more of the affair particularly allulel to than what I have gained from heresay, and Ihe conclusion I arrive at is that though the Salvationist concerned was more harsh than he would have been in cooler moments, he was not a bit more harsh than was deserved, and the method of chastise-

ment was far bitter than to have handed the youngster over to the police. It was, I believe, intended as a fright, and as such succeeded. People should try and suppress larrikinism instead of endeavoring to work up sentimentalism by writing to the newspapers on such matters.—l am. <£c., CIVILISATION,