‘VAGRANT'S” NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 475, 3 July 1890, Page 3

‘VAGRANT'S” NOTES.

Thzbe was a regular field day in the butchers’ shops on Tuesday, when the altered rates were put in force, and ir is easy enough to imagine what an unenviable time the knights of the clearer had for that day, to say nothing of the day after and the day after that. It was worth the while of any one who has the least humor in his disposi tion to go and buy a pound of meat just as an excuse to hear the fun. One manager noted for his jollified countenance and cheery smile is said io have contracted a frown which would become no one but a browbeating lawyer.

•‘But it is no joking matter, I can tell you,” says paterfamilias, whose loss of appetite will probably make up the difference in the cost of meat. Nor would anyone willingly be jovial at the expense of the poor, careworn head of the household. It would belike the cackling of the thorns under the pot—a ghastly merriment that could only be of brief duration, and from one’s heart of hearts (as the novelist puts it) there can be sympathy for the afflicted or affected one. What one does feel grateful for is that there was at least a day's laugh at the poor henpecked butchers, though one cannot disguise the fact that those who win in the end get the best of the laugh. Ah ! mon, but only wait till Miln comes round and see where many of the grumblers will be, rejoicing in the luxury of reserved seats.

We have been informed, in the greatest confidence of course,—only that having become the property of the man at the corner all the confidence has been blown on,—that a message has been received in Gisborne from one whose grip on Time gives warning that he must soon approach the Stvgian shore It is further told—in street confidence—that a criminal action is to be commenced against the publisher of the Standard for daring to refer to some |ecanda'. If persons have proved themselves to be without virtue and without shame the most indecent impudence need come as no surprise; nor are we surprised, and if we had any sorrow at all for reference, it would be because we feel that orm is so far beyond hope that anything we *“ might say would be without' avail, and k would sully the columns of a journal which is read in the domestic circle, where even the broaching of such a subject would be unwise, if not much worse.

Still if one whose head rhould be bowed with shame. who should not feel that be was undeservedly treated if shunned as a social pariah—if one who of all persons ought to be the last to take action, coolly moves in the matter himself, in the hope that money will defeat jostice, then woe be to him, we say. No decent journalist would allow himself to be bullied in this manner, any man with a spark of honor would cheerily risk gaol rather than submit to such an outrageous attempt in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and any community that would remain inactive in the face of such circumstances would draw upon itself a lasting shame and disgrace, Gisborne people may have borne with much, local journalists may have considered that only harm could be done by referring to certain subjects of scandal, but when a—a being persists in trumpet ting forth to the world the story of a shame that is not often equalled—doing this mainly to give pain to one who has aheady borne untold suffering—we say all honor to a journal that smites him, though his hide may be that of a rhinocerous, and his disposition that of a being that need not be mentioned. The dispensation of “ Charitable ” aid, under the present system, has its humors, and even the overburdened taxpayer cannot help joining in the laugh occasionally. The Auckland Board last week had to deal with 30 applicants, many of them from old hands at the luxury of living at other people’s expense. One case (says the Herald) was g* that of a gardener at Onehunga, The committee proposed to give him rations, butthat he should go over to the new Costley Home, Epsom, and give them a day’s work a week on the grounds in requital. The gardener did not take kindly to this proposal. He w said “they gave rations to other people without working for them, and why should he wot k? It was not good enough. There was no use in trying to humbug him : if they meant to give him the rations let them say so, or do the other thing.” The upshot was that the committee conceded the rations, but they are going to wrestle with him again over doing some gardening at the Costley Home.

The defeat of O’Connor, the sculler, by Stansbury, of Australia, will be a great cause of satisfaction to colonists, and Stansbury’s sportsmanlike conduct in offering to row again when he knew that the first race was not a fair one, will be warmly appreciated by all lovers of true manliness. It is in striking contrast with the shabby treatment that O'Connor got at the hands of the presumable champion Kemp, whose later offer to row for nothing is dot a sufficient palliation of the earlier conduct towards the stranger. O’Connor himself is to be greatly admired for the frank way in which he has admitted he was fairly beaten—an admission which some so called sports seem to find i very hard in these days of selfishness and pride.

The entertainment in aid of the Balaclava charge has been postponed until Monday week, so that there need be no danger of its being interfered with by counter attractions. There should be a bumper house for the occasion. Those glorious lines of Tennyson •till ring in our ears—those lines which, read in one’s schoolbooks, had a response in the youthful breast, and made one pardonably proud of belonging to a country whcee sons were capable of such bravery. what a burning sense of shame would of one’s school life have TWred to the sad tale of the condition of •ran-starvation into which the few survivors y ®f the famous Charge have been allowed to sink. Throughout the colonies there has not only been a vehemenent protest against such scandalous treatment of the heroes; there has been a sincere practical syinp&tny shown, to which it is confidently hoped Gisborne will now add its mite. The lead in the movement is being appropriately taken by the Garrison Band, and the Hussars will attend in dress uniform.

The scholars in the secondary branch of the Gisborne School are now enjoying their holidays—at least it is to be hoped they are, though it is questionable whether even the buoyant spirits of youth can rise above the depressing influence of the miserable weather. The lower portion of the school closed out of consideration for dreaded la Grippe, and had glorious weather for it, but those of the secondary branch, having defied the aches and pains of the Russia n leveller of all ranks, have now to suffer the listlessness occasioned by the unremitting drizzle, drizzle of the tearful elements above. The wags in the lower branch have now the laugh at their superiors in the little scholastic world in which they are vegetaing.’*

Mr Georgs Fisher, M.H.R., is always in the wars. We confess we don’t entertain a

Very high opinion of Georgs ourselves, but he is like a cork in spool of water—thrust him lown as often as you will, he again rises buoyantly to the surface and finals where harder metal would sink altogether. As a cork seems to enjoy the fun when it is set bobbing up and down in the water, so George thinks it rare fun to keep bobbing up and felting over the fence at the geese in somebody elee’s back yard. He has lately been using some pellets from Fairplay, an English commercial vampire that hae as much regard for fairplay as a donkey hss for golden jewels. \ But these pellets seem to have stung all the ' same. The statement was that two members

of the Atkinson Ministry were indebted to the Bank of New Zealand for a large sum, and Mr Fisher asked in the House if it were true ?

An answer was given in the shape of a T denial, ths oocky Mr Hislop commenting on the bed taste of a member in asking such a question. while Mr Fergus wanted to know uMr Fisher could say the same-that he wuevw indebted to the Bank? Is the first ptae, why did Ministers leave it to a mem.

ber to clear up such a reflection on colonial politicians Mr Fisher, being Mr Fisher, may be said to have been actuated by unworthy motives in asking such a question, but however it was wormed out the country was emitted to the information. It is a disgrace to Ministers that they should have allowed it to go so long undenied. And then talk about bad taste I “Could Mr Fisher say the same?” Was ever there anything in the House to equal that for insulting and undignified behaviour on the part of a Minister of the Crown ? An irresponsible member might be forgiven for asking personal questions, but when a Minister, who ought to maintain the dignity of his office, takes to snarling at the pertness cf those who surroun 3 him, and to giving back answers that would become a circus clown, what hope is there for a better slate of things ? Shame on such “ representation ” of this fair young country.

The New Zealand Times is to be congratulated on the great improvements which have taken place in its appearance since Cap tain Baldwin became its purchaser. Dear nld Granny, whom we used to poke so much fun at, has thrown off the ancient poke bonnet, rejuvenated herself from the limping gait with which she seemed tottering to the grave, to the dismal drone cf long and prosy leading articles. There seems to have been a sort of Brown-Sequard elixir at work, and the Times now looks most happy and cheerful, —one of the brightest, newsy sheets in the colony. Our congratulations, dear worker in the journalistic world. The following neat paragraph is worth reproducing from our Wellington contemporary:—By the bye, if there is any funny man or woman in Wellington or its vicinity who pants for immortality in this, column he or she can have it by addressing contributions to the News Editor of this journal. He has the constitution of a rhinocerous, and they need not be apprehensive of fatal results. lu the language of certain very worthy church people ‘ all will be welcome,’ and if there is any collection the News Editor will take it up.