The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 67

Mr. Connell Tells a Story

Mr. Connell Tells a Story

Now, I will diverge here a little [ unclear: fr] subject, and tell you a story [ unclear: about] diggers. As you have asked [ unclear: about] digging. (Laughter and applause.) know, gentlemen, that I [ unclear: committed] at the Opera House to the [ unclear: statement] is a most unfortunate fact [ unclear: that] able number of old colonials have way to drink. (Laughter.) [ unclear: Now] men, that is a statement which is [ unclear: ab] true. (Cries of "No.") Wait a [ unclear: lit] say with sorrow that it is a fact, [ unclear: be] speak of my own class. [ unclear: (Interr] Now, I will tell you a story [ unclear: about] diggers, but you must not make [ unclear: a] (Derisive calls of "Hush, [ unclear: hush.")] was going to Waiwera on Saturday spell, and I reached a point on [ unclear: the] where I thought I would enter a [ unclear: ho] get tea. That was at the [ unclear: Wade.] into a public-house there. (Loud [ unclear: la] and cries of "Oh, oh!") I say again, [ unclear: men], I went into the public- [ unclear: house.] newed laughter.) They were going me into a nice little parlour in [ unclear: the] where there were muslin curtains mahogany table. It was very [ unclear: co] seeing two men in a room by [ unclear: themsel] tea on the table, I said, " [ unclear: No] going in here." The men were two diggers,; (A voice : "Old [ unclear: colonials?] [ unclear: They] were both old colonials. They had been [ unclear: soldiers]. One of them was what I call [ unclear: ree]-quarter seas over, the other was not [ unclear: ite] so bad. (Laughter.) We entered [ unclear: conversation] and managed to shake [ unclear: n] well together. I said to the one who [ unclear: furthest] gone, "Look here, you are a [ unclear: tty] kind of fellow to be like this now. [ unclear: are] an old colonial. (Yells of [ unclear: ghter].) It is drink that is keeping [ unclear: a] poor man. Why should not man like you who has been so long [ unclear: e-for] they had told me that they had [ unclear: th] been about 30 years in the colony—be comfortable position by this time? Why [ unclear: it] that after making so much money you [ unclear: ve] not got a good farm instead of sitting [ unclear: e] in a hotel under the influence of [ unclear: or?"] "Well," he says, "that's a fact. Remember coming down here one day with 7 10s in my pocket and leaving again in out [ unclear: ut] a week £4 in debt." I said, "Yes, that the way they do. You had better join the [ unclear: Ribbon]." He said he would not, [ unclear: cause] he could keep from the drink if he [ unclear: ed] I said, "Well, you had better like [ unclear: "] I also told them that I had got into [ unclear: ow] at the Opera House, because I said [ unclear: t] if old colonials got out of work it was [ unclear: tly] always through drink. (Cries of "No" and "Yes.") Listen, and I will tell [ unclear: what] the two gumdiggers said-and [ unclear: y] were both old colonials "Well," they [ unclear: said], "that's a fact." (Cries of "Oh" [ unclear: laughter].) That is just what they said. [ unclear: therefore], much as I respect the old [ unclear: ial]—and I am one myself—I say that a [ unclear: at] number of these old colonial hands [ unclear: not] had the same educational [ unclear: advan-] and have 'not had the same moral [ unclear: ning] in the form that you young colonials [ unclear: e] and the consequence is that a large [ unclear: ber] have developed drinking habits and [ unclear: her] things rendering them not so good as [ unclear: young] colonials.