Correspondence.

The Galignani Statue.—Do Likewise.

Incidentally a copy of the May number of Typo came under my notice. Having a horror of ornamental type as extravagantly and tastelessly used in the colonies, I was pleased at the sight of Typo, as I always (like Whittingham of London,) looked upon my own trade as an art. I had written the brief paragraphs which follow for another paper, but their greater appropriateness to your tastefully-printed publication has induced me to alter their destination. I may add that my first London employment after my apprenticeship in a small market-town in the West of England, was in Bouverie-street, in the then small office of Bradbury and Evans.

The Australasian papers contain almost daily reports of the munificent bequests for all purposes—educational and otherwise—for the advancement of these great colonies. Would it be too much to crave space for an instance which lately occurred in Europe?

My old Parisian employer, Anthony Galignani, left a vast fortune for various objects, especially to the town (Corbeil on the Seine) where he resided for so many years. The municipality of that town have just erected a memorial to commemorate his good deeds. It consists of a statue by the celebrated sculptor Chaillu. Anthony Galignani is represented in a sitting posture, with his brother's head leaning on his shoulder.

Most people have heard of Galignani's Messenger. In the year 1836 I left London and took an engagement in the office, and was at once installed as « Mettre-en-Page. » that is, to superintend and makeup the reprints of the English novels and other bookwork. Strange to say, the first work I had in hand was one I had in London at the office of Bradbury & Evans—Lytton Bulwer's favorite work, « The Pilgrims of the Rhine. » At the end of six months' engagement, I left, and made the tour of that pleasant part of France—Burgundy; then Switzerland, Savoy, down the Rhine 600 miles through Holland, then took boat to Hull; then through the North of England and North Wales to my home in the sunny west.

I may mention that among other bequests, M. Galignani founded a beautiful home at Neuilly, near Paris, for English writers and printers; and I should be readily received as an occupant, having been one of his favorite workmen—so much so, that when I left I was offered any situation in the establishment should I return to Paris.

Since the above was written, I have received a copy of The Times, from which I take the following paragraph, premising that I well remember M. Jeancourt Galignani therein referred to, as a smart and sociable youth:—

« An asylum founded by the brothers Galignani, or rather by William Galignani in the name of his deceased brother, was opened July 22, at 55 Boulevard Bineau, Neuilly. It is for the benefit of men and women who, at the end of their careers as authors or journalists, or as persons engaged in scientific pursuits, or in the book-trade, have not secured their old age from want and misery. The ceremony was performed by M. Poubelle. Prefect of the Seine, who was accompanied by deputations from the French Academy, from the Institute, from the Assistance Publique, and from the Booksellers' Club. The building is spacious, cheerful, and comfortable. It is large enough to accommodate a hundred persons. Fifty of the inmates are to pay 500 francs a year for board and lodging; the other fifty may be admitted gratuitously. Each inmate has a bedroom and parlor; meals must be taken at a common table. Everything has been done to give the inmates a feeling of being quite independent. It is provided that Sisters of Charity shall act as the matrons and servants of the house. About fifty inmates were there at the opening, three of whom came forward to bless the memory of the brothers Galignani. M. Jeancourt Galignani, nephew of M. William Galignani, arranged the ceremony, and made a statement which showed not only the philanthropic and Christian spirit of the founders, but the thought and foresight with which they had regulated all the details. »

Motueka, Nelson.

E. Tucker.

In answer to a correspondent a contemporary says « No tax on bachelors was ever in force in New Zealand. » It is rarely safe to venture on a sweeping negative assertion. Such a tax was in force for some time in Auckland, in the old provincial days—the proceeds to be applied to educational purposes. This being very unpopular, a poll-tax was substituted, which met with such violent resistance that it had to be abandoned.

The offender who wants his name « kept out of the paper » is known in all newspaper offices; but the usual order of things has been reversed at Ballarat. A stern-faced visitor entered the Courier office lately, with a copy of the morning's paper in his hand. « See here, mister, » he said, « this is no way to run a paper. Where were your reporters? » « What's the matter? » demanded the editor. « Look here, I was on a regular old-fashioned tear-up the day before yesterday, got drunk and was locked up. Yesterday morning the beaks fined me five bob, and—and— » (here he grew stern and reproachful)— « there's not a word about it in your paper. They won't believe me when I go back to the station that I had any kind of a time at all. » The editor confessed that it was disheartening, and promised it should not occur again.—The editor of the Riverton Star has had a parallel experience. He received an indignant letter from a « drunk » who was wild that instead of being named in the usual manner in the report, he had been described as « a first offender. »

'Tis, pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print—
So, kind reporter, please to take the hint.

We have more than once referred to the abuses of the « tender » system. The Bush Advocate has something to say on the same subject. « To give an instance of the petty things that tenders are asked for, we may mention that the other day the Returning Officer of the Ormondville Road Board—himself an old printer, who ought to know better—asked us for a quotation for printing 100 voting papers. We offered to do the work for 7s 6d, and considering that good stout paper had to be used, and the corners gummed, we do not think anybody will say our charge was anything but moderate. However, another office tendered at six shillings and secured the job. We mention this matter just to illustrate how it is that printing offices, being compelled to scramble for an atom of work, go steadily to the bad and get into a tight place. » Until the trade unite, and come to some understanding on this and similar matters, the state of things above described will continue. With the single happy exception mentioned in a late issue, every printing office in the colony is losing money. When a concern fails, it is even worse for those that remain. They have either to buy a useless plant, or some amateur or unemployed comp secures it for a trifle, and works it at lower prices than ever.

A Rangitikei paper, writing of the means of conveyance possessed by the settlers, says: « Most of them have now traps, and have thus the means of transit within themselves. » These settlers must be constructed after a new and extraordinary pattern.—The Berlin Volks Zeitung figures in a country contemporary as the Vocks Leihang.—A Connecticut paper writes of « The Duchess of Marlborough, nèe Widow Hamersley. » —A reporter on the London Star, recording a concert, stated that one vocalist « rendered with rare effect that solemn sea-song, the « Starboard Martyr. » —A Southland country bank displayed the following in its window.— « This Bank will be closed on Monday the 18th day of March and Saturday the 23rd day of March respectfully. » —A North Island paper, reporting a sheep-sale, says: « About 23,700 were yarded, consisting of very forward and early shorn merino wethers in lamb, and a good sprinkling of fat sheep and lambs. » —This natural curiosity is matched by a telegram from Dunedin, in a North Island paper, recording the despatch to Sydney of « twenty-six Ayrshire cows, all young bulls. » —Sir John Hall was reported by a West Coast paper to have moved to confer the franchise « on 100 men. » It should have read « on women. » — « Down at Christ-church, » says the Wanganui Herald « Morris tubes hooting has quite 'caught on,' and the result is a great improvement in shooting all round. » How do tubes hoot?—In Auckland, « thier linen » is all the fashion for ladies' underwear; and ignorance of the technicalities of fashion led the comp who set the report of a church bazaar into a dismal error. The ladies who took part in the show were horrified to read in the morning paper, that « The greatest attraction, however, was at stall No. 24, where Mrs Blank, Mrs Rule, and the Misses Dash exhibited their underclothing » !—A Christchurch man dvertises [sic: advertises] for a « Boy about 15, to Milk and Groom Pony. » — « The late Hon. F. Ormond, of Melbourne, » says a South Island paper, « bequeathed £113,500 to charitable and religious institutions in Victoria—the bull going to the institutions in and around the city of Melbourne. »