CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 75, 1 April 1897, Page 2

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Larrikinism.—Mr J. T. Osborne, of Avondale, sends us an account of a larrikin raid marie upon a walnut tree at Mi-Hasell's residence, Mount Albert, last Sunday, during the owner's absence from home. The best way to stop such proceedings is to bring some of the offenders to book.

Valuation of City and Suburban Properties.— "A. B." protests against tho practice of raising valuations with every email improvement on a property until the owner is rated up to the very last farthing and a great deal more. He says : " I very much doubb if in any civilised country a more ingenious system of extortion has ever been devised. How long are the people of New Zealand going to stand this disreputable condition of things. lam nob a single taxer, bub laws of this kind will sooner or later drive ua to accept any wild scheme that will appear to promise relief."

Cruelty to Animals.—" B.S. " says if the official of bhe Society for bhe Prevention of Cruelty to Dumb Animals looked round Lower Albert-street occasionally,he would see horses kicked, whipped and used brutally for not being able to convey heavy over-larlen waggons up the hill. Our correspondent and others who witness acts of cruelty should reporb the facts to the Society.

Unity is Strength. — ''Practical" writes : " Could you give your readers any idea of the number of Society organisations we have in Auckland. It appears the number, must be legion, as about every week we see the formation of some new society or sect. Sir, I should recommend to the attention of your readers the old fable of the bundle of sticks, "United we stand ; divided we fail."

Overcrowding Steamers. — " F.G. " writes : "Ib is reported that some of the steamers trading between here and Sydney are ab times most improperly overcrowded ; that the comforb and convenience of passengers is sacrificed to tho greed of taking every possible passenger, regardless of the number authorised to be carried. Who is responsible for this state of thing, or is there virtually no check at all V