RANDOM SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

RANDOM SHOTS

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Some write, a neighbour's name to lash, Some write—vain thought—for needful cash, Some write to please the country clash. And raise a din. For me, an aim I never fash— I write for fun.

Surely this must be the funniest season that even the oldest inhabitant of Auckland has seen. Just fancy having passed the shortest day in the year Avithout any really heavy fall of rain taking place, and also think of the peculiarity of the Avater supply for hydraulic lifts being cut off in the middle of Avinter. Considering the unwonted dryness this year, it must >>c conceded that the

Western Springs haA'e lasted well. Our Avorthy City Engineer undoubtedly deserves to be ranked amongst the prophets, for did not he report some time ago that there Avould not be much rain, and havo not his Avords been borne out only too truly? MiAnderson also scored over the question of Errington's shaft. Long ago he reported against the proposal to deepen that AA-ell, but the heaven born Avater expert on the Council was positive that an underground river existed at that spot, and to prove he AA-as wrong something like £1000 of rates was spent with the result that Avhen the Avater Avas struck and the pumps got to work, it simply loAvered the flow from the springs in proportion to the Avater that Avas lifted from the shaft. Before this result Avas definitely ascertained, one Councillor Avantecl the shaft named after himself, but now I suppose he will be content to let it go by the old name. All this points to the advisability of alloAving- that at times Council officials understand their business, and "that amateur engineering' is a luxury too expensive for the taste of city ratepayers.

That Avas a tall story which Avas telegraphed from Avindy Wellington this Aveek. Formerly Aye have beard of busses being blown off the road and other little matters such as stones being SAvept from the roadAvay by a sudden gust, and sent flying through shop windoAVS, but when it comes to a horse and stable being lifted bodily across the road, even the most credulous may be pardoned for saying 'next please.' A careful persual of the message, hoAvever, leaves it open for doubt as to whether the horse went with the stable, for it is stated that the animal Avas found to be uninjured. It may be that Avhen fuller details come to hand Aye shall find that the stable had no Avooden flooring, and that Avhen the building was lifted the horse remained still on the ground. EA Ten discounting the story to that extent will still leave a fairly tall yarn to be SAvalloAved, and there must at all events be enough of truth to guarantee Wellington the premier position in the matter of bloAving and earthquakes. What an awful catastrophe it Avould be for the colony as a whole if the,re should be another gale during the 'coming- session of Parliament which Avould lift the Avhole Government buildings and our brilliant galaxy of statesman right into the middle of the harbour? It might take years before Aye could gather together again such a self-denying collection of cultured men Avilling to sacrifice themselves on the altar of public duty, and meanwhile Aye should he compelled to trust the affairs of the colony to mere business men of ordinary capacity.

The striking of a separate rate for Charitable Aid this year bas had the effect of directing public attention io the large amount of money expended under this head in and around Auckland. As long as the money was indirectly draAvn from ratepayers' pockets, little attention Avas paid to the matter, but as soon as the tax became a direct. one people began to ask where all the money went to. That is one of the undoubted advantages of a direct tax, and if ratepayers Avill new keep the Board posted Avith regard 10 doubtful cases good Avill result. It might also be interesting to ascertain if _ any of the recipients of Charitable ever ask to have the rations varied. 7ln days gone by I have knoAvn cases \A\here the alleged starving people asked to be alloAved jam, salmon, and other tit-bits instead of the ration. Under such circumstances it might safely be argued that actual Avant did not exist. While all are Avilling to help the needy, the greatest care should be exercised to prevent undeserving people loafing on the ratepayers.

The appointment of Mr and Mrs Hendre to the care of the Costley Institute is-evidence that for once, at ail events, political influence was not brought to bear, for no one Avouldthink of asserting that the trustees are ardent Liberals, any more than it would be Avise to say that Mrs Hendre is a pronounped Conservative. The appomtment is in itself a compliment to the neAv Master and Matron, and more particularly to the latter in the lace of the active part taken for some tune past by Mrs Hendre in trying to better the condition of working girls. Evidently the work Avas carried on Avith such tact that no ill-feeling remains on the part of the employers, othenviseit is just possible the appointment would never have been made ihis is evidence that employers as a body are not averse to tbe general Srfme^ °i! the condition of the r««s y\ y mere]y °b-iect to °e^ r approached m a 'stand and deliver' style.

nrrcTic al w e fi P°lic^ Com™ission have S CS finish«l their long sitting, &that ThT> -? -" matter of «f ,g mqtm-y into the ' term'aclin&irtwttS J} y '°nd ? e g'en" tern in reference tn , °ll P°lice s-ys" seaxny side of Me X™ ng «* the that in the ffii means, I think, Police force of I v T wiU have * t^ng.of lawlnd wf - know somefood, and not the c Sf 6 m£ rals are Mr Northcroft 4t,a S ■by 'by hotelkeepers^ ar« *?* 'sweet' without payment ri, get their li(suor be expected bV^f^ 8. topi' Slay when CommiSone? -fe^ 1 rou»d visited the different iW^ has Zealand, J£r^taS?**** in New

which'the Commissioner cross-exam-ined Witnesses in Auckland went to prove that he is a man, of high ability mi. his profession, and the Premier made a happy selection when he chose him in London to practically control the police force. The Commissioner was most happy, indeed, Avhen cross-examining ministers of religion as to Avhat they thought of the police being required to tell untruths to secui'e convictions for sly grogselling in the King Country. One well known temperance reformer had to admit that in this connection he was concerned for the souls of the police as well as for the souls of the natives who drink grog, and that he was not in favour of them telling lies to catch the sellers. So far as sly grog-selling in the King Country is concerned it came out plainly at the Commission that the Government have done their very best to stamp out the trade, and spent a lot of money on it, too.

The' controversy on the morals of factory girls has caused the severance of diplomatic relations between.the Avork-girls and Sister Francis. Mr Ferguson and Mr Jennings are basking in the grateful smiles of the girls as the result of their championship of the fair but not frail ones, and the invitation AA'hich the girls threw out to Sister Francis to come and tread on the tails of their skirts and explain things Avas, perhaps prudently, not accepted. No doubt there is a good deal of righteousness in the indignation of the girls at Sister Francis' aspersions on the fair fame of the factory-girls as a class, but it puzzles me to knoAv hoAV Mr Ferguson or Mr Jennings can vouch for the private character of every Avork-girl in Auckland. Hoav are they to know? Of course the girls are at perfect liberty to do as they please; no one has a right to interfere with the liberty of the subject. A learned magistrate in Auckland has laid it down that a woman has a right to do as she pleases Avith her OAvn person so long as she does not make herself publicly objectionable. The probabilities are, though, factory - girls are more moral, in the conventional sense of the Avord, than many Avomen of easier circumstances in life.

Why worry about the water supply? Why bother our heads over the city drainage? Weighty questions these, yet they can be solved in a manner Avhich I venture to believe no one has yet suggested. ,We must of course work out our own salvation from the Avorries of empty bath tubs and uncovered sewers, but there is a deus ex machina.' a God in the Car, as it. were, who could help us in this matter. And the name of this beneficent being is Kaiser William of Germany! lie has done this thing for Jerusalem; why not for Auckland? We read in our ueAVspapers this. Aveek that the Sultan of Turkey, in vieAv of the Kaiser's visit to Palestine, has directed improvements to be made in the Avater supply and the drainage of the Holy City. They are clever people, those citizens of Jerusalem. Clearly they have made the Kaiser's visit a means unto an end, and have through him obtained Avhat they have had for years to go Avithout: a good Avater supply and proper drainage. Here in Auckland Aye too have been Avorrying along for years past Avith insufficient Avater, nnd a drainage scheme Avhose merits may be judged by a vvhifE of the breezes that blOAv soft round Freeman.s and Mechanics' Ray. We too never seem to get any further in the direction of remedying these defects; but noAV our proper course is clear. The quickest Avay to get these desirable improvements is to invite the Kaiser to visit this 'last, loveliest, loneliest' city of the Empire. The City Fathers (or call them Sultans to complete the analogy) must then for A-ery shame see that the drains are put in proper order, ancl that a decent supply of AA'ater is on tap, Avhen William comes. It would never do for such a visitor to find his bath-room tap cut off some fine morning through a scarcity of water, Avhile to see His Ineffable Highness driA'ing along past Freeman's Bay Avith the famous 'mailed fist' held tightly to the Royal nose avouUl be a sight no self-respecting City Councillor could endure. There is nothing like forcing the hand of the Council in this Avay, even though it might be only a bluff! If I thought the invitation would be signed extensively, I Avould gladly lend' my patronage to the idea, and Avith a little pressing might be induced to receive subscriptions toAvards the entertainment, fund. Should the invitation be declined — and that is not beyond, the bounds of possibility—the cash in hand could then be voted to the treasurer. Believe me. he would need it all to assuage a bitter disappointment!