RANDOM SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 129, 1 June 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

RANDOM SHOTS

zameeuT

Some write, a neighbour's name to lash; Some write—vain thought—for needful

oash. Borne write to please the country clasn,

And raise a din. For me, an aim 1 never fash— I writ© for fun.

Perhaps the principal benefit of the coming Royal visit to New Zealand will be to give a splendid advertisement to the colony, and more especially to the Hot Lakes Wonderland. Thousands of people who never thought of making the trip to our Thermal regions will begin to turn their eyes this way, now that a Royal Duke has set the "fashion; and many New Zealanders even who have hither- | to not troubled their heads about the Wonderland will label 'their trunks "For Eotorua," and tumble over each other in their frantic haste to gaze upon the self same sights that the vision of Royalty behold. The "divinity that doth hedge a king" will lend some of its lustrous halo to even a boiling mud-hole, in the eyes of the awe-stricken worshippers of the Royal pair. But it is the band of distinguished journalists who accompany the Duke who will do the actual advertising of the Rotorua district. The only matter for regret is that they will ccc so little of the place, and make such a flet'ting visit. The attention of the English world will for a little while be turned to Auckland and the Playground of the South, and this attention from the outside world means prospective solid cash to the country. There is another matter which I hope will be an, outcome of the Royal visit, and that is the more thorough exploiting of our health resorts and pleasure spots. Rotorua is getting its share of money and attention just now, but there are other districts, such as the country around Taupo, and the great volcanoes,, where even finer sights are to be seen, than at Rotorua, but which have so far been comparatively neglected by the Government. Mr Hugh McLeod brought down the house at the Liberal and Labour Federation gathering the other night with his repertoire of one-minute stories, true and otherwise. One of his snapshot yarns was a reminiscence of a douce old Scotchman who, many years ago, kept a fish shop neaT the Queen-street Wharf. Some Maoris fr"om down Waiheke way were hawking peaches in the town, for the cry of "Pititi, pititi!" was often heard in ihe streets in those days when "one hereni" (shilling) was the price for a big kit. A Maori came into the fish shop and offered some of his fruit for sale. "What's yair price?" asked Sandy. "Oh, one heren' te kit," said the son of the soil. "A weel," replied the dry old Scot, "a hae nae herring in me shop the day, but all tell ye fat all do—all gie ye a dried schnapper!" The Turk is a strange fellow, but at times he by a roxigh and ready method gets somewhert Bear the truth. Take for instance th* remedy proposed by the police for stopping the frequent occurrence of fires. Auckland has had a few fires lately, and as there is a g-ood demand for buildings, we must of course assume that all the fires originated accidentally. Our remedy is simply to order better fire appliances, and increase the insurance rates despite the fact that the Companies pay from 15 to 20 per cent, interest. The Turkish police adopt a method which is simplicity it3elf. They aim at prevention right away, and promptly report to the Father of the' Faithful, that amiable individual, the Sultan, that insurance is the ca'ise of fires, and forthwith the order is given aot to insure. Of course that is rather rough on insurance companies, but after the recent advance in rates made here, by which the people who do not have fires are penalised for those who do, premium payers are not in the frame of mind to feel much sympathy. ********** For a specimen of cool cheek I think the following incident may be accepted as a champion: A grocer in Auckland or thereabouts some time ago had, I am told, occasion to borrow a bag of sugar from a friend in •tlie same line of business. Two months went by and, the sugar not being returned, the lender thought it fair to remind the borrower of his obligation, and asked that the sugar should be replaced. In the meantime, ifc appears, sugar had advanced 'ya. price considerably. Imagine the effect of a demand for payment of 6/3, the difference in price before the borrower consented to replace the .bag of sugar of which he had had the use and traded with for two months. On receiving this extraordinary message the grocer who lent the sugar was so struck with the intense humor of the thing that he indulged in hysterical laughter, and has never "been able since to think of the incident without a renewed outbreak. It is the best liver agitator he ever invested in. atiUt Jl x. A in ab TTPrTTTTT T It was somewhat amusing this week to see telegraphed from Wellington that an important discovery had been made by the Public Works Department, namely, the use of burnt clay for road making where metal is scarce. As a matter of fact the idea is by no means a new one, burnt clay having been used years ago on roads north of Auckland. It ■was introduced by Mr H. Munro Wilson when engineer for the Rodney County Council, but whether he claims to be the originator of the idea the Writer know' eth not. On the road from Puhol to Warkworth a section has for years been repaired with burnt clay, and a very good substitute for metal it has proved to be when \ised in places where the wet does not lie. Provided fire wood is kandy all that is required is to get a food fire started, then cover it with clay, and in due time there is a heap of material ready for repairing the road. Hiia system having been so long known In the North, it seems rather amusing • to learn that the Public Works Department has just discovered it.