Dunedin Gossip.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1984, 16 April 1906, Page 5

Dunedin Gossip.

(From our own Correspondent.) Ratepayers of the City and suburbs have received a shock from the Draining Boards Engineer. The ex-Chair-man of the Works Committee (Dr Coughtrey), who has preserved great reticence since his defeat, sent a communication to the St Kilda Council, in quite the "I am Sir Oraole style" telling the council that what it was suing for it had the right to demand. The present works cheirman (Mr

Small) chipped in with a view to demolishing the doctor, and a lively controversy as to the cost of various works seemed probable. But Mr Noble Anderson then appeared on the scene, Brushing aside the chairman and ex-chairman he proceeded to inform the public that ultimately his scheme might cost half-a-million. i The Board had power to borrow £300,000, and it had only borrowed £200,000, of which about £20,000 was still unexpended. He offered the rather cold consolation that the expenditure of some £70,000 to £IOO,OOO might be spread over peven. or eight years, In fact for the present the

expenditure might be restricted to £250,000. It ia not clear that there * is any provision in any of these minor 1 estimates for the ocean outfall likely : to absorb a large sum, and it would appear it is proposed to continue discharging sewage through the storm water channels. Owners of small properties, who rely on rents received for their income, seeing that they will. | have to pay for connections wail that they will be ruined if the scheme is carried to anything like completion. A well-known medico, of somewhat small stature, had a trying experience the other evening. He was returning home after attending an urgent case, some time after midnight, oarrying a hand bag. Suddenly a burly policeman pounced upon him, and demanded to know what he had in the bag. The doctor became indignant, but tbe constable was deaf to protestations, ! and bailed the medico up against the fence. Finding argument, entreaty and protestation as to his calling only brougbt forth one rejoinder, that he

would be locked up if he did not open his bag the doctor consented, under protest, and was allowed to pursue his homeward jo;;: u_y. It is understood that no proper apology has yet been forthcoming. It used to be told of the late Dr Stuart, that on one occasion when conveying, on hia broad back, two pair of blankets stripped from his own bed to a poor family he had discovered late at night, he was stuck up by a policeman who demanded an inspection of his swag. In that case, however, no sooner was the swag removed from tbe shoulders than the constable recognised hia man, and, eloquently apologising, carried the bundle to the end of his beat. Doctors in town are reluctant enough to attend cases at night at present, but if to their discomforts they are to be subject to arrest by the sometimes misnamed guardians of the law they may give up going out at night on any account. It is said that young constables are taught at the Police College, in Wellington, and that they are quite

justified in insisting on seeing the contents of any burden being carried in the streets after midnight. A civil servant, occupying a somewhat exalted position, has lost the company of one who should have been the partner of his joys and sorrows till death released the bond. The story is, that being an ardent believer in the cry of u go on the land" he purchased a farm where he could spend his week end under his own vine and fig tree, bring up his sons to agricultural pursuits—and add to his rather handsome salary. This was all v't.ij ,v>JI Ij: fclio male head of the family, who, after spending his time in business and his leisure time no doubt in some social enjoyment, was able, at the week end, to go to his and inspect the progress made on his farm. But the lady evidently found farm life and farm work somewhat monotonous, and appears to have sought solace by seeking the company of the rather youthful and somewhat good-looking ploughman. They found each others company so interesting that they decided to elope, and this they did, spending it is said a week in Dunedin in the enjoyment of city life. Where they went to afterwards, or what means they have to make a start in life together is not generally known. Evidently there are half-a-dozen morals in the story, but the most pronounced is that a husband should be careful in banishing his wife to a country life without she has a very particular bent in that direction, and that even the presence of sons may not prove sufficient company. Mayors and municipalities do queer things. A recent Mayor, and a good one too, said on his retirement that there was one act he looked back on with satisfaction, and that was the by-law passed against expectorating on the pavement—more honored today in breaches than in performance. A subsequent Mayor raised a monu-

ment to himself, a hideous public convenience, just off the busy part of Princes Street, afc the junction of another street. Whether the present Mayor is desirous of commemorating his reign in a similar manner, or whether it is the bungling of his council, which he has sanctioned without protest, is not clear yet, but a structure of a similar kind is being put up in the centre of the intersection of two busy streets. This thing will be the outlook presented to the convalescent patients in the hospital. On the opposite corner are the Sunday school hallß of Knox Church, where meetings are held almost every evening. The windows of the Nurse's Home will overlook the monstrosity at another corner, while on the fourth is a new fruit shop. Public conveniences are scarce enough in the city, as has been pointed out in your columns, but there is an extraordinary lack of the sense of fitness of things when they are made the most prominent and ugliest things to be seen in some of our best streets. Dunedin citizens, through the Amenities Society have done a good deal towards making waste places look beautiful, but the City Council is doing more by creating eyesores,