LOOKING BACKWARDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 248, 13 July 1908, Page 7

LOOKING BACKWARDS.

EXTRACTS PROM OLD NEWSPAPERS. V/AOES, AND THE COST OF LIVINC. AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON IN PERSPECTIVE. . It is interesting in what may be termed the present industrial crisis to look back over ,tho years, and to gather from authentic sources how men fared in tho "good old times " as compared with present conditions, To this end wo have been assisted materially, by a Wellington gentleman who has recontly made quite a ■ haul:'.of newspapers . printed aad published in this city (it was then a bush settlement or township) in the '40's. The Cost of Living. . Turning to the " Now Zealand, Gazette and Wellington Spectator'' of October 29, 1842 (a paper printed and published by Mr, Samuel Revans), the prices current for ihe chief commodities of life are set out in detail, but in conning over theso prices readers must remember that they are labelled wholesale (not retaii) prices.' The report of that date enumerated, among others, the following lines:—

There has been a groat cry in 'Wellington and elsewhere abgut the cost of living, particularly since the adyont of-the ■Arbitration Act, but it can bo seen at a glanco that, living in these times is not really so heavy as it was sixty, years ago, and yet mechanics received from £2 to £3 per week, and labourers (now receiving; Bs. and 9s. per day) were than only in receipt of from £1 10s; >to £1.165. per.week. Ono thing not mentioned in the list referred to is rent charges, but it is conceded that they • were not nearly so high ,as at present ; the enormous cost' of bread, meat, and biitter' shows that the "cost of living" bogy of . the present day ig not nearly such a ".skeery" creature as it is mado out to bo. .

( One Hundredweight of . Rlax per Day. : Another extract from'the same paper rofjrs to the invention of a machine for the manufacture of flax.', This reads— ' • ' > "We have seen a .very good sample of flax prepared by a machine made *by Mr. A l{ealß. ; recently-; a / watch-'. . maker' in • ' Wellington. ■; It is ptated that the machine can be made for £5, aiid that aided by ono'man and two boys it will produce one hundred-weight r - of flax per day.. This is putting flax at ' -a cost of fiM per ton/ ' The articlo pro- ' duced is said to bo worth £26 per ton in England. Wo' are informed that the . powers of the machine may bo so'far irifi ; proved as to enable twenty, men to produce ono ton of flax per day. With this '• improvement the samo quality of flax could be afforded at from five to ten . pounds pep ton," Notices, of Motion. Hero is an extract from tho meeting of tho Municipal Council of tho date quoted,:— . "Notices of motion for Monday the 31st inst.:—That .the _Town ; ; Surveyor be v instructed to proceed ipifnediately in sur- - voying the line of road; extending from . . Ndirn Street to' tho end of Thorndon . , Quay, with a vipw to -improving the same,—-That the local Government be V I petitioned to take off the duty on spirits, tobacco,', and other articles consumed at whaling stations on tlio coast ,of New Zealand.—: That the Police Magistrate be., applied to place the prisoners sentenced to hard labour under the direction of the Council for the purpose of, being employed on tho public works," An OlfrTlme Jealousy. - As far back as - 1846 Auokland and Wellington, if they were not on speaking terms, -- exercised- their prerogative to write about each other through the medium of the Press. In tho "Wellington Independent" of August , 26 of -that year" appeared the following- feel- , ing references to Auokland affairs:— '• ' '"Queen Street is now in a most miser- ' ablo condition, and-unless something is . done soon to confine the waters of the creek so that the banks shall not bo carried away, lamontablo accidents will inevitably, happen, and in case of 'more heavy rains fresh landslips may endanger the stability of most of the houses on that line. "It is truly heartrending to bohold ' tho sufferings of : the poor .beasts made' to draw heavy laden drays from the land- " - ing place in Official Bay. Something should speedily he dono to repair the roads.,■ The road by tho residence.of tho Colonial Treasurer,is also in a very bad' condition. '.No vehicle could pass ' ' it at night without serious danger. "In common decency something should bo dono; to render tho road passable which leads from Princes Street', to- • . , wards Epsom. ..Tho cart-road opposite Government Houso is almost impassable. Two or three thousand sturdy convicts would do: much good to tho country.. "Tho purity of the air of New Zealand must: account for the continual absence of pestilence. The_ back of Shortland Streot, on either side; would' producemortal sickness ; in any other country than this." A Trick of the Trade. - " > In tho same paper, undor tho Auckland heading appears tho following:— "Kauri Gum.—lt appears certain that kauri gum has mfit with a favourable. Balo in England and tho United States, and that it will continuo to bo a 'good article.' In London, it, fetches ' from . £25 to £40 per ton, according to sample. Much complaint is made of the manner in which it was in-many instances put - up, and that what.' appeared good at. the top was; littlcv more than dross at tho bottom. / Unfair practices* of tho kind are calculated to do much injury to the -trade, and occasion distrust in the Homo markots. Should the trado revive, it will'be a most fortunate circumstance for? Auckland." The Same Old Trouble. v " ' , Tho "Independent" reforrod to also has the following:— • V- < "One of tho minor (comparatively speaking) evils undor which this'territory at • present labours, requires considerable attention,' as it. is a great drawback to the prosperity of; tho colony, dearth of agricultural .-and domestic labour. Tho greater proportion of those who have emigrated ;to'these shores havo been, and for the interest of colonisa-

tion vory properly so, married couples obliged to, attend tb the roaring and educating thoir young families who will provo evontually the mainstay of New Zoaland, but thoro are many among us whose liecossary avocations call them from Homo, and being unablo to provide themselves with servants, for which, they would willingly pay, are obliged to neglect their business or family. It is notorious that girls without qualifications, and often without physical energy to fulfil their duty, obtain as servants per annum as mpny pounds as they are years old. The agricultural interests are almost at a standstill for.want of labour, and the farmer who would pay. twice tho amount of wages obtained in any other quarter of tho world is unablo to carry on' his operations." .'

Lambton Quay's First Footpath. Lambton Quay was not always as it is to-day. Four and fivo story warehouses are erected. where sailing vessels swung at anchor, wharves exist in what was midharbour, and where dainty femininity seeks seasonable bargains the waves were wont to roar roughly or wash gently as tho weather listed. In 1848- a determined effort was made to Jjufc tho' Quay in order, and this project was referred to editorially in the " New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian" in the following terms: — "We mentioned in.a recent number that a subscription ■ had been commenced for the purpose of- repairing tho road along Lambton Quay.. The attempt was niado by Mr. .Roots, who very laudably -exerted himself and obtained subscriptions to tho amount .of £25. There tho. . . matter rested, and it seemed likely to die away altogether. In the meantime, the road was daily becoming worse, and. ; tho complaints, more , general. It-was thought by some persons who took an interest in the matter, that it would be vory desirable to make another effort; Mr. Hoots' list was resumed, many additional subscriptions were received, many .former ones doubled, and in twenty-four 'hours the additional sum of £27 9s. Ob- • tained, making a total sum of £52 9?. ■ It has beon thought proper,' jn this stage • or the proceedings, to "publish the pre- . • sent list of' subscribers, and explain what has\been done, as there is littlo doubt, when' it is'.' known there, is a. reasonable! prospect of carrying out the ■ improvement,. and that , tho subscription is proceeding-in earnest, it will becomegeneral, and in-'anotlier week amount to.£100 or £150. Tho local Government ' have promised ■to contribute an equal : amount "to tho sum subscribed by the in- - habitants, and with these funds it is in- ■ tended to'mako a good road, with a path for foot passengers, along Lambton Quay to the corner ■of Willis Street, and, if possible, continue it as far as the new church." . ' . ..

3. d. Broad, 21b. loaf ... ■ ... ■ 0. 0 7 Flour, first quality ■ -...23 0 0 • ■ Flour, second quality 20 0 0 ■ Butter, Irish, por lb. ... ~ 0 1 9 Butter, Fresh ... ..« ... 0 3 . 3 Cheese, Cheshire .... ... 0 16 ■ Cheque, Pineapple: ••• 0 1 2' Cheese, Dutch ... .«• 0 1 0;.< Candles, English wax, lb; 0 • 3 0 V ' djps 0. 10; Beef, por lb, ... ... 0 0 10 Mutton,' carcase, per lb. >.. 0 0 .10/ ' Pork, per lb. ~ 0.0 5 •Starch, por lb. ... '0 0 0 Tea; Hyson-skin, per ohest ... 5 0 0 Tea, Congou, por f chest ... 10 .0 0 : Poultry, fowls, por pair, 8s. to 0 16 0 . Poultry, Ducks, per pair ... 016 0 ; Poultry, Geese, each ...' — 10-0 .. Poultry, Turkeys, each . .- 1 0 0 Eggs, per dozen' ... ... .0 3 0 , Cowq, mi]oh, ...' ... £20 to 30 0 0 Mares, brood ... ... £50 to 90 0 0 Sheep, each ... £1 to 1 8 0 .■WagesMechanics, per woek, £2 to 3 0 0 Labourers, £1 10s. to ... 1 16 0