BUSINESS,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 32, 8 February 1915, Page 18

BUSINESS,

COMPLAINTS OP SLACKNESS APPEALS FOR ENTERPRISE IN 1865 At times, in '65, Wellington ha 4 a busy air, which, put gladness into all beholders, especially the newspaper men, but the town had also its spells of slackness and inertness which brought stirring words from the journalists. Here are two typical chidinge in The Post of that year :—: — "Almost within a day's sail of Wellington — at Hokitikar— there is a population of over 40,000, whose consumption of stores must be something very considerable, yet little or no effort has been made to secure a portion of their trade. Dunedin. Melbourne, and even sleepy Auckland, ha.y c stepped in and taken it from us. A large trade might have been carried on with Wanganui, had ib not been for tho slowness of our merchant community in allowing others to divert it elsewhere."-- 2nd October, Hokitika was the centre of the. gold boom. "Why do the people of Wellington complain of the dullness of the times, the difficulty of effecting sales of merchandise, and of getting in money? If there be any real caus-e of complaint, it lies at their own doors. No city in the colony lias been more patronised than Wellington during the past year or two ; no city, moreover, hae had better chances , of improving it* commercial It

ha-s not, however, availed itself of them, but remained quiescent while neighbouring port* of lew consequence improved them."— 3rd October. NOT A TIME OF HUSTLE. The average business man fifty year* ago did not exercise extraordinary ingenuity in advertising himeelf or his wares; but there was one publican who always managed to keep in the lime* light, and several "professors" proclaim* cd their prowess in florid advertisements. Here is one amusing example t "Professor Rowley, Prince of Perukere, is acknowledged by all to be the most scientific artist in his profession. Whh care and judgment he manipulates the head. With tenderness he operates upon the human face divine. His Bay, Rum is wonderful in its effects, and his Golden Hairwash is only to be had of the manufactureJr.~-Profe«Bor Rowley, nea? Osgood's Empire Hotel, Welling-* ton." Tli is town had also a firm whicb. "bogged to inform the nobility and gentry of Wellington" that it had tho disinction of figuring as "coachbuildrrs to Her Majesty' tho Quoen and His Mat jesty the King of Sardinia." A well-known identity, who alwayi advertised herself ac "Mrs. (old) Smith." Aleo had come eye-ajTcstina; notices ia The Post. Here i& one of many :— "Mrs. (old) Smith begs th© public to try her ©slablislimont for a few suits of gentlemen's clothes, which ehe has now on sale at £2 7» 6d, equal to other putting shops ticketed at £4.— (Vide et