FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM "THE POST"

APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNORS

.Fifty years ago in Wellington house rents were slightly lower than thoy are noiv. In tho issue of the "Evening Post" of Saturday, Bth May, 1880, a six-roomed house in Newtown, with half an aero of land for garden, securely fenced, is offered at 12s per week. In the report of a wedding at St. Alary'a Cathedral it is stated in the issue of lltlr May that "it was on a scale presenting usual attractions to the fair sex, as, in addition to there being no fewer than twelve .bridesmaids, some little pages—the latest Parisian novelty—were a feature of the bridal cortege. 5' In a speech at Auckland Sir George Grey touched on the question of the appointment of Governors to New Zealand. He stated: "The New Zealand Constitution had lasted 0n1y.27 years, and without adequate resistance their rulers had been permitted to sweep away one of/the most perfect forms of Government any country ever enjoyed. At all events, when those institutions were taken away, the people should have seen to it that they retained the right of self-government, instead of tho quasi-despotismnow prevailing." He denied that, he favoured French institutions, as Sir William Fox had accused him of doing. The President.of America was elected by the peoplo and enjoyed a modest income. In New Zealand they had a Governor nominated by the Crown, enjoying an enor;nous salary. ,If he, the Governor, had to entertain a large number of people, or to keep up a grand style of living, it was necessary, but what was tne .result of the system? Through that flunkying, which seemed to be inherent iv human nature, every petty official ' or district magnate felt'bound, in his degree, to imitate the Governor. Thus was brought abput a, reckless social extravagance which injured everyone. ■\sfith all due respect to . tho Governor and his office, Sir George believed that the Governor ought to be elected by the people of the colony. The office ought to be ttie- ambition of «very worthy citizen. He saw no reason, for instance, why a son of Auckland, if duly qualified, should not fill it. A nominated Governor placed power in the hands of those in office in England to damage the people of New Zealanr by award- : ing such prizes as patronage and sycophants and dependents. In "holding these views was he not holding the views of American statesmen? He Repealed his former complaints regarding the titles bestowed on Messrs. Stafford and Fox without consulting him at all. "It might be- deemed almost supererogatory," said a paragraph in the same'issue, "to state that the G. B. Barton, who was yesterday struck off the roles at the Supreme Court, is not Mr. G. Elliott Barton, the wellknown barrister, late M.H.B.' for this city. The latter, -although somewhat fiery and indiscreet, in Court, was universally respected as a thoroughly honourable and high-minded • gentleman would be the last man in the world to commit a disreputable action." ''Hotel-keeper" advertises: "In consequence of the hard times, I have decided to reduce the price of my fine sparkling beer to the following; Quart Bd, pint 4d, half-pint 2d." "EATING THE LEEK." The rival evening paper comes in. for a . little criticism on Thursday, . 13th May. "The Post" sub-leader states: Our evening contemporary has again ■been obliged to "cut the leek." A week ago it published the following gross paragraph: "The Hawera correspondent of the 'Taranaki Herald,' under date of 3rd instant, says: 'It is ininoured here that Sir Dillon Bell has already entered into negotiations to. secure for himself a large part of the Plains.' If this be true it will, seeing that Sir Dillon is one of the Royal Commission who recommended the extravagant reserves to be made, afford a curious and instructive commentary on Government by, Boyal Commission. We trust, for the sake of New Zealand reputation, that the rumour is unfounded." A'more offensive imputation on. a gentleman of honour and high political standing could hardly be conceived, and our contemporary, on its own admission, deliberately omitted a portion of the telegram, to the effect that the report was discredited at Hawera.' It is not to be supposed that so vile an insinuation could be passed over, however obscure might be the paper in which it was published, antl our contemporary received a communication which speedily produced a most abject recantation and apology, published last evening. Of course, it is 'quite right for a journal which has recklessly slandered a public or private individual to retract the falsehood, ■■whether on compulsion or not. , Still it is rather unfortunate for 1 a journal when it is obliged to, "cut the leek" bo very often, as our \ evening contemporary had to do. ■. BOOTMAKER'S ADVERTISEMENT. R. Hannah and Co. advertise the following prices for footwear: Boots and shoes for children, from 6d; boots and shoes for ladies, from 3s 6d; boots and shoes for men, from 4s 6d. The advertisement proceeds: Don't forget, you can fit your children with a nice little boot for 6d per pair. Friday, 14th May, was one of the coldest days known up to tha.t time in Wellington. The greatest heat in Ihe shade, as recorded at the observatory, was only 47 degrees. . .The night was cold, but the" temperature was not so severe proportionately "as in the daytime, the minimum being 38 degrees. : ' . • . The married men who were being sent to work in Auckland by the Government were selected by Mr. Eedward and Mr. A. G. Johnson at the Corporation offices.. The .families chosen were forwarded in the Hinemoa. PRICE OF MUTTON. Iv an advertisement, James Gear announced that "he is happy to inform the Wellington public that ho can.supply them with the finest quality wether mutton at'2d per pound all round, boiling down legs of good quality Id. per pound, at his shops, Cuba and Taranaki streets." Alleging some defects in the suburban railway time-table to Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, "The Post" 0$ Friday, 14th May, states editorially: AVith tho increasing • crowding of this city, and the exorbitant rents ruling^ it is highly advisable from a sanitary and economical point of view to encourage people to live outside the town boundaries. From a* colonial point of view, it is of no less moment that our railways shall be made to pay as well as possible. Both these desiderata can be compassed, or at least their attainment promoted, by facilitating settlement along tho railway. But if the trains are run at inconvenient times, and other needless difficulties thrown in tho way of person's desirous of residing at places along the. line, who would be regular and profitable passengers, they will become disgusted and the railway revenue will bo the loser. A fire broke out in Murphy street on, the night of Thursday, 13th May, and resulted in the destruction of two dwelling-houses and a carpenter's shop at the corner of Turnbull street. The houses wore owned by Mrs. Alexander and Mr. Cosgrave, and the shop by, Mr. Johnson.