FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 144, 14 December 1935, Page 21

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITE3IS FEO3I "THE POST"

A SHINING EXAMPLE

"Few men have been privileged to tell such a tale of determination, energy, liberality, and complete success, as fell to the lot of Mr. James Smith to narrate last night at the meeting to celebrate the completion of the new Presbyterian Church of St. John. The destruction of the former church by fire seemed a most crushing blow to the congregation. The building was a comparatively new one, well fitted to the requirements of the congregation, and it had required liberal arid strenuous exertions to erect it. Instead* however, of uselessly mourning over the ruins, the Church authorities . developed an amount of energy and activity- of the most surprising character, arid their' efforts met With a response from the. congregation generally of the most astonishingly liberal nature. That'a single small, section of the community should so quickly have triumphed over their misfortunes and replaced the former structure by a: larger, more beautiful, and more perfect church in the way they have done, is really something to be. proud of. The Presbyterians of- St. John's have set ah example to other denominations which should put many of these to blush.; When we hear of clergymen vainly struggling to live on a miserable" stipend, of churches burthened with debt, arid of parishes in a state of general.hardupnes.s, we can only regret that the congregations are not imbued with the same spirit.which has moved the parishioners of St. John's. The Presbyterians are neither exceptionally wealthy, 'nor, as compared with other denominations, extremely numerous. They consist, of course, principally of Scotchmen, and gentlemen of that.nationality are not popularly credited with reckless prodigality. That in a good cause, however, they are willing to contribute most freely and liberally, Mr. James Smith showed last night. What St. John'j congregation; has done is not only highly creditable to. its own members, but. is a credit,. also to the city, of which their church is decidedly an ornament. We wish all future prosperity to those who gather within its walls." . . ■ ■ TJB ARO RECLAMATION. "Although the portion of the Te Aro reclamation: included in Mr. Saunders's 'contract is -not yet absolutely completed, its usefulness and beneficial effects are already sufficiently' apparent. .-It is: thronged every night and morning by hundreds of people going to or returning from work, while all day long there is- a- continuous stream of foot-traffic over it, as it affords a very, short cut between Te Aro and the wharf or Lambton Quay. . In a sanitary sense the value of the reclamation, so far as it has gone, cannot be overrated. Few people have any real idea of the fearful condition of the foreshore in which the bend behind Willis Street was. Filth of all kinds, yielding the most pungent and abominable odours, had accumulated there for years, and there can, we think, be very little doubt.that much of the sickness which gives this city such an unfortunately'high position on the deathrate roll was really due, although perhaps ndf directly traceable, to the..existence of such a fever-bed in the Very midst' of the city,. Now the neighbourhood is clean and wholesome, and as the unreclaimed foreshore outside the reclamation will not be exposed at low water,' there is no danger of a similar; nuisance again growing up in that -.locality.. The.re is, however, still left -untouched' a large, stretch of foreshore from opposite .Messrs. Bethune and Hunter's property round to the baths, which is even now in a filths arid unwholesome condition, which is likely to grow rapidly worse as it will probably be made the repository of much of the refuse and garbage which used to accumulate on the beach near Old Customhouse Street, and which will during the coming summer probably prove exceedingly dangerous to the health of,, the city generally, as well as an annoyance to all who-reside ,in or have to pass by the neighbourhood. The City Council should, if only for sanitary reasons, endeavour to arrange without delay for the extension of the reclamation of the foreshore- right round to the Te Aro baths. Ultimately it will have to be done, and it will be cheaper to-do it now while' the necessary plant is there. Our new Mayor has, we are convince^, sufficient ability and. energy to easily finance the scheme arid carry.it through to a successful issue.: He could not better distinguish his year of office than by assuring the city of the completion of the Te Aro reclamation. It would be a noble and enduring monument." . ' - ■- MISCELLANEOUS PARAGRAPHS. "The postal notes-system comes into operation in this colony on January 1 next, when postal notes for fixed sums from Is up to £l-will be sold at all money offices in New Zealand, the charges ranging fro id to 3d." "News has been ■ received in town that the'reef has been struck in the Welcome claim at Terawhiti. It has proved to be eighteen inches thick, the 'stone showing g6ld freely." ' "The extremely low prices advertised by coach between Paremata. and Paekakariki places within cheap and easy reach of our citizens a delightful picnic trip ttiat for beauty of scenery and grandeur of view would be hard to. beat. We. venture to say that rhany people in Wellington do not realise what wonderful scenery we have at the very door of the city." "We would.suggest to the WellingtonManawatu ' Railway Company. :. the desirability of putting its'guards and others ■ employed by it into some sort of uniform. At present it is difficult to distinguish the officials from the passengers, arid as the line is and will be no doubt extensively patronised by excursionists and picnic parties, it is very desirable that -there' should be no difficulty in identifying guards, stationmasters, porters, and other officers in case of any appeal to them being necessary." • . ■ ■ ■ "It is rumoured in commercial circles that two large English firms not hitherto identified with the trade of this colony are about to establish each a New Zealand agency, Wellington having been selected as headquarters owing to its central position and the great facilities offered by this port for the transhipment and distribution of goods. Both firms are manufacturers as well as warehousemen. ■ Another large Australian soft goods house, which already ' has branches in New Zealand, has recently been, making inquiries for suitable premises in this city, with a. ..view .to .removing their headquarters from. Auckland to Wellington." - ■'..."'. '_■._■_