AUCKLAND NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1920, Page 8

AUCKLAND NOTES

ELEPHANTS AS “WORKERS.” (From our Own Correspondent.) r AUCKLAND, July 23. In the course of conversation the other day a well-known Auckland merchant suggested that elephants might be utilised in the New Zealand bush for timber-hauling. The remark was made apropos of the shortage of bush labour, and the consequent difficulty experienced by timber-merchants of getting supplies of building timber. The merchant in question said that elephants could be trained to do the work of several men, adding that when

he lived in India he knew that a couple of elephants would work steadily stacking timber day after day without anyone to overlooki them. Other elephants would roll logs from the edge of the bush to the adjacent mills. “And when the dinner bell rang,” declared the speaker, “the "animals would ‘down tools’ ats smartly as any trades unionist, and trot off to their meal*’ If we could get a few of these intelligent beasts “on the job” in this strike-rid-den country what a boon it would be! But of course the Labour party would object! . r THE BOY SCOUTS. I wonder what Baden Powell will say when he hears that there is trouble in the camp of the New Zealand Boy Scouts? The Boy Scout movement, speaking generally, and hot with special reference to any country in particular, has proved of immense value in training up boys in the way they should go, and in teaching them selfreliance, and developing in them the qualities that go to the making of good men and true, and the distinguished founder of this great organisation is deservedly honoured throughout the British Empire—ay, and outside of it ■ —for the splendid work he has done in helping to mould the nation character. For I do not remember how many years now has Baden Powell built up, extended and developed the movement with which his name must bo for ever identified and this without a hitch, without friction, or bicker ng. But here, in this remote outpost of the Empire the Scouts are as a house divided against itself. The movement in New Zealand, if I am-correctly informed, bids fair to be ’strangled by red tape, and so great are the dissensions that Auckland province, I understand, is making active preparations 10 secede from the Dominion organisation. And when that happens—if happen it does —-it will,. I take it, oe the beginning of the end. The pity of it!'

TWO WIVES. When Alf. Chambers, a returned soldier, was charged with bigamy at the Auckland Magistrate’s Court last week and was asked to plead—guilty or not guilty — he hesitatingly replied : “Apparently guilty iu the eyes of the law.” Asked what he meant by that, lie sake thought Mrs. C. No 1 was dead. Being told that be must plead definite ly, one way or the other, ho pleaded guilty. ' It appeared from the evidence that Chambers gut married to his first wife in 1915, after which he went to the war, and returning two years later, met another girl and was married tu her, his first wife being alive. Ho is now awaiting sentence. It would be interesting if a return could be prepared showing precisely how many of these “war marriages,” as they are called, have turned out happily. By the way, I think it was the late Serjeant Ballanline, who being asked what the penalty for bigamy was, replied : “Having two mothers-in-law.”

LUCKY LAND AGENTS

T am told that (hero are one hundred land-agents in Christchurch at the present tim.e, and that five years ago there were forty. Now every land agent practising in the Cathedral City owns a motor-car. -One man is said to have cleared £3OOO nett profit inside of 12 months, and another .£IO,OOO in the last five years. I don’t know now many of these agents are carrying on in Auckland, but judging by the advertising pages of the local dailies I should say there must be quite as many here as there are in Christchurch. The land agency game has been a good one, and to a certain extent is a good one yet. But, generally speaking, I am inclined to agree with the Christchurch land man who frankly declared the other day: ‘ I honestly believe the boom has burst.” In that case there should be some good motor-cars going cheap down (Christchurch way ? QUESTION AND ANSWER. “Do you drink? - ’ required Counsel in a maintenance case heard at Aucrland Magistrate’s Court. '“We are told,” was the reply, “to take a little wine for the stomach’s sake.’’ Such a scriptural rejoinder might have shut up some counsel. It did not have that effect on Mr. Alan ’Moody, who appeared for (lie applicant. “Well, I don’t take any wine,” said Mr. Moody, “Suppose you devote the price of what you take for your stomach’s sake Inwards maintaining your wife?” And the Court orderly had to bawl “Silence!” more than once. THE JOCKEY’S DISPUTE. Don’t you think we have heard about enough of the jockey’s quarrel with the Racing Clubs? The dispute lias already attracted,, an amount of public attention out of'all proportion to its importance, thanks firstly to the absurd conduct of the Auckland tra.niwaymen in striking, and thus entering into a quarrel which did not in any

way concern them, and secondly in t«e no less absurd conduct of the Union Company’s firemen in refusing to travel with Sir Geo. Clifford. It realiy seems that working men, nowadays, are constantly seeking some excuse or another to make trouble. As to the jockey’s dispute with the""Clubs I am very much of Mr. Massey’s opinion that it is not creditable to either of the parties concerned. “THE YON EINEM COLLECTION.” A certain room at the Auckland pol-ice-station presented the other morning the appearance of a fancy goods store, and drapery establishment, combined. Spread about might have been seen a host of suit-cases and briefbags, toilet requisit es, ladies’ underwear, men's hats, boots, clothing, an evening frock, a type-writer, watches, fountain-pens, and other articles, “too numerous to particularise,’’ as the auction advertisements have it. The total value of these goods was upwards of £4OO, and Louis Yon Einem, a German, and forty-seven years of age, is charged with annexing them. The accuse;! is a respectable-looking man and might almost be taken for a Sunday school teacher, so mild is Ids manner. I understand the accused has given, the police every assistance in enabling them to get, the sto’en goods identified. What will become of him ?