AUCKLAND NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1920, Page 3

AUCKLAND NOTES.

THE GENTLE ART OE “MARKING DOWN.” (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, August 6. Some of tire soft goods people don’t half like the very plain speaking of the Prices Investigation Tribunal in reference to one of what may be caned “the tricks of the trade," i.e., the display in the shop-windows of goods marked with two prices, the higher price being scored through. “The higher price quoted,” says the Tribunal, bluntly, “is fictitious, and is used for the purpose of causing a prospective buyer to believe that the article in question is a bargain. This practice—admitted, and justified by some drapers —certainly deceives some innocent people and makes them more ready to buy at what they believe are belowvalue prices.” A chorus of indignant protest greeted this pronouncement, and subsequently the Tribunal modi

fied the above expression of opinion, ti some extent, and allowed that there was a good deal of marking down done at sale times that was bona-fide, al though it contended that bogus marking down certainly went on and that it ought to be stopped. DRAPERS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. But are there really in existence persons so unsophisticated as to believe that when they see an article marked at say £O/- “reduced to 2-2/6'’ the ticket is telling the plain unvarnished? Fvi dently the Prices Investigation Tribunal think so. Well, vahen ignorance L bliss ’tis folly to be wise. Howe ’er, there can be no doubt about this : Tne sale prices of many drapery 1 ne? have certainly been genuinely reduced this year at many of 1 the so-called end-of-winter clearances* and goods which in May were originally marked at perhaps £5 have been selling lately in some cases for £2. This has caused inquisitive persons to ask: “If an article priced at a fiver in the beginning of the season can be sold a couple of months later for a couple of pounds doesn't that seem to indicate that the price de-

manded in the first place was a good deal higher than it ought to have been?" “SCORCHERS.” It is satisfactory to have Mr. Massey’s assurance that legislation dealing with motor traffic shall be introduced during the present session. It is about time. “Scorching” has been responsible for a fearfully large number of accidents in'dliis city during the past few months. My own opinion is that motor-traffic should be prohibited altogether within the uearT'bf the City, and sooner or later that reform is bound to come. WAGES FOR PRISONERS. The experiment about to be made by the Prisons Department of paying prisoners for their labour will be watched with eager interest by social reformers. The plan should bear good fruit. It will tend to restore the self-respect of the imprisoned, and will give* many a man who s ncerely desires to turn over a new haf a chance tj make good. It will also probably bo favourably regarded by Magistrates who are constantly remarking from the Belief that if they punish the law-breaker accord mg to bis deserts it will be at Hie expense of bis innocent dependents. THE REV. MR. MURRAY'S CASE. I am not a member of the Presbyterian Church, and neither have I even

a nodding acquaintance with the Kev A. A. Murray, the pastor of St. Andrew’s, but I certainly sympathise with him, and am glad 1 1 find that his heterodox views rogarcling-baptism have not alienated from him the friendship of his congregation whose recent resolution expressive of their loyal support •and sympathy must have been very grateful to its recipient. Whatever Mr. "Murray’s failings may be for I suppose, like the rest of us, that fail ings lie lias —want of spirit is' certainly not among them. “If lam clepos ed,” says this gentleman, ‘'it will be the first time such action has been taken in the Irstory of the Presbyterian iChurch throughout the world. 1

hold office according to the law of the Church, and the law of Ihe land, ana T intend to stand by both.” Hear' hoar! HASN’T HE EARNED A REST ? “Blind in one eye, deaf, and growing old.’’ This was ihe description given of a pony which the .Borough Council of one of our marine suburbs has jusl( decided to sell. “He ought to fetch a fiver, n remarked the Mayor, “in any case we can’t afford to give him away.” As the animal has (presumably) grown

old and infirm in the service of his present owners one would naturally have supposed the latter would have seen their way to turn Him out to grass .. and let him end his days in peace. But of course “business is business.” force of Character. “I believe you have had trouble with some of the men who have worked on your place?” insinuatingly queried counsel of a robust looking female witness in a police court case the other day. “Yes,” briskly replied the lady, “I had to give one of them a hiding.” “And,” pursued counsel, ’There was, I believe a little incident connected with a brick?” “There was,” admitted the witness, “but I missed hiiiT.” Whereat the Court smiled. “Now,” continued Counsel persuasively, “did you, or di 1 you not strike my client with your umbrella ” “Oh yes,” was the reply, “out ho didn’t bleed much. It was a more scratch.” I wonder if this forceful lady is married, and if so —but no matter.

LET ’EM ALL COME! I was discussing yesterday with a prominent business man the absurd “manifesto” recently despatched to th? Old Country by tile Wellington Labour Party. ‘‘l only hope,” said my friend, “that the Agent-General, or some other person in authority in Lon don will contradict the manifesto, drawn up with the object, doubtless, of throwing cold water on a scheme of paramount importance to New Zealand simply because the so-called workers already here are fearful lest the now chums, when they come, should enter info competition with them, the truth being that there is room in New Zealand for a population of millions, and that the crying want of the country is greater production.” I may add that this view of the matter is universal in this place —outside that is the ranks of the “workers.” WANTED-A “HALFWAY HOUSE.” The need of some institution to which destitute and friendless persons, who are past work, can be sent is frequently referred to by Auckland Magis trates, and assuredly the need ;s a

crying one. As things are Magistrates! are often compelled to send some poor penniless creature to gaol simply b: j-ic-ause there is nowhere else to send him, and if ho were not committed to gaol lie might starve. This is really very hard upon the “prisoner,” to whom the gaol taint mint ever afterwards cling although poverty and help lessness have been Iris .only crimes. Only a day or two ago an old fellow who had been found sleeping in Ersom backyards was committel to gaol for three months, although the police had nothing against him Fut h ; s destitution and inability to fend for-himself. The Costley home, itr seems, is barred to those who have police Court convictions against them, and the Salvation homes are all overcrowded. So this unfortunate old Colonist has had to be sent to gaol to herd with criminals. It was unavoidable I suppose. But it seems cruelly hard.