PAHIATUA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7720, 18 April 1887, Page 3

PAHIATUA.

(KROJI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

April 15, ISB7. For the last week I have been away - entirely in your interest— "and shall give you an account of my experiences later. For the present, I chronicle a " Social Revolution" hero. We are all going to give up credit and pay cash, not because we like it, but because we must. Some months ago an amateur storekeeper who lias advanced ideas started a shop at the

south ofi the town. Everyone ridiculed him. liunholders were bound to Wellington merchants ; cockatoos were waiting for their returns ; mechanics were hard up. Consequently our friend took, or was imagined to take, no money, lie rode about, dug in his garden, and waited. On Tuesday last another storekeeper, who is supposed to do the largest business here, announced an "important discovery" — namely, that he too would do better if lie gave no credit. A third has long been practically cash. A fourth to-night announces the same thiug. There remain only two— one of whom does a sort of lolly and apple trade; and the otherwell, he rubs his nose. Everyone " casli " but himself! What an extraordinary assortment of " bad marks" he will have unless he too goes in for " cash." He says very little, but he rubs his nose. What I' want to know is, where will Hornyhead get his potatoes and flour? He is so accustomed togetlow priced things sit the credit store, and to only visit the cash store when he wants something out of the common, that poor Hornyhead can hardly believe his eyes. There it is, however. One door only is left him, and to the slill confiding credit jjiver doth Hornyhead run in herds. Now if, as we all expect, this storekeeper makes an "important discovery"— that Hornyhead will ride on his solitary back until he rides him to death, unless checked by demands for cash— where will we all be then? AVhatcan ensue but bread riots, a poor-rate, an influx of hawkers and tallymen from Wpodville ; in fact, a social revolution ? Where is your poor correspondent to get his meat and broad ? His salary, liberal as it is, barely suffices to pay for the amusements necessaryto a man of parts and distinction ; how is he to obtain the necessaries of life? The position is so serious that I cannot unbend and chronicle ordinary news.