CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9251, 30 June 1910, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

AUCKLAND, AND WHAT I SAW,

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was in Auckland last week and saw much to interest that beautiful city—miles of wide streets, miles of fine shops, and the beautiful surroundings. The city and suburbs have grown immensely since I was there some -15 years ago. A visitor observes where one who is in daily touch sods nothing. What struck me as to the city' itself was the unusual number of fine jewellery shops, the many fine tobacconists, fruit and lollie shops. Does it spell the character of the people? Away from Queen street the streets are dirty, and one even m Palmerston can teach Auckland a lessoii in street naming. Street after street I walked along and scarcely saw a singio sign to tell .me what street I was in. The . views from the top of Mount Eden and the top of One Tree Hill are glorious, and worth, a visit to Auckland, if for nothing else. Sydney Harbour and Rio Harbour, two. of the finest sights of the world I have seen, but they arc> in a sense eclipsed by the views from these two sites. , What interested me much, showing the up-to-datenees and the humaneness of the Municipal. Council, were the jiublic conveniences all through the city. There are seven 'of them. The one I specially saw was just at the end of that recently-erected magnificent ferroconcrete .viaduct. It is about 30 feet long by 16 feet deep, right along the pathway on the main street, and built of concrete or brick cemented, covered with tin. In the centre is a rest and shelter from rain and pun, some 20 x, 6 feet, well seated, on each side facing the street is a window, on the one in clear b«ld letters "Ladies' Lavatory," on the -other "Gentlemen's Lavatory." The entrance to the former is by a door inside the rest, partly concealed by an extension of the wall. The entrance to the latter is by a narrow passage between the»main building and a wall, off the main' street. The walls of the passage and the floor, and the floor of the .lavatory, they are all covered with white tiles. When'l entered I found an old man, an old pensionerfrom the look of him, glad to earn an extra few shillings a- week, in.' charge and responsible for the cleanliness of the place and the receipt_ of the pennies paid. I found myself in a room about 10 x 16 feet. A range of white enamel cast iron wash-hand basins ran along the back of the wall behind the rest with soap, a towel and a hair brush, there for the public use entirely . free, but if one wanted a clean towel or a clean brush the charge was Id each. At the back of the room was a range of other conveniences, upto-dato in every way, pad-locked, but for use on payment of Id. What can Palmerston Council say to that? There is only the filthy smelling construction with no,cover from the weather. We are 50 years behind the times. No town can vfrant proper conveniences more than Palmerston North, with its many visitors from everywhere and suburban and country surroundings, and no greater, more useful and more humane ornament could our Square_have than such a rest. —I am, etc., ROBT. GARDNER. THE KNYVETT DEFENCE MEETING

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In appearing in this evening's issue of the "Standard" of the Knyvett defence meeting, held here last night, I notice the statement that Mr Hoben "wanted to move an amendment, which Captain Walker wanted to second. It was to the effect that while the .meeting -sympathises with Captain Knyvett . . " etc. So far as that statement refers to myself it'is quite, unwarranted. I presume that your reporter, jumped to the conclusion . that I "wanted -to second" Mr Hoben'e amendment merely from the slight circumstance that a'short time after some rather inconclusive discussion between the. chairman, and Mr Hoben, as to whether the latter's amendment, should be accepted or not, I simply asked the chairman the very brief question whether he had ruled Mr Hoben's amendment out of order. Permit me to say that I should most certainly not havo seconded Mr 'Hoben's amendment, so long as it contained any expression of sympathy with Captaim Knyvett, as, in my judgment, the dismissal of that officer from the N.Z. Defence Forces was thoroughly merited, and was the only appropriate sequel to his conduct. — : I am, etc., BARNES WALKER. Palmerston N., June 29, 1910.

A SUGGESTION. (To the Editor.) 'Sir, —At this juncture perhaps enlightenment on the Orchestral Society's early history may be of interest to a portion of the public, arid also to the young members of the Society. The gentlemen who formed the Society, were : —Messrs H. E. Gunter, M. Cohen, Rev. Young, A. Drew, G. J. Scott, A. Turner, C. S. Pickering, H. Burmester, Crump, Isherwood and Rqchell in Mr H. E. Gunter's rooms in 1894, and the Society-was launched iorth in this rising town. As last night's concert is the first concert I have' been able to listen to from the body of the Opera House, I beg' to offer a suggestion to the committee of the Society, gathered from my experience of listening to the music last night. Owing to the scattered manner in which the orchestra was placed the balancc of tone and attack and precision was anything b.ut pleading, and the piano in the centre was contrary to all good results being obtained by the orchestra. Here is my suggestion for J next concert: —First violins, where they s were last night; wood wind, including bassoon, same (left of conductor); 'cello and violas, opposite first violins; cornets arid brass, behind 'cello, etc. (right o£ conductor); one string bass next bass trombone, and the other string bass behind the hassoon, giving one on the right and one on the left of the conductor; piano (if any) back of, second violins, who would be in front of conductor. Thanking you for space. —I am, etc., C. S. PICKERING.