From Pages of the Past

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 15, 12 January 1934, Page 6

From Pages of the Past

It is pleasant to while away an hour of idle time by glancing through the columns of the journals that in the early days of Auckland struggled to make a weekly appearance, and the interest is increased by frequent references to events in the North. Modesty was not a failing of our journalistic ancestors, for under the heading of “The Southern Cross” of May 4, 1844, is the subtitle “ ‘New “Zealand Guardian and Auckland, “Thames, and Bay of Islands Advertiser,’ published every Saturday mor“ning and extensively circulated “through this and the neighbouring “colonies, also in England, Ireland, and Sctoland.” Surely this was a wide enough field to satisfy the most exacting advertiser. But if the publishers were not modest in their circulation claims, they expected that virtue in the salaries they paid, for in a wanted advertisement for a reporter to take notes in the Council a footnote is added, “The remuneration will not be great.” But perhaps this economic policy was forced on them by hard circumstance. Evidently they were not golden days for the proprietors of the Press, for in the same issue it says, “We are sorry to ob“serve that the times are pressing “hard upon our contemporary who is "in consequence obliged to alter the “semi-weekly publication of his paper “to weekly. This is a prudent course; “he is right to take in sail.” Taxation was no more popular then than now, and the leader writer fairly grinds his teeth in reviewing the taxation imposed upon the colonists, especially when referring to a land tax. But he cheers up later and remarks that the “Bill for the permission of “the distillation of spirits will tend “much to advance the prosperity of “the colony.” Under the title “Domestic Intelligence” it is announced that they are sorry to say that the report in circulation that the 'Union Bank of Australia intends to establish a branch in Auckland is without foundation. While a correspondent remarks that “to remain in town trading amongst “each ' ther is fast bringing ab.mt its “natural consequences, ruin upon “most. I would therefore fain recom“mend many of those who have capital left to retire to the country, and “commence rearing sheep.” The editor in a footnote to the letter agrees with the correspondent, and remarks : “We should ourselves have “no hesiation, with sufficient means, “to try sheep-farming in New Zealand.” Sheep were quoted at 16/ each, milk cows £6 to £B, brood mares £2O to £3O, and working bullocks £2O to £25 a pair. The reading matter in the issue closes with an article on “The culture of the Vine,” one on “The Size and Cost of the Great Pyramid,” and a poem “The Servian Youth to a Traveller.” The advertising columns are quite as interesting as the articles of news and comment. The notices dealing with the then current prices of merchandise and materials make one inclined to think that in some ways they were the good old days. Bricks, the best, are quoted at 20/ per 1000, while Kauri is quoted at 5/6 a hundred, and “Kaiketea” at 4/6. The breakfast table could be provided for at a moderate cost, the price of Yorkshire hams is given at 7d. a lb., and eggs were a shilling a dozen, and it was the off season of the year, while the staff of life cost 4d. the 21b. loaf. The items of the dinner menu also, according to our present standard, were selling at prices satisfactory to the householder—fresh beef 4d. to sd. a lb., and potatoes £1 a ton. The moments of rest and recreation could be enjoyed at no very high cost. The son of toil could purchase his tobacco and ale* or rum or gin or arrack or porter, and the merchant or military man his wine or brandy and cigars nt prices that would give a modern brewei a fit of

apoplexy if he could believe bis eyes when he read them. The duty has to be added to the prices which are quoted in bond. Wine had to bear a 20 percent duty, and spirits 5/ a gallon, and cigars carried a duty of 2/ a lb. Claret is quoted at £1 a dozen, while the aristocratic champagne is £2 15/. Spanish brandy is listed at 3/ a bottle and Martel’s 6/. Manila cigars were 35/ to £2 a thousand, and Cavendish tobacco was 9d, a lb.

A long and varied list of articles are advertised for sale by auction. It throws a light on prevailing fashions in men’s attire, for included in the list are plush and fancy vests ; “browsers” were also to be auctioned. The musical part of the community were well catered for at this particular sale and amongst the instruments to be let loose on the community were French horns, and German flutes, and military trumpets. A modern touch is given to the list by an item of eight boxes of chocolates, though they would hardly be the kind of boxes of chocolates with which the modern woer regales his inamorata.