GARDEN PILFERING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 330, 2 December 1864, Page 6

GARDEN PILFERING.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Herald. Sib, —I am glad you noticc this matter of garden pillage. Last year a whole soason's labour, and a season's returns wero lost by tho systematic plunder of owners of cows and goats. My loss was over £20, and I never could recover a farthing without incurring no end of expense and vexatious annoyance. My fences all good (quicks and post and throe-rail fence) and are in good repair ; my gates are protected, yet in one night I had half an acre of potatoes destroyed by pigs ; and during another had a snug kitchen garden ruined for the season by a couple of goats and their three kids. To recover damages I must go to the pound and to the Police Court, poor consolation certainly. Vagrant horses occasionally cast a longing eye at my green stuff, but aro only let in occasionally by their accommodating owners. The last cow that visited me, being a kindly beast, I milked shortly after daylight, turned her into the back yard and quietly waited until her owner came for her' which he quietly did about 4.30 a.m. I told him J had seen the cow, had milked her, and put her in the yard, and that 10s. was my charge for tho night's mischief. He paid the money without a grumble. My word was my bond. I was done, and a charitable institution got the benefit of that night's feed. I ought to have charged him ten times 10s, and then would have been poorly recompensed, hence his readiness to settle the matter.

But the greatest posts of all are our city Arabsboys and girls—for stealing our flowers and fruit. The girls are the worst; the boys come general ly earlv in the morning. Being an early riser, I have lately pinned several, and; having a very suitable Ceylon cane, I have applied it freely. I summoned one once to the Police Court, but declined to proceed

irith it, as the contamination of a T>oy withhardened criminals was moro than I folt justified in inflicting sn him or his parents, who, I believe, arc more to blame than the youth. But the jirls, tho little imps, are übiquitous. They watch fou going to brcaltfast, they watch you going to dinner, they watch going to tea, they watch going to church, and are ever on the look out when you go to market. But Sunday is their grand day. Believing us to be decent Christiana, without any reference to the decalogue tiiey then go to work in earnest, and what was your admiration in tho morning is simply your vexation at noon. Tho roses, the heliotropes, tho ixins, the sweet pea, tho everything you had prized, and tended, and nursed ns a child, are all gone; and not only gone, hut the plants in manv instances takon, and when not taken mutilated to the Inst degroo, and ruined for over. A good bulldog or tho switch might prove salutary ; but who would set the ono or apply tho other on a girl ? Pay wo dip them in a good water tub next time, by way of refreshing them. Tho process would clean many and do them good. Another nuieanco has sprung up of late of small boys and girls coming begging tlowcrs for little dead children in their coflins. I guve freely until I came to remark the great mortality of children of one creed ; made enquiries, and found I had been strewing many an imaginary corpse and filling tho pockets of many real speculators who had turned the penny with the happy ticket-holders for tho Opera *or Theatre lioval. As regards these pilfering children the parents arc the moro to blame, and ought to receive the puuishment due for their neglect. The owners of prowling horses, vagrant cattle, and brazen-faced goats ought to bo made responsible at one" for allowing any of them out of their eafskrep'ng at all. A fine not exceeding £50 to he :•>- fliitol for damage done to any one's property. 'I pot so 59 all these minimis myself, and, oddly enough, the very means 1 have taken to keep them have always been sufficient for that, but not sufficient to keep others out. The reason is obvious—the animals were sent or let in. Some new and more stringent Act than that at present in force is absolutely necessary. I am, sir, your's, SYLYANCS TJItUAN. Decombor 1,18C4. To the Editor of tho New Zealand lleiiam). Sir,—Being interested in Iho successful introduction of strain to the various ports of New Zealand, I venture to ask your insertion of the following :• —■ Tn one of your last issues I read an article which, as far as I could judge, seemed to throw some cold water on tho undertaking. You seemed to infer that, roads, bridges, &e., were our greatest want.. Now, sir, Sir George Grey has already made those of the English public believe it, that will, that we have a splendid road right through to tho North Cape. "Verily do not the English public seem to believe anything That steam was required nnd could be made to pay, you might perhaps think if you were to voyage in some of the little " hookers" doing their best in tho shape of trading. The steamer that lias been frequenting lately our Northern ports has certainly no particular chance 01 success, as she lias, by her great expense in running (£550 per month), proved herself unfit for the trade, and the liberal company only charging at the rate of £4 or £5 for freight to the Bay of Islands. I understand that one of thehonorables has visited Auckland specially with a view to get her subsidised by tho Government. It is rumoured in tlie North that the Governor Ims promised £100 per annum towards her support. (Fancy how nice it would be.) I say skipper, you'll have to leave me at the Kawnu. and my huln nnd jutrnua (sugar, Hour, Ac.) The long and the short, of it is, tho settlers will support a suitable steamer, subsidised or not; " but the back of our hands," as Paddy says, to the present one. and to the same management and exorbitant and monopolising stjle of thing. I am, Sir, Yours in hope, Tim a. November 28, [We hear that Hie ' Ballaarat' is to be laid on for the North, and from all accounts will prove herself (if any cun) deserving of support; but, on principle, we trust all assistance by way of subsidy, will be withheld by the Government.—El). JS. Z. H.]