PEOPLE’S PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 7

PEOPLE’S PARLIAMENT.

BOYS OX THE BASIX RESERVE. I was a spectator at tho cricket match on tho Basin Reserve on l-'riday, and, as usual, half the enjoyment to bo obtained from such a match was maned by tho -‘small boy nuisance." 1 occupied a position dote to the screen at the north end of tho ground. Dozens of small boys wero allowed to congregate thoro inside tho ropos. and were allowed to run about unmolested —their chief object apparently being, while not lighting among themselves, to collect all tho available stones oft' the path, and strew them over tho practice wickets. 1 noticed two policemen standing-in front of tho gate leading to tho pavilion, but they were there for one purpose only, to guard that gate. In their duties. X roust say, they wore persevering, highly persevering, nothing hut persevering, bo much so that had either of them lived in tho days of heathen mythology, ho would have been transmogrified into ttio god of "pereovcranco." But what I want to know is. who is going to cope with tho enroll boy nuisance? It is becoming a nuisance of the worst description, and ho who can suggest a way of successfully dealing with it trill ho conferring a lasting boon on all cricket enthusiasts.—DlSGUSTED,

FREIGHT TRAM CAES. In a recent feue ot your paper I read a communication advocating the introduction of freight cars in connection with tho municipal tramway system. Permit mo to say a word or two in support of the suggestion. It would bo a very great convenience if this class of car wore rnn to and from tho railway stations, to suit passengers who are travelling by tho express trains. Tho cab charges in Wellington aro dreadfully high, and it comes very hard on ns, who aro not ijosseescd of an over-abundance of thin world's goods, to find that, although it costs but 5s Id to come from Masterton, yet it takes another 4s to get from tho station to tho wharf. Having gone through tho experience once wo do not care about a rcjietition. and, therefore, carry our luggage to the steamer when this is possible. What a godsend it would bo if, on tho arrival of tho train, there were ears, with freight cars attached, waiting at tuo stations to take people to tho wharf and other termini for about Gd. luggage included. To get to Ingest re street, in a carriage, tho other evening from the Manawatu Station cost mo 5(3. and yet X would have boon ablo to get to the same spot (as tho tram stops twentv yards or so away) for a shilling at tiro most, if there had been a freight car attached to tho tram, in which mv four small trunks could have been placed. I trust tho municipal authorities will do sornelmng in tho matter. We travellers are at tho mercy of the cabbies, and thov have not been slow to recognise tho fact and profit by it accordingly. POOR TRAVELLER. THE JAPANESE AND AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE. Referring to your editorial paragraph regarding tho above, yon incidentally remark. as tho reported opinion of one of the gunners of the Victoria Barracks. Sydney, that "what tho Japanese do not know is not worth knowing." Will you kindly permit mo to inform.your readers that Vo (I moan Britishers generally) know, in this connection, just as much as the Japanese. or any other "esc," know. I need not toll you the duties of a military attache at a foreign embassy; suffice it to say that in the archives of tho British War Office there exist to-day plans (drawn to scale, let me add) of every fortification in tho world, together with tho armament of tho fortrotrs; tho number of troops, and nature and range of guns it contains, and how long it could hold out in tho event of a siege. So pray do not inoculate tho, I fear, over-praised Japs with tho Now Zealand rinderpest, i.n., ‘"swelled head." a terrible scourge. Football has done (inito enough in this direction.— ■•UUIQUE."