AUCKLAND’S PUBLIC MANNERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18906, 5 July 1923, Page 2

AUCKLAND’S PUBLIC MANNERS

TRAVELLING BY TRAAI. THE PRIAHTIVB PROPORTION. The conduct of Auckland folk in tramcars bids fair to become a topic of perpetual debate (remarks the New Zealand Herald). Strangely enough, the boat travellers do not give rise to similar discussions, charges, and counter-charges. Tho inference is that North Shore dwellers and the residents of other suburbs beside the sea are perfect ladies and gentlemen, who live on a kind of astral plane, from which they look pitingly down upon those who reside in the far interior of Auckland Isthmus. Possibly, however, they may be too engrossed, while making the ferry journey, in telling each other about the glories ol Takapuna, Ohentenham, Narrow Neck, and, of course, Shoal Bay, to dream of , jostling. There may be some uplifting influence of (he sea behind their model conduct, but tho inner Waitemata. docs not wield a similar influence upon many of those who live along it. One has but to watch the wild rush that takes place in Customs street, when the S o’clock trams are running to Herne Bay, to realise that the standard of civilisation in that locality is not uniformly high. The practice of a considerable number of men is to spring on to the cars as they run down the slope above the stopping-place. Each usually pulls up with a human swarm clinging at either end. Sometimes one of these sportsmen gives a wild whoop when bis foot finds the step, and thus adds to the Donnybrook effect. The other evening an elderly woman was struck as the car passed by the extended elbow of a man who had made the leap, -and was knocked down on the street. He secured hia seat, while two young men picked the lady up and helped her to the car. An extreme case, of course; but it would occur every day if most elderly women did not; stand back and wait until the worst of the rush had passed. One who did so recently reached home exactly one hour after she arrived at Customs street, ... AIONOPOLY OF SEATS. But it must not be thought that, the uncivilised portion of the population' reveals itself only at rush times. Alost folk ore well acquainted with the typo who believe that their ticket entitles them to two seats file individuals who sprawl themselves oyer the double seat, and endeavour to be quite unconscious of the person who has the temerity to sit down beside them. “What I have I hold,” is their motto. Instinct seems to tell them- to be aggressively expansive. Sometimes they nave ‘‘their legs crossed, arid at every motion of the oar, the swinging foot wipes a little more mud on the unfpi-tunate person next door. This occurred riot long ago. The man establishing his claim to the vyhole seat was of the robust type, and his neighbour appeared to be a mild little man. At tho first wipe his chin shot out and a light came into his eye;, at the second he turned to the big man and ,in a 'quiet but definite manner remarked, that if that occurred again he would .push his head through the window. That was all, and it was enough. Sometimes the cross-legged person is not a man. She is the sort of woman who will walk to the front of any queue and try to push in; In a shop sue starts shouting her order as she presses past the ordinary decent people who are waiting, and looks hurt when the estimable shopman says to (ho woman behind her: “And yours, madam.” THE FUTURE OF THE TYPE. Unfortunately, however, we hear more of rude tram travellers than of polite, considerate ones, and thus it is easy for strangers to form a wrong impression of the city. , The fact is that the bulk of the people are polite. Alost of the tram services are inadequate, but they endure the discomforts, and delays with almost a philosophic calm. They would no more think of jostling women than of throwing banana skins and spring onions about a tram, as newsboys sometimes do on Saturday nights. They are the general public. The rude people are simply the fraction whose trouble is retarded evolution. These more primitive' souls will improve in a. generation or two. We all will, and so, of course, they will be talking about less civilised “tail” 100 years hence. The two-seat man may disappear, but there will be the man who will be an annoyance in the Sydney-Auok-land flying liner of those days. Probably they will not drop him into the Tasman. They will realise that there is hope for his Tine. Perhaps thev will then be so civilised that they will prescribe him a course in manners to expedite his development.