From the Watch tower

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 37, 6 May 1927, Page 8

From the Watch tower

By the LOOK OUT MAN INFLUENCING TOURISTS

“I have absolute proof of tourists landing in Auckland and being told it is of no use going to the South Island—that it is too cold, and that they can see all there is to be seen in the North.” —The Hon. J. G. Anderson, Minister for Publicity. “Oh, don't go South,” Miss Northland said. “It’s cold and wet and grey: The Southerners are savages,^ Oh, sta 7/ in Auckland, stay! In ’Wellington the wind is wild. And Christchurch - has no charm: Dunedin's hills are dank and drear, The South's a ‘false alarm-.’ ” “Oh, don't go North,” Bliss Southland prayed. “’Tis wickedness and din. The AUCKLANDERS arc living there. In gaiety and sin. O stranger, stay,” Miss Southland & egged. From Auckland’s schemes and -plots — An’, if ye’ve any siller, lad. Well, spend it wi’ th T Scots l” RANGITOTO Visitors who have climbed the rough track to the summit of Rangitoto have declared the view from there to be one of the finest in all the world. Undoubtedly it is the finest to be obtained about Auckland, and the wonder is that you may meet Aucklanders who have never enjoyed it—thousands of them, in fact. Indeed, it is as true as it appears unbelievable, that there are thousands of Aucklanders who have never ascended the easy slopes of Mount Eden or One Tree Hill. Yet those people profess to know all there is to know about Auckland, and they have a profound knowledge of world geography—gleaned from scenic reels at the “pickchahs.” There will be less excuse for the tender-footed not to reach Rangitoto summit when the new spiral motor road is completed. This is another of those “impracticable” works which a real spirit of enterprise is accomplishing. When the road reaches the top (a two-mile stretch of it is now completed) Aucklanders will possess one of the most magnificent scenic assets in the Dominion, and they will owe its development to the Devonport Domain Board, and to Sir James Parr, who, as Minister for Justice, made arrangements for prison labour to carry out the work. * * * THE CARVERS It’s an extraordinary thing how Bill Hoggs, of Upper Tooting, and Harry Blinks, of Te Awaparangu, and all of their kind love to carve their names on any feature that attracts tourists. Visitors to IVairakei will have noticed the defacement of rocks with hundreds of signatures; tourists in Samoa have complained of the mutilation of Stevenson’s tomb, and in England constant watch has to be maintained on the national treasures lest some vandal chip a finger from a statue or remove a brick from a ruin, to add to his collection of “Sooveneers.” It hasn’t taken long for this strange variety of human pest to make his appearance at Canberra. A man was discovered recently carving with a penknife his illustrious name on the woodwork of the Speaker’s £-1,000 chair. Horrified attendants seized the offender before much damage was done. There are people in the world who would carve twin hearts, “Inscribed suitable, on the grave of the Unknown Soldier if they had free rein for their diseased craving for cheap publicity. ONEHUNGA’S KELLY GANG Time was when local politics were taken very seriously at Onehunga. The Manukau borough in those days did not deserve THE SUN’S charge of listlessness. A body officially termed the Town Guardians, but familiarly known as “The Kelly Gang,” instituted “boss”

government. No mayor or councillor could he elected without their approval. Feeling ran so high during the mayoralty of Dr. Scott (who, incidentally, was present at yesterday’s jubilee celebrations) that open warfare was declared. One of the “Kelly” stalwarts entered the town clerk’s office after the declaration of a bitterly contested poll on a vexed question, and attempted to carry off the ballot-box. Dr. Scott and Mr. Hutchison, the town clerk, strenuously resisted. The energetic town guardian was forced to beat a hasty retreat. But imagine the disappointment of Dr. Scott, who had so eloquently put the project before the ratepayers, to find on opening the box that it had been defeated by one vote. The “Kelly’s” triumphed after all!