Things the Observer WOULD LIKE TO KNOWN

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 925, 19 September 1896, Page 20

Things the Observer WOULD LIKE TO KNOWN

— If the Harbour Board has really ceased creating fresh billets now ? — Whether C. G. Clayton is tearing up any of his tenants' leases lately ? — If it is a fact that the charge of admission to Bishop Lenihan's consecration is to be 7/6. — What kind of a time it will be at Devoaport with Oliver Mays running for the Mayoralty ? — What has become of the Parnell football representatives ? Such a popular defeat never was. — What Abraham Bowden is going to do with all the horses and cabs he has brought from Sydney ? — If the Government is really sincere about the Old Age Pensions Bill. Or ia it only an electioneering measure ? — If the name of J. A. Gaudaur, now the champion sculler of the world, is not correctly pronounced ' Good -oar ?' — Why Messrs Grey and Endean don't give the East Ward election a bit of additional interest by declaring a policy ? — Whether it would not be an advantage if the Auckland Acclimatisation Society set about the undoing of much of the work it has done ? — Whether the Hon. 'William Jonnings didn't accidentally get into the wrong lobby on the Loan Bill division ? Or is he growing independent ? — Whether the po'iee will profit by Magistrate Northcroft'a remarks on the indiscretion and impropriety of interfering with people in Qneen-streefc who are not causing an obstruction. — What induced the Auckland Women's Liberal League to devote an evening to 'Love, Courtship and Marriage.' We thought the political female had forsworn the male creature. — Who the police-constable was who placed his hand on a lady' 3 shoulder in Queen-street and ordered her to ' move on.' This is a dangerous thing to do Seddon's Bill ien't law yet —Whether G. M. Reed is really envious of Mrs Gollings's appointment at ten shillings per week as lady visitor to the Asylum. Or is it one of his lately friends and supporters who wants the billet ? — What price the Hon. Thomas Thompson as a protector of the liberties of the ' common people ?' As Minister of Police, he has upheld the police constable who bumped a bnshman's head on the tram rails in arresting him. —Whether Rev. Haskett Smith wasn't a bit premature in saying his parcel had been stolen from the s.s. Rotomahana ? It was really left behind at the hotel. Nasty accusation to level against the steamer people without good grounds. — Whether it is not a bit inconsistent of the Government to limit the number of apprentices to a trade and then open technical schools to teach those same trades to every boy who chooses to offer. Hut perhaps technical schools will be brought under the Master and Apprentices Act. — Why the Government don't provide a fishing line for the big fat policeman whose time is spent lolling on the rail of the Devonport wharf while he dreamily watches the traffic to and fro Seemingly, the subordinate does all the police duty. — Whether Masseur Eoth has not conferred a great public benefit on Auckland by healing ' that leg ' of J.H. Hannan's, J.P. The limp had become wearisome to the people of Devonport, but now it has actually gone. Will Hannan's chronic grumble against the Devonport Perry Co. go too ?

Cab and omnibus drivers are reminded that all packages or articles left in any licensed vehicle must, in terms of byelaw, be deposited, with the name of driver and nnmber of vehicle, at the office of the Town Clerk, Municipal Bailding3.

The ' City of Doom,' with a big, b ! « D. is what the London parsons call Constantinople, according to the cable. It rather reminds one of Kudyard Kipling's 'City of Dreadful Night,' and Constantinople certainly seems a less pleasant residence than Auckland just now for anyone who isn't a Moslem or a Persian lolly-seller or something of that sort. • Dunedih correspondent of a Southern exchange writes: 'A rumour is current in town, and, I believe, is well founded, to the effect that the head of a large trading concern in the Sonth, whose name has been exceedingly prominent in connection with recent banking investigations, has broken down under the severe strain I of worry and anxiety. The gentleman in question is Buffering from an attack of insomnia, and has been ordered away from home, and instructed by his medical advisers to avoid buainpss matters in every shape and form.' Who is he ? A writer in Dunedln Triad has been letting down on onr mining boom and mining experts. I had scarcely arrived in Auckland (he cays), when I was made painfully aware of the extent to which mining speculation has grown in that fair city. Almost everyone you know comes to you in the street, pulls a dirty piece of paper from his pocket, and takes you into his confidence something like this : — ' I say, old fellow, I've got a splendid little thing on just now. It -will only cost you £25.' (Aside — ' Of course you'll never see 5 our money again, but that's no matter ') ' I am starting as a mining expert.' (Aside — 'Of course I don't know anything about mining, but that's quite immaterial.') 1 Well, there are ten shares, and each shareholder gets a share in the office furniture.' People here are just now luxuriating in unwonted pocket money, like the Duke of Plaza, Toro after he was formed into a liability company. Most of the companies are called No Liability Companies; L '/(limited Liarbility would more fitly describe many of them. Anent the question of bicycle ' saddles ' for lady riders, an English weekly prints the following hints :— ' The bicycle saddle is truly one of the questions of the day, and one that mothers and doctors cannot possibly ignore. It was prophesied that bicycling was to do away with all forms ot hysteria, and laDgour3 common to unemployed girls, but such is by no means the case. A plump, rosy gill takes to bicycling, and a couple of months finds her pale, thin, and haggard, with hardly any appetite, sleepless nights, distressing dreitnis, and a tendency to break into tears en the slightest provocation. "Oh! she has over-bicycled," say her friends, and so she has, but not in the sense of having gone too far or too fast. The saddle is iv fault, which, in its present shape, is often bound to produce very serious female complaints, and a young girl, ignorant of her anatomy, and anxious to be in the swim, is not likely to lay her sufferings at the right door. The mother, unless she be a cyclist herself, does not realise the true state of the case, while it is not every doctor who cares to risk his popularity by uupalatable truths, and so the mischief goes on.' A very delicate question, but it is 'just as well to know.'

The Royal Variety and Burlesque j Company announces performances for j Thursday and Friday next at the City Hall. The company includes Miss liillie Smith, a clever f^erio-comic artiste ; Miss McOhyrstal, contralto ; Miss Cameron, balladiat ; Messrs Silbon, Sylvane Stanley, j McDermott and other artistes. j Messrs Porter and Hampson have made ?ood progress with the flotation of , the Rachel Special Claim at Kennedy's Bay, and expect to have the list finally closed in a few days. The area is SI acres, and the property is bounded by the Rangatira, Vanderbilt, AJ.C, and Index Special Claims, which are now coming into prominence. The price of the syndicate shares is £25. In view of tbe interest that lias been aroused in the Tapu district by the recent developments in the Sheriden mine, the prospectus of Hawke's Freehold claim, which is advertised elsewhere by Mr R. Burns, and Messrs Wood house and Black, calls for special attention. The area is 150 acres, and the property adjoins the Golden Point and Sheridan. Thirty syndicate shares are to be offered to the public at x3O each, and the owners retain seventy and £200 for their rights. The reports of Messrs Wauchope and Williams on the holding are published elsewhere, and will repay perusal. Mr Robert Hood, mining agent, has issued the prospectus of the Marqueta G.M.C., which is being formed to work a holding at Whangamata, adjoining the Marco Polo, King of Whangamata, and Waterwitch special claims. The property, which is 100 acres in extent, hasr been fovourably reported upon by Mr E. R. Edwards, of the Thames. Forty thousand shares are being sold to the public at £20 per 1,000