A BED NOSE FOB DANGER

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1182, 24 August 1901, Page 14

A BED NOSE FOB DANGER

/It is the fashion in Auckland : at the present fcniieto : talk abofit the "collapse. >n W^i aafe-tVe result of the mining dispute. But, as a,] matter of fact, Waihfc is just now showing unparalleled vitality. Within the last month, half-a-dozen new two -storey., shops have been completed and occupied ; and, at the present moment, there are thirteen other fine, two-storey shops in course of construction, and all let in advance.. This certainly does not look like stagnation.

An official of the Southern milling syndicate, who is at present in town, lias called upon us and stated that the report that the farmers w.ere not benefiting by the recent rise in flour is incorrect". The syndicate, lie says, are giving the growers 3jd .more a bushel now than formerly, an<l have been doing so for over two weeks. As this equals 17s 6d a ton, and as the price of flour has been raised by only 15s, he submits that the rise is a loss instead of a gain. Auckland, he asserts, is the only district not in the risei and he accounts for this by another assertion, that the mills up here have betfti booking orders in advance, and are obliged to fill them. The official assures us there is not a miller in the South who isn.ot worse off now, from a willing point of view, than he was ten years $go.

"Muriwai" writes :— At the bewitching hour of midnight on Saturday last, an army of Parnell heroes went out to search for the'ghost. Most of them carried sticks, the remainder being armed with road metal. Most bravely they sallied along the road, vowing vengeance on the nocturnal visitor. They had not gone far, however, when the lamplighter came riding along and extinguished the gas lamps, In the darkness, the spirit of heroism evaporated, the leader then spoke up and said, "Well, I don't suppose it's any use going further ; we will never see him in the dark. I vote we go home." This was carried unanimously, and the braves departed homeward, fully satisfied they had upheld the honour of Parnell.

Here is the latest thing in good advertisements, from a contemporary : — " Wanted-^ A steady man to look after 6 garden and milk a cow who has a good" voice and is accustomed to sing in the ciioir;" Who says that the dairying industry is not the backbone of the country after this ?

— «•• ••• Is the desire for notoriety not overstepping reason ? Wherein lies the heroism of being twice in a field hospital with malarial fever? And yet our young soldiers, snap-shotted by the camera fiend, appear to take pride in " enteric/ if they cannot add "twice wounded " or " three times had horse, elephant, camel or jackass shot under them. " Can anyone imagine a Crimean hero appearing, in, an old print, with the words : "Twice in hospital at Scutari with typhoid ?" ,Or an Indian mutiny warrior, with the Superscription : "Three times victim to cholera at Delhi." No, sickness is sad — not heroic. > '''■ "

Some of the Queen-street tradesmen were inclined to hold a thanksgiving service when the Government imitation of the Marble Arch was removed. And this is the thing that Mr Napier wanted ta have donated to the Freeman's Bay recreation ground, and the disposal of which, the. Government in-, tended to discuss at a Cabinet meeting. .

Now that Parliament is on, a little story, just out, about an English M.P.'s adventure, may be in form, The M.P. was walking through London, on his way to the House, when he perceived, just ahead of him, an acquaintance, whose handkerchief was sticking out of his pocket. Seized with an idea, he quickened his pace, stepped just behind his friend, and withdrew the handkerchief without the owner knowing. He fyas just about to address him and tell him what he had done when he felt a tap on the arm, "and, half turning, confronted a quiet, genteel individual, who returned to .the M.P. his- own purse, handkerchief, and a bunch of keys, at the same time saying "t beg your pardon ; I didn't know you were one of us."