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Observer, Volume XXXIV, Issue 24, 21 February 1914, Page 10

Onehunga is facing the street paving question. Probably the patching of the main street, from the Seddon Memorial to the wharf is a thing of the past. Councillor C. C. Davis chairman of the Streets Committee lately quoted rough estimates for laying down of the business portion of Queen's Street, from Arthur Street to the Post Office in permanent materials. Jarrah blocks £,7500," powellised"red birch blocks £5,000, Neuchatel asphalt £7.000, tarred macadam £2,000, and " Soltar," exclusive of preparing the surface, £600. Mr Davis is evidently for a modified system of tarred macadam for the whole 1_ miles, with a " Soltar " coating on the principal portion of the street The whole with the kerbing and draining to cost £8,000 or £9,000.

Harry Bauer, the world famous pianist who has arranged to appear in Australia this year, has all the modest man's objecion to be lionised. Not long back a London hostess, whose hobby was the parade of alleged musical lions, tried desperately hard to get Bauer to attend one of her evenings. She got an introduction to the virtuoso by some manoeuvring, and when she thought she knew him sufficiently, dropped him a discreet little note begging to engage his services professionally, and adding as if by an afterthought that Lord so and so would be among those presant. Bauer reply to the snobbish little note was brief and to the point. " Dear Madame," he wrote, '• Apart from the fact that I shall be otherwise engaged on the evening you mention, I fear that I shall be unable to be present owing to the, doubt existing as to whether I am to entertain Lord so and so or whether his lordship is to entertain me."