DAILY NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7800, 3 September 1903, Page 2

DAILY NOTES.

The building of the Veterthe ans* Home in Auckland is' veterans' making such satisfactory home. progress that it is hoped that the Home will be ready tfor use by the middle of November. 'Unfortunately, the necessary funds for making it "reasonably self-supporting," are not all available yet. About £5000, is v still required. Of this sum it is hoped that £1000 will be raised by means of a bazaar which is being organised in Auckland, and that the balance will gradually be forthcoming. We hope the full amount, will be subscribed before Lord Ranfurly leaves New Zealand. It would be an appropriate way of marking the end of his long and successful term of office if the people of this colony decided to put the Home that his Excellency has founded in a thoroughly sound financial positionS Public interest in nurai-to-day's cipal politics, which is never poll, very active locally, is dullei now that it has been' afc any time since / the formation of " Greater Christchurch." Even a municipal "byelection" has not had the effect of arousing more than a. passing interest in" civic affairs. The election, which is for the Sydenham seat vacated by Mr Ell, is being contested by three candidates. Of these, two, Messrs Sim and Manhire, have served such lengthy municipal apprenticeships in the Sydenham Borough Council that their views are well-known* while the third can<didate, Mr Drury, has taken the precaution to make a public affirmation of his. Under these circumstances, the electors • should have no difficulty in making a choice. The progressive residents A mttxicipal of Lyttelton having possessbakert. Ed themselves of municipal gasworks, are desirous of embarking further in municipal trade. They are now discussing the question of establishing a bakery. They have an effective way of resenting what fliey believe to be unjust demands of private . In the opinion of many of them, the now defunct Lyttelfon Gas Company over-charged them for gas, so they ceased using gas until sunh a time as they were able to induce the company to sell out to the Corporation. Now they declare that they are being asked to pay too much for bread. As they cannot very well do "withjout "the staff of life," they d ! o not propose to starve the bakers into submission by the methods which they adopted in the case of the Gaa Company, but to see what effect a little competition in the shape of a municipal bakery will have. As the law makes no provision for allowing a Corporation to embark in enterprises of this kind, they propose to get it altered.

It is not often that a priA bill that Tate member's Bill finds its tailed. -way on to the Parliamentary Order Paper a month after it has been debated and laid aside. This is -what happened to Mr Ell's Barmaids Abolition Bill. The measure -was discussed some wooks a^Oj and -when the debate was adjourned it was imagined that nothing more would be heard of the Bill this session. Contrary to expectations, however, the Bill found its way on to the Order Paper last night, when its .second rending was negatived by 42 votes to 16. Mr Ell's well-meant intentions have, therefore, cwiio to nothing, a fact which we rcgrebc la common with, Mr EUj

we have no intention of casting any reflection on barmaids in general, but TO thinlc that their profession is one -which could be disp* lls^ w^ th without injury to anybody and with a certain amount of ndvarita.g© to many people,