LIFE IN AMERICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19842, 10 January 1920, Page 5

LIFE IN AMERICA.

NEW ZEALANDER'S COMMENTS. JUSTICE AND ELECTIONS. “ They have an easy way of getting rid 1 of hills here,” says a former Christchurch resident to a friend in a letter from America. “ You would split your sides to see how they tear them down with steam shovels and fill up holes with them. A great shipbuilding place—saw 50 wooden ships (new) lying idle, built for U. 6. Government, that would sink, it is said, if put to sea. Jobbery, I suppose. Seattle is the most expensive settlement we have struck and the noise of the trams would drive you mad. Saw a lot of California on the way and was not shook on it. Like Central Otago, it wants water. Hungry sheep, and not many; fiserable pigs, that no one in New Zealand would buy. “ Well, we have been in ’Frisco a fortnight, and till yesterday lived in an hotel, as they call them here. They are really lodging-houses. You can get them here at any price you are willing to pay, with tho telephone in your room. That’s common. If you pay you can get anything you want. It us ( a fortnight to find what are called ‘‘housekeeping rooms,” and for twenty-six bob a week wo have the snookiest little show you over saw in i; om ; 1 1 / 6 - I couldn’t describe it. T° u d have to see it for yourself. You should see me now, sitting with my back to the fireplace—an imitation fireplace. with an imitation fire screen, covering an imitation register grate, with imitation marble round the grate and a mantelpiece above it, and a mirror above that, exactly like a New Zealand fireplace and overmantel. AVell you just reach up and catch hold of the top of the overmantel, pull it gently toward you, lower it on the floor and there you have a double bed complete iu every way and behind it a wardrobe complete. In the morning you lift it up again, push it into its place and there’s your imitation fireplace onco more and no sign whatever of tho bed. So you see, your sittinvroom in the day is your bedroom at “g™. “ It,s t,le f,m of Cork! Police Magistrates are Police Judges here. They are elected by the ratepayers, and if in the middle of his term his job becomes vacant, the Mayor appoints his successor. Imagine a. police judge dealing out punishment to a fellow that helped to elect him to his job yesterday! That’s common. Juey had an election yesterday for poucc judges,-mayor, district attorney, and supervisors. Supervisors' are what wo call councillors, and district attorney is a sort of ‘ Poo-Bah,’ as near as Jou can get to our Air , or but having more power. I don’t know yet how much more, but I soon will District attorney i s a better paid job than police judge. I went into Police Judge Alatthew Brady’s Court the odier day, and the Court was plastered uith election poster-pictures of Brady who was standing for district attorney. Judges or lawyers wear no wigs nor gowns. Brady won the district attorneyship, and will now get about £IOOO a year more screw, but they say no ono knows how much it is worth but the man that has the job. He won by 6000 odd votes. Tor a week before the election a procession of dirty ‘hobos’ paraded the streets, beatind old kettlen r ‘ l 'f t f’ a r d + i Carr , ying L banners : ‘Elect Grady I thought that would lose him ~ u roay have won it for him A detective-sergeant was arrested yesterday lor smuggling opium. I think he will boat them. The leading hotel !’"f the The lady accountant there was shot dead yesterday bv a woman who accused her of stealing hei husband s affections. The live lady is a heroine already. ‘Hold-ups.” as wo hv rhr 1 " : Y rob , b f -T h ? ro ’ aro common hj daj and night, and they generally get away , with the goods.’ ”