OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 646, 1 July 1921, Page 11

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

VIRTUE ITS OWN REWARD,

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

AUCKLAND, July 1

People here are still laughing over the case of the party who recently arrived in Auckland, en route to America, and who contrived during his brief stay in this city to lose a wallet containing a bank draft for £SOO and his steamer ticket. The finder, honest man, knowing how short was the stay of the steamer at this port, went to no end of trouble to locate the owner of the wallet and its valuable contents. He rang up every hotel and big boardinghouse in Auckland, and when at last he ran the man he sought so anxiously to earth, htat individual said he was “much obliged” and shouted him half-a-pint by way of showing his gratitude. ,He must surely be some connection of the chap who lost a hundred pound note and when, after the lapse of a day or two, it was restored to him told the finder that under the circumstances, he wouldn’t charge him any interest on the money.

THE EARTHEN HOUSE A FAILURE. Some time ago, when the cost of building materials was considerably higher than it is now (and that’s high enough), somebody suggested that Aucklanders should go in for what is known as the pise. oe terre house. The somebody explained that the walls of these structures were composed of . beaten, or rammed, earth, and that the houses when constructed were almost indestructible and quite ideal residences, being cool in summer and warm in winter. They had also, we are told, the advantage of being about 50 or 60 per cent, cheaper to construct than dwellings of brick or wood j because tthe nearest vacant section or piece of waste ground would furnish the raw material for the and all that was needed was a pair of strong arms and a shovel —and there you were! So a local fii*m decided to experiment and the attempt was made to build a pise de terre house at Newmarket. The greatest pains were taken to ensui’e success, and the construction of the dwelling was undertaken under skilled supervisionThe result has been utter failure. In hot, dry climates like that of Egypt and parts of Australia, the earthern house, when skilfully constructed, answers admirably. In the damp climate of Auckland it doesn’t answer at all.

THE DOMESTIC HELP PROBLEM. In a “movie” drama screened at one of the picture theatres last week, the scene being New York, there was an amusing incident. A Fifth Avenue plutocrat advertised for a and the screen showed the "mistress of the household being interviewed by a woman who came after the job. “How many are there in the fam’ly?” demanded the applicant. “Four,” replied the lady, “and six servants.” “I don’t cook for servants/’ sniffed the applicant, adding “I am afraid you wouldn’t suit me.” The audience roared. But the incident is 1 not overdrawn. It was true to life, not only in America but in New Zealand. Shiploads of immigrants, including a liberal proportion of girls trained to domestic work, have recently arrived in Auckland, but the Shortage of domestics in this city remains as acute as ever. We shall have to follow suit to Wellington in regard to this matter. There is a “Mother's Help” association or society in th* Empire City; , five capable young women are employed at good salary to visit the homes of the “hehv’-iess, mind the babies, wash up, dean and tidy, etc. They do their work in a businesslike way, and observe an 8heur day. Thus mater-familias is free tc spend the afternoon in shopping and visiting, and returns home to find the work all done and dinner ready to- dish. The sooner .the Wellington organisation starts an Auckland branch the better.

THE OLD EXCUSE. Convicted on his own admission of annexing nearly £7 worth of jewellery from a private residence, Augustus Mousley blamed it on to “the drink.” > brought before an Auckland ■c:\strate, said he had acquired a e for alcohol through taking it as Mu opiate while in hospital. Mousley's offence was a particularly mean one. It seems that, anxious to befriend li'rn on his release from gaol (yes, hed been in before), the Rev. Mr Budu told this man to cail at his house so that be might see what he could do for him. Augustus called and. finding no one around at the moment, entered and bagged the jewellery He got three months, and deserved B, My own opinion is that v.l'ifc” a. suestk thief tries to screen l-.ims-’f bv pleading “drink” he ought to gei his sentence doubled,. I was rending only the other day an interview wi V. . urn! chaplain who <.!•?-

dared emphatically that idleness was far more responsible for crime than liquor. I fancy he was not far wrong.

EARLY BIRDS.

When the booking office in Queen Street at which seats are engaged for a much-advertised show from Sydney was opened for business the other morning at nine o’clock, 1000 persons were' waiting to secure tickets for the opening performance. The first man to arrive on the scene got there at 6.30 p.na- At 7 part,, another early bird arrived. At 11 p.mj three more men put in an appearance. At 3 g.m. a lady joined the party, the members of which made themselves as comiortable as circumstances would allow by the aid of rugs and wraps Three hours later about a hundred people were “on the job’.’ After that the crowd grew, and grew until it was half-way across the street when the office doors flew open and the rush began. As the previous night was bitterly cold,, rather wet, and very windy, the early arrivals must have had, a picnic. I am an old theatregoer myself, but the piece hasn’t been written as yet that would tempt me to spend a whole winter’s night in the street waiting to jtmy a ticket of admission. I prefer bed.