OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 674, 11 October 1921, Page 5

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

TOO MANY HOLIDAYS.

(From Our Own Correspondent).

Auckland, October 6.

The fourteenth '.anniversary of Dominion Day was observed in Auckland in much the same fashion that marked the occasion in ojther parts of the country. ~ Mosit of the Government offices shut up shop, there'was nothing doing on Change, and of course the banks were all closed. But the shops were all open, and trade, so ito say, was all a-blowing and a-grow-ing as per usual. This very partial way of keeping a holiday is strongly resented by most people here, who contend that' so-called public holidays should be observed by all or by none. Fact is, there are by far too many holidays in New Zealand, and the business community is growling. It hbs been suggested that Saints’ days should be lopped off for a start. “Why Government servants who are Irishmen should knock off on St. Andrews’ Day, is what I wanjfc to know,” said an Auckland commercial man in referring to the holiday question* “it’s only a uiece of redtape handed down through, the ages.” Precipely ! Aqd considering that the Saipits are decidedly mythical parties and about as authentic as say Little 80-Peep, or Jack the Giant Killer, i|t does seeifi rather absurd that the qhciuld close tbjeir doors on so many days in the course of the year in honour of these myths, thereby disorganising business and putting commercial people to no end of bother and inconvenience., THE KNOT CONNUBIAL.

There are probably more divorce cases heard in Auckland in the course of the twelve months than in any other of the big centres of the Dominion. Of course Auckland’s population is larger than that of Wellington. Christchurch, or Dunedin. But even so, we get more (than our full share of divorce proceedings. Amongst the disillusioned or disappointed ones of late have been not a few very young couples. Separation orders hjave also ! been much in request by youngsters. In one recent case a wife told the sitting Magistrate that she was married at fifteen. l Now, aged eighteen and a half, this girl sought separation and maintenance _ from her boy husband, In another case, the wife,. also married at fifteen, asked for separation and maintenance after about a couple of years of matrimony. In a kind case the wife, sixteen years of age, left hubby for good, and all at the end of three weeks. In yet other cases the better halves were all under 20. M.arrying in haste has been followed, apparently, in all these instances by repen-" tar.ee at leisure. A SAD STORY. A story is current here this week to dhe effect that not very long after England declared war on Germany a prisoner, confined less than the proverbial 1000 miles from our Queen City, contrived to escape. He got clear .away, and for a time lay low.' Then, of course, under an assumed name, he enlisted and sailed for England. At the front he fought long and valiantly, in due time getting his discharge from the army and returning to New Zealand. Here he got married and settled down But he was nut allowed tc> enjoy his homecoming for long The police tracked him, and he was sent back to gaol to finish his sentence. This so preyed upon his mind that he lost his reason, and is now an inmate of s mental hospital. They tell me this story is true. But seems difficult to believe that a man who fought so well against the Hun should have been unable to appeal successfully for pardon to the powers that be. Surely this wias a case if there ever was one in which mercy might have been tempered with justice !

“METHYLATED” AS A BERERAGE.

Asked how he contrived to get drunk on a Sunday an inebriate who faced the music at the Police Court the other morning said he had procured methylated spirits from a chemist. I wonder what kind of a “head” that individual had next day as the result of getting fu' on “methylated,” I should say -over-in-dulgence of that kind carries sufficient punishment with it, without fine or imprisonment. To the unaccustomed palate, at any rate, the flavour of methylated spirits is nauseous in the extreme. It is soul and body destroying stuff, and it quickly kills or lands its votaries in a lunatic asylum. And, vet, I understand, a good deal of “methylated” is consumed i 6 Auckland as a substitute for whisky. It is also, I am told, freely imbibed in America now that the Land of the Free (?) has run dry.

A CRIPPLED SOLDIER’S PENSION.

A soldier who was farming when the Great War broke out was wounded in .the leg while on active servfce, and the surgeons were obliged to amputate. He is now receiving a pension of £6 18s 8d per mon,th. But owing to his crippled state he will do no more farming. During the past six months his eanrngs have amounted to about £ll. So, in order to try and make both ends meet, his wife applied for a pension, pleading that her husband’s allowance, even with his earnings thrown in', was insufficient to enable them to I've. The application has been turned down by the Pensions Board i,t seems because that body consider that “the soldier is potentially capable of supporting his wife.” Question is : What . s a mar m'nus one leg “potentially” capable of doing to enable him to keep himself and his family ? lam afraid his choice of occupations, poor fellow, cannot be a w.'de one. This case recalls Kipling’s lines : “Think where ’e’s been Think wot ’e’s seen. Think wot ’is pension is And —Gawd Save the Queen.”