OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 722, 11 April 1922, Page 5

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

DSfAPPOINTED NEW CHU»IS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Auckland, April 7

I understand that a number of immigrants who arrived, in Auckland from the Old Country not long since have booked their passage for England, and are returning home shortly in consequence of failing to find employment here. Unfortunately for them, these people struck this country at} the wrong time. They found us in the middle of about as bad a stomp as we have yet experienced, and probably jumped to the conclusion that things are always lake they are now in New Zealand. I fancy they would have been wiser to b:de a wee, and wait until the clouds roll by. Under normal conditions this country hpds out far better prospects to who have to make their own way i|i the world than any in the Old Land .can. offer. But of course they must be thP right sort if they hope to make good out here. That is they must be prepared to work and not be too particular at first as to what the work is. That was the spirit that animated the pioneer colonists. But as a general thing the qualities that make for success in life will enable a man to “get on” anywhere. Only, if he is of the right stamp he will get on much quicker in Maoriland than l he could hope to in England. UNGLEAN. The recent prosecution of sundry Auckland restaurants for breaches of the city sanitary by-laws have opened the eyes of the public to the fact that there is room for improvement in connection with the running of some of our refreshment houses. The City Council inspectors seem to have , got behind the scenes, and the published reports of what they say as the result of their explortaticns of kitchens and cellars, etc. made unpleasant reading. The great danger to health arising from these insanitary conditions cannot be too strongly emphasised. The principal source of that danger is from flies. “Even now,” says Dr Hughes, district health officer for Auckland, “people do not seem to realise the extent to which contamination and disease is spread by flies. I trust that the sanitary inspectors will not rest content with paying a very occasional visit t.o our restaurants and tea rooms. Everyone of these pliaces should receive a “surprise” visit (at irregular intervals, at

least once a month, whether the plague is present in Australia or not.

GASTRIC INFLUENZA. Apropos of the house fly menace the words of Dr Hughes, when asked last week whether he considered the present outbreak of gastric influenza in Auckland which is keeping ,the local! doctors so busy, was due to our Auckland water, are worth repeating : “We cannot, in my opinion, blame the water supply. The present epidemic is more likely due to contamination of food. Flies have been . particularly bad this summer, and where flies congregate contamination of food follows.” I think of the millions and billions of flies bred in our Auckland rubbish tips—to say nothing of the myriads of these disgusting insecta bred in uncovered vessels containing decomposing waste food and filth . A FAMOUS TABLE. The table on which the Treaty of Watanigi was signed more than 80 years ago was again in evidence the other day, when Mr Massey attended the ceremony of ‘ opening the fine hall erected ~ to commemorate the signing of the > Treaty by which the Maoris transferred their sovereign rights to Britain and placed themselves under the protection of her flag. I don’t know in whose keeping this historic table now is, but I think it should certainly find a safe resting place. It may not be fine furniture, yet it possesses an interest that attaches to no other table in the Dominion. A HERO. Everyone here is still talking about Horace Moore-Jones, and if anything can console those who are mourning for this tru'y .brave man it should be the reflection that he died so that others (and those others strangers, be it remembered) might h've. Not only his family and his friends have reason to be proud of him. New Zealand has reason to be proud of him, and I hope the suggested memorial to him may be given effect. to. I should like to sec a monument crectel by public subscription to commen'oiato lvs passing vvilh on irscr r-tion tci'mg how he d‘cd.