How History is Made.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 301, 30 December 1901, Page 4

How History is Made.

■ Z uuic-l," in the Auckland Star, lias the following interestin',' chat: _ Lnless i am much mistaken, a book on hew Zealand which is to be published ill London at an early date will create a considerable sensation in the colony, as well as in the Old Country, and especially in Auckland. The author is an English

professional man. who has spent two or three years touring the different colonies and gleaning information, much of which would appear to bo of a startling and deeply interesting nature. A friend of mine—a well-known Auckland merchant —met him on one of the big liners on the homeward trip, and they got into conversation on the subject of the advantages and disadvantages of the various colonies, the author declaring that New Zealand is the most charming and beautiful of the colonies, and Auckland the most bc-autiful of its cities; “but,'’ he went on, “ is it not awful ■ to think of such a prosperous and beautiful city occupying such a frightful position, and no one seeming to care.”

“As how? ” queried tire Aucklander. “ Why,” went on the author, in horrorstricken tones, “in being built on a mere crust of earth, which must inevitably cave in and swallow up city and suburbs within a year or so. When’l was living out at Mount Roskill I was given the following information, which shows how real is the danger One of the small landholders there was clearing his allotment of big stones. One boulder was too heavy to shift without a crowbar, and in endeavoring to hoist it with that implement the crust of earth was broken, and to the man’s horror, the stono fell through, leaving only a big hole. Stones dropped down after it, to tost the depth, could not bo hcr.nl In strike bottom, and a groat bundle ol rags and rubbish soaked in kerosene was dropped into the abyss. Down, down, down it went, growing smaller and smaller, until at last it was no larger than a star, and so disappeared into the awful depths of the bowels of the earth.” But where did you hear this ? ” queried the Aucklander, hilling nis ama. emeu I.

I heard it on a Mount Roskill hit.-', from two residents to whom 1 had mentioned that 1 was writing a hook on the colony, and who had no interest :•! deceiving me. When I cross-ex-amined them on it, they pointed out how carefully the people walked in Mount; Tioskill, and how they avoided jumping off the bus, or anything dangerous of that sort !"

11 And you have really put this in your hook?’’ asked our townsman. “Certainly,” responded the other. “ ' will show you the passage,” and diving down to his cabin he brought up the typed MSS and showed the story duly set forth with much detail. “ V.c11,” said 1 lie Aucklander, after a .gasp, as he realised the position, “do yea know you have stumbled on a Slate secret only known to Scddon, Can oil, and a very few others? It's

all perfectly true, ’but the people iff Auckland don’t know it. They arc Kept in ignorance In the Government. Such occurrences as you heard of are not uncommon, hut they are hushed up or covered with ridicule, and so a false sense of security reigns in Auckland. Blit, it is all true.”

“ It’s very dreadful. Perhaps,” he went, on, gathering strength and inspiration as lie proceeded, “ perhans von may have noticed that Ministers wjl l do no work in the North.” “ Well,” said the veracious one.

“ the reason is the one you have found out. Seddou knows Auckland must go under n. a year or two at most. tic has kept the knowledge Coin them wiVi d.lliciilty in order to get his Customs and other taxes up till the last , but, ol course, lie will build no milway to a place which will be swallowed up very likely before next, election. Have you got all that down ? ” he asked as the author feverishly took notes “ Yes, yes,” answered that individual. “ Ahem 1 " said the Aucklander,

“ don’t put my name to it. Seddou would have me knifed if he knew I luid fold (he secret. Now come and have a drink. I want one when I remember the awful danger my home and little ones in Auckland are in.”

And (hey did. Decidedly if the autiior got similar information elsewhere tills hook will he worth reading. The foiegoing, which, by the way, is cold fact, reminds one of the story of attempting to find the bottom of Lake Takaptma, which, as everyone knows, is cm tenth’ supposed to be fathomless. Speaking of this at the hotel at the Lake one evening when a lot of tcunsi.s were present the local Ananias recounted how years ago an expert diver attempted to find the bottom. He went down in full confidence with a el eery word to all in the little boat from which the attempt was made. Miiate after minute passed, fathom af.er fathom of tubing and rope were ■passed out till even the extraordinary pro aulions taken were exhausted, and b lit tubing and signal rope carried away and sank in the black water. Scarcely able to realise the honor of what had taken place, the patty [Hilled silently ashore and telephoned to the police. “/ nd was the body recovered ? ” we asked.

“ Recovered he hanged ! ” he said The next we heard he had come out at Kiliarney, in Ireland, and cabled for hts clothes !”