About Coppers.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 April 1910, Page 4

About Coppers.

BROWN ROUND ONES, AND BLUE UJ-PJSD ONES: (By "Nicklo," in ""Waimate "Witness.") I got yarning to the Merry-go-roiiiid man, ami ho told mo some things that may interest readers of the 'Tisor. Ho said, ho had noticed what a groat number of pennies are in circulation down in the South I stand. In the North, especially in the milk districts, ho had soon very little copper coin. I'onml notes wore far more prevalent; he was always changing them. On tlie other hand, for a week in Oainaru 1 don't know how many pounds' worth of cappers he took.

In the early days, before there was much small change about, the tradesmen had recourse to a kind of emergency coin currency. Tin pennies were in circulation—with the concurrence of the Government, I suppose. The time came when the makeshift ciirraicy had to be superseded. Then some speculating persons got to work and bought up all the old money. What they did with ".Nickle" knoweth not. Having business with one of the Waiinate Ranks just before noon, the closing hour, on Saturday, I was struck on approaching tin; counter at the great number of little piles of pennies on the teller's right hand. "Whirligig takings?" I hazarded. "Xo- Sunday School collections, , ' growled the teller. "They keep them hoarded up all the week and then rush them in here just before twelve on Saturday." Does seem a trifle inconsiderate; but. my word, that pile was a good collection for a Waiinate Sunday School -there must have been over a pound in pennies. This reminds me that once T heard a hilly-shop proprietor confess that he did bett-r business between nine and nine-thirty on Monday mornings than on any other day in the week. He insinuated as thusly: Little, boy; Copper coin ; Election plate; Mutton gone. Milt what about the Mine Bipeds? Haven't they been nabbing vehicle drivers without lights, eh? This peculiar offence is not sporadic, but epidemic. Notice in recent prosecutions how several people had no lights on March Iti. What was there peculiar, now, about March 18, that a number of people should misdemean in the eyes of the Mylaws on that date? Must havo been a conspiracy! Or was it that the Copper happened to be looking that way that day? "Khar's yer lights?" is a. familiar cry. and it is marvellous that people should economise oil and matches so persistently after so many friendly warnings. That interregnum between the .sunset and the dark has been prettily called "the poets' hour." and (although I adhere to the thesis that "poets -i , ' ' '>rn, not made") it puzzles me why the lialf-light that is good enough to read the newspaper by is not ample to show a rattling springcart through the main street. lint, of course, one can hardly expect the Blue Miped to consider thdriver of a cart as n poet, that he should be privileged to exercise the poet's license: nor yet to take upon himself the responsibility of assuming that the Legislature for. rather, the Morough Council, wiMi npolo-L'ii-s to the former!') intended poets to llourMi in t!n:-e parU. Bemuse poets say ."lid do some m--sf shocking things under Hint s'ime li:rn=e. MORAL: "Tween the sunset and the mirk, Whil.-t Au.ld Scity's tail docs jerkin a silhouette upon the- clear Horizon, That's the very time to liiiht When you drive :i " vehi'-le" a.t night. For the pver-watrhful copper lias Ili.S eves on.