AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 10 October 1918, Page 2

AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

fFitOM Our Own Correspondent]

Auckland, Oct. 6.

WE TOOK IT QUIETLY.

A distinguished American who once upon a time visited this city subsequently wrote: " You mean well, Auckland, but you can't enthuse worth a cent." I wai reminded of this the other morning when the news came over the cables that Bulgaria had surrendered. Con. sidering the importance of the tidings Aucklanders took the message very quietly. A few flags fluttered from business premises and public buildings in Queen Street, it is true, and I believe the gentlemen of the Stock Exchange sang a couple of verses of the National Anthem before proceeding to sell and buy stocks and shares, but the man ia the street went about his business much as usual and there was no excitement at all. In some of the other centres a half-holiday was observed in honour of of the occasion, and speeches were made by prominent men. But it takes a lot to rouse Auckland. Not very long ago an Aucklander who had just returned from the Front after winning th« Victoria Cross, for conspicuous gallantry in the field, arrived here and passed through the streets without attracting any attention whatever. In Wellington he was accordel a public reception, and total strangers, becoming aware of hii identity, hastened to do him honour.

TROUBLE IN THE TRAIN.

Enthusism is a fine thing. But it should not be carried too far. Mr Isaac McLeod, timber merchant, carried it a great deal too far the other day in the Helensrille train, to my mind. He is evidently a great believer in cold water, is McLeod, and he seized the opportunity while journeying to Helensville to solicit the signature of sundry fellow-passengers to a Prohibition Petition. This being bothered to sign petitions, of any aort, while you are travelling by train, or any other kind of conveyance, is bad enough. But Mr McLeo.d apparently, wanted to argue the point every time he met with a refusal, and would not take "no" for an answer. So when Frank Hudson, an Avondale man, had twice refused to sign, and McLeod was apparently about to' ask him a third time, he quietly asked for the petition which he tore up and returned to the too energetic cold water advocate. Subsequently Hudsson was charged at the Auckland Police Court with " destroying a document, value 1-/," the property of the Auckland No-license people. Telling the complainant that the charge was a trivial one and that he had allowed his zeal to run away with his discretion, Mr Mosley, S.M., dismissed the case. But how about the signatures which other people had appended to that petition before it was torn up—are they lost to the cause ?

A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

Patrick Gunn, " wanted " by the police in connection with the recent burglaries in this city, escaped from a cell at the pohce-station the other afternoon, and enjoyed the sweets of liberty-such as they were-for one hour and a quarter He got away at 4p.m., and at 5.15 p.m. was run to earth under a house in Carlton Gore Road. He said he was glad to be re-taken. Be that as it may, it was not surprising that, being a G-unn, he should have gone off. His case recalls another one I once heard uf. It happened in America. A man was charged with a trivial offence Thl judge" fined him ten dollar., but instead of paying up he tried to bolt uttering the while some very forcible remarks intended for the Bench. "Bring that man back !" roared the "Judge " Fined another ten dollars," said the Court, "if you had been more chaste and refined you wouldn't have betn chased and re-fined."