AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 9 January 1919, Page 3

AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

[From Our Own Correspokdeht]. .

HA! HA! HA!

At a meeting of the Workers' Educational Association the other evening somebody suggested that the work of the Association ought to appeal to the ladies, who should be invited to become members. Whereupon Professor Segar: "If they do come in we want them to talk as they do at home." Then another member (presumably a married man) remarked: But you will have to remind them, Mr Chairman, that each member is only allowed three minutes." This made everybody laugh.

THE SHORTAGE OF HOUSES

I observe that one of our Auckland Members has been drawing attention in the House to the difficulty of securing house accommodation in Auckland and the other centres of the Dominion. Mr Parr said the already serious state of things would be much accentuated soon by the return of 60,000 soldiers to the Dominion and he suggested the building of houses in the principal centres either by the Government alone or by the Government in cooperation with municipal councils. It appears this plan is already in operation in England, and also in some parts of Australia. Most assuredly the idea is worthy of the consideration of our Government. It is a common thing, even now, for people to offer bonuses in Auckland for being. " laid on " to an empty house. This is bad enough. But what will it be when our boys come home from the Var?

SEEING HER OFF.

Just as the south-bound ex~ press was about to start the other evening an elderly gentleman, accompanied by his daughter, arrived on the platform. Papa installed the young lady in a snug corner, by tne window, of a first-class carriage, and then hurried over to the bookstall to buy an evening paper for the fair traveller. But he had no sooner departed on his errand when his daughter, recognising a female friend in the crowd on the platform, got out of the carriage to speak to her. While she was temporarily lost in the crush, papa returned, and never noticing that a stranger, an elderly greyhaired lady, of detei mined aspect was occupying the seat just vacated by his daughter, he passed the paper through the open window, at the same time saying : " Here you are, darling ! Just one kiss before you go!" Imagine his amazement when an athletic hand, encased in a No. 7 cotton glove, smote him across the face, while the owner of that glove called out: "Go away, you hoary-headed old reprobate !" OLD BOOKS AT AUCTION. I confess to a weakness for attending auction sales. They afford excellent opportunities for the study of character, rather a hobby of mine. So when an Auckland firm of auctioneers announced a sale of rare books the other day and that it would take place in the evening, you may be sure I went along. The mart was crowded, booksellers being i largely in evidence, although there were a few collectors present also. The bidding for j the most tempting lots was brisk and the prices realised satisfaotory —from the point of view of the auctioneers. A well-preserv-ed copy of Buller's " Birds of New Zealand," in two vols. fetched £13 10s. This work is becoming rare, and some day will be worth more than £13 10s. " White's Ancient History of the Maori," in seven vols. seemed to be fancied by several people ; it went for £8. Hochstatter's "New Zealand," brought a couple of pounds, and Sir George Grey's | "Polynesian Mythology" 38s, Poor Tom Bracken's "Musings in Maoriland" was knocked down for jl2s, and a complete set of " Punch " was sold for £12 10s. Turning over the pages of some of the volumes of England's lead T ing humorous journal, before the auction started, I could not help thinking how greatly "Punch" had "gone off" of late years. Personally I prefer the Sydney "Bulletin." But tastes differ, of course. To my mind ir Punch " is a " has-been,\