AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 January 1919, Page 3

AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

fFKOM Our Own CoRREsroFDEHTj/

A SAD ENDING TO A

HOLIDAY.

Very general sympathy is expressed for the relatives and friends of the poor girls who tost their lives at Devon port on Boxing Day. Little did that laughing quartette who so gaily plunged into the sea together anticipate what was to happen, or that two of their number were not destined to quit; the scene alive. I understand ; that Miss Alice Murray, one of those who were drowned, was but an indifferent swimmer. And here J would take the opportunity to say that although Devonport is such a delightful place for holiday-makers it is really not a safe place for bathers, owing to the great inequalities of the ground on the beaches and the danger of suddenly plunging up to your neck when, perhaps, you had been standing the moment before in comparatively shallow water. No one who cannot swim fairly well should go in more than ankle-deep on treacherous beaches like those at North Shore.

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.

The gentle art of " taking down " used to be practised to a larger extent in Auckland than it now is. Whether this is due to a smaller number of "wolves," or to fewer " lambs," I cannot say. But so it is. However \t does sometimes happen, even now, that a guileless person from the country becomes the prey of a wily city sharper. The story of a case of the kind was unfolded at the Auckland Police Court this week. It appears from the evidence that James Robertson, a country farmer, came to town " for Xtnas," and while here made the acquaintance of a rather disreputable looking young man named O'Connor. Whilst in O'Connor's company Robertson was imprudent enough to change a che4ue for £10—£9 of which he deposited in a pocket-book in his hip-pocket, reserving £1 for current exes. Then "he had a drink or two " —with the usual result. Later he found himself in a back street, in the company of O'Connor who after relieving him of his money had the impudence to ask what had become of it. But Nemesis, in the person of William Miles, saw what had been going on, and informed a policeman of his suspicions, and the policeman having his suspicions, nabbed O'Connor who admitted in Court that he had taken £1 from the prosecutor, but denied taking any more. He was awarded a months' imprisonment with hard labour, and has not made a particularly good start with the New Year.

FIRE!

What do you think of 122 false alarms of fire in Auckland during the year just ended ? —making 27 in excess of the number recorded for 1917. Two of these alarms occurred during the holidays, and on the same night, I understand. Imagine the Brigade members being called together, on a holiday night, to go on what proved to be a fools' errand! Probably the 122 false alarms were given by the same gang of practical jokers, and possibly there are not more than half-a-dozen of these individuals, all told. It is. to be hoped not, anyhow. It is far from a pleasant reflection that we have in our midst even half-a-dozen malicious idiots of this kind, and assured^ an effort should be made to identify them. If police are unable to take action suburban residents should form themselves into vigilance committees and keep a sharp eye on loiterers. The man who is capable of raising a false alarm of fire is capable of anything. Such persons are a menace to the community.

A PERPLEXING SITUATION.

Bight worthily have the girls filled the places of the men called for service at the Front, in fact they have done so well that trouble is likely to arise, as I predicted long ago, when "Johnny comes marching home " from the war, and wishes to pick up.the threads where he dropped them when his country called. A business man (whose experience is doubtless a common one) declares : "I. have the best staff now than ever I had: 1 am employing girls to do work always previously done by men, and the change has been for the good. The girls are just asintelUgenfc as the men, they learn just as quickly, and they are more reliable and conscientious. We

pay good wages and get the best class of girls. We don't employ flighty ' flappers.' My trouble now is to find billets for the returning men without doing an injustice to the girls, some of whom have been with us for over three years. Every man who went to the Front can come back, at his old salary, if he wants to. But there are going to be more girls employed in this office than there were before the war." If there are many employers of this gentleman's way of thinking its going to make a difference to the male clerk who is likely to find his occupation gone.

A NOSEGAY FROM ALBERT

PARK.

5W picking a bouquet of sjfmmer blooms in Albert Park an individual answering to the name of " Peter " was sentenced by the presiding Magistrate at the Police Qourt, this week to pay 50s —wliich came to about half-a-crown'Vper flower, and should have the' effect of warning other people off the grass, .so to speak, and preventing them from, imitating the exploit of " Peter "' who appears, by the way, to have been drinking his own health, rather too often before he wandered into the Park and committed the offence for which he had to part up to the tune of " two thick uns and a half." The Court read " Peter" a lecture, after which he paid up, looking as pleasant as could be expected under the circumstances.

THE FRUIT CROP.

Quite contrary to general expectations, the' fruit season in New Zealand this year is likely, I am informed, to be a very poor one. Gales anymore or less severe frosts,. to&qjjher with the pests so well-known to growers, are responsible for a most unfortunate state of things. Brown rot is rampant in Nelson, and it is attacking the green fruit — a thing never known before. Then a mysterious new disease is attacking the Nelson appletrees and causing young fruit to fall off wholesale. Nelson peaches which we were told were going to be so plentiful this season, have been attacked by " black spot " —with disastrous results. Says a Nelson or"chardist: " When people complain of high prices they shpuld know what the orchardist/nas to contend with. And/yet so much could be done/to benefit the grower and the public if proper organisation and co-operation could be brought about, as in America." Yes, organisation and co-operation, of the right kind, would accomplish wonders. The "middleman " is as fatal to reasonable prices to vthe consumer as ever " brown *rot " or " black spot" can be.