GLAMOUR FOR GOAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10298, 5 June 1919, Page 4

GLAMOUR FOR GOAL

SCENES AT STATE DEPOT - WELCOME SUPPLIES NOW OBTAINABLE. Yesterday was indeed a day to be remembered by the officials and clerks in the State Coal Department in Cuba street. The public had been advised by advertisement that orders could ba booked for coal from 9 a.m. yesterday, and long before that hour several hundred people anxiously awaited the opening of the doors in order to procure a supply of that necessary household commodity, coal. It was a very motley crowd.. There were tram conductors, policemen, Salvation Army officers and "lassies," "iiappers," women with babies in their arms, ladies in fur-coats, small boys, and even Hindoos and Chinese. When the doors opened there was a mild rush, and in a tew minutes the small office was completely blocked, the officials experiencing no little trouble in straightening things out. A queue was formed, outside and the weary wait began. The observations made by the waiting ones were interesting. About 10 o'clock a few drops of ram fell, and one lady looking rather anxious, exclaimed to another "Isn't this sickening.! I've got my best hat on, and I do wish the rain would stop." This remark was evidently heard by a burly watersider, who replied, "Never mind yer 'at mum, as long as we get some blessed coal." "It seems an awful thing to think that in a coal-producing country like this, we can't get coal,'' observed a respectably-dressed gentleman: "Yes," exclaimed a man -wearing a crimsonj tie, "It's the bally Government'i fault." "The miners are to blame," answered another man -clothed'-in--the,-latest'"'., -of sartorial fashions.'- -->:-r: -' .>:■,<•■'.■ "l'es," again said the' man of the crimson tie, "give 'cm' houses, and .not pig-styes to live in. and we will 'are joal." An argument then ensued, and was only cut short through one of the arguers" gaining admittance to the building. The. scene inside, was animated, ,and almost turbulent at: times. • One-K-----clerk ,was receiving; .the/orders on• the*"'■' duplicated- sheets*, while another was : registering the cash received from customers. • ."I want four bags, please,'' said a, girl of the "flapper',' type. "You can - only have two," returned the obliging clerk; the only answer he received was, "Well, mother will be wild." . "Hurry up there in front," came from an impatient, man at the rear- 0f.., the crowd; '-'l've r bfien> here, B ererf!'-*iWr hour, and I m getting..hungry.'! rThe-.- ■ crowd then became unmanageable, it being necessary to 'phwne.for a policeman. On the arrival of fee rnao,inblue, ':.. things quietened down considerably, and traffic was regulated^ One rather talkative lady, on; ap» proachinj* the clerk, said: "Can't tou let me have four bags?,- I'm really , short; in fact, I had to send into Mrs —-—'s place this morning for'a bucket of c0a1.".-" •;■:-■ ..'■''<«' <W« «««^ n rf ,!■!/". Needless to say. she was'quickly- dis"-= posed of by the clerk, who was experiencing a very busy time. : . A iady of the smart type/ presented her application for coal, and, paying for two bags, left the office. She later returned, and. thinking she could ' "put it across" the clerk, asked for two bags of coal.: However, the clerk being on the alert for such people, (recognised the lady,;: and ;f politely.. in-, formed her that^twro-iliagsswas -aIL sUbiti could have in a day. --.-.;', > -..,-. - ■■-•-■ "Then I will come back to-morrow,"' returned the lady in & haughty manner. At four o'clock the crowd was as thick. as it was at. ten in the morning,, and, to make matters worse for the officials inside, two men opened a heated argument . which quickly generated into blows. They were promptly suppressed, -. and business went on, as, usual. .. ; ., ' Then & lady, showing ."great ..signs' of";" excitement, pushed' her way * in, and" asked the clerk if he had seen her "Tibby." "Who is 'Tibby'?'' answered the .qlerk. After describing that "Tibby" was a brown-and-white canine of the poodle species, she was informed by the clerk that Tibby was not "present. "My Tibby!". was, the only, thing■ ! hoard," as; sho. made her exit, amidst «- round of laughter. One of the clerks informed a "New Zealand TCsnes" (reporter afterwards that it frequently happened that a lady would come to the depot to order largw quantities of coal, saying that she kept a boarding or apartment house, and when the carter delivered the coal he found that the customer was the occupier of a three or four-roomed house. It can be readily imagined what a busy time the officials had, when it was afterwards ascertained that 1394 persons applied for coal amounting to over ISO tons. The State Coal Depot will be open for booking orders during the present week.