HAWKE’S BAY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 410, 16 September 1876, Page 2

HAWKE’S BAY.

(From a Visitor’s Point of View.) No. XII. Hotels are like most other “ institutions” in the land ; some run to decay, or are lowered in the scale of the trade they do ; some are beaten in the race of competition, while others “ hold their own” from the beginning, not retrogressing, truly, but making little advancement according to external appearances at any rate. Many answering these three descriptions are to be found in Napier. Those that have been blotted out of the unenviable existence they once had, are hardly worth the remembering; but amongst those most intimately associated in the memory of old settlers, as connected with the earlier history of Ahuiiri, as it was then called, and ultimately with that of the province of Hawke’s Bay, was Munn’s “ Royal,” the new building, on the site of which I have already noticed. The “ glories,” such as they were, of those eventful times, have passed into the dim vista of the past; but, to many they still, doubtless, furnish a subject of pleasant thought, as they glance down the vale of years when the Royal was the head quarters of the police station, and poor old Groom’s truncheon was the only weapon, and he the sole guardian and representative of the law. Ah, those were the palmy days, when tho inhabitants wanted little or no protection, and society was in the early stage of such verdant innocence, and kindliness and good will, that a man would take his less capable neighbour home in a wheelbarrow—when such was his condition, and that was not seldom —and the magnate aforesaid could trust his prisoner to “go down to the Royal for a tot,” on promise of his returning by 9 o’clock at night, which he, invariably did most punctually. Amongst the “ old identities”—those they have stood their ground well—are the “ Clarendon” and the “ Empire,” which may be said to have left their more aged friend, the “ Settlers’, ” in the rear. These were followed by the “Albion” and the “Napier,” on the White Road, and still later by the “Star” in Emerson Street, and the “ Provincial” opposite the Odd Fellows’ Hall. I have mentioned these in the order, I believe, of their building, and not that I know of one having the advantage of the other. The “ Star” kept by Mr. Dennett, and the “Provincial” by Mr. Ashton, junr., are good looking, well-appointed houses, and evidently drive a good trade, and, from all appearances, depend more upon occasional custom and bar business than some of the older established ones. Like the “ Criterion” and the “ Masonic,” the “ Empire,” kept by Mr Mayo, and the “ Clarendon” kept by Mr Britten, have their own “connection," that is, a number of customers, who always make these hotels their head quarters, however much they may visit other places of similar resort. Thus each has an individual reputation ; both the landlords are popular ; and treat their customers with an amount of consideration and kindliness, calculated to impress them with the comforts of a home, rather than a temporary abiding place of strangers. The table d'hote at each of these hotels is, as a rule, a scene of much good humor and social chat. There are “ old identities” to be found at the morning, noon, and evening meals, who have become as much a part

and parcel of these “ institutions,” as the landlords themselves—the badinage is sometimes warm, but always carried on good naturedly. Practical joking seems to be a “ great game” amongst these aged youngsters, which often tries the metal of the victim very much. I heard of two neat “sells” of this description. One was the circumstance of a wellknown sea captain, the reported death of whose relative (who had not died at all) having obtained for him the consideration of his friends, after finding out the trick, by some score of telegrams of condolence from distant parts, for which he had to pay as many shillings. The other victim was a celebrated ivory extractor and Merry Andrew to the people generally. It appears he had “sold” so many of his friends, that they were determined to be even with him, and posted an immediate request that he would attend a longsuffering patient some few miles out of town. Accordingly “Mr Denty” took bis implements of torture and the morning train together, in search of his new found customer, but, after wasting all day in the unsatisfactory occupation of looking for some one who was non est, the boniface of a neighbouring “ pub” suggested that he “ had been sold” ; suspicion of foul play dawned upon the jester; and he went home, if not with his tail between his legs, with some of his feathers plucked. He swears vengeance, if it takes him years to accomplish, but the general verdict is “ sarved him right.” ThenewPostOffice and Telegraphbuilding at the corner of Browning Street and Shakespeare Road is commodious, and an architectural ornament to the town. No doubt its erection has advanced the value of land very much in that neighbourhood. The Court House is a non-descript building purposely built as far out of sight as possible, to hide its intense ugliness ; it stands on Marine parade, I think it is called, and faces the sea. In appearance it is like anything, or nothing. It may bo taken for a Foundling, or a Magdeleue hospital; or a Ragged School of Design, a Home for neglected Architects, or an Asylum for those of vitiated taste. The light won’t come in; and the rain won’t stay out, two circumstances which prove, so I was told, a source of income to the various tradesmen in the town. The acoustics, are, also, imperfect ; but this is a lamentable defect in most of our public buildings, although, in a court of law, where unpleasant things are sometimes said, it may have its advantages ; a hog in a harvest field is said to “hear and won’t hear,” and soan unwilling witness may, in the Napier Supreme Court House, personify this porcine character with profit to himself. There is one sensible work which the able and energetic engineer to the Corporation—Mr Peppercorn—has, or had under weigh, and which will fill a great want, namely, public baths and washhouses. Elaborate plans were in course of preparation at the time of my visit, and arrangements were in progress for the formation of a company with a capital of £3OOO in shares of £lO each. The ground, I believe has been secured, and governmental assistance assured, which should place the project in the fair way of success. The exact data as to the probabilities of such an undertaking paying were not furnished to me, indeed, no one seemed to have worked out the solution of the problem, but a kind of blind belief was entertained that it would pay, and that was sufficient. There are branches of six banks in Napier, all in full swing, so that there is plenty of competition, in that line of business at any rate. From what I heard in the places were men most do congregate, the rivalry which of late years has set in there, has been productive of much good. The whilom manager of the “ Colonial” set an example of energy and perseverance, in “touting” as it is termed, for custom, not ordinarily understood; he gained his point; he obtained numerous customers for his bank, but —he received his conge for reward ; “ well done thou good and faithful servant” ; there’s the “ sack.” Go in peace I To be Continued.