Auckland Notes

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 19, 4 August 1894, Page 6

Auckland Notes

“ Linda ” has received the following interesting notes from an Auckland correspondent, and wishes them inserted in this place, as her Home Circle Column is complete for this Dear Linda,— Being a constant and appreciative reader of your Home Circle it has occurred to me that a few notes from Auckland, where I am at present staying, may interest your readers. Up here the weather is delightfully mild. Though we have bright sunshine occasionally, Auckland is fully sustaining its reputation for wet. Really there is quite as much rain up here as in Invercargill, and the winds are equally as boisterous. My host is greatly amused at the constant satisfaction with which I reflect upon these facts j but we poor Southlanders have to listen to such a perpetual cannonade of vituperative epithets hurled at our nice bracing climate that it is quite refreshing to find that the other end of the colony has its share of.storms. But I must confess that we are left behind as regards flowers. Every little garden has its tall camelia shrubs —ablaze with crimson, white, or pink blossoms. Arum lilies line the roadsides like weeds, their purewhite cups filling the heart with gladness. Violets vie with the sweetscented Japanese honeysuckle in filling the air with fragrance, while the trumpet-lily waves its graceful blooms in luxuriant profusion. Lemons may of course be had for the gathering, and the curious fact is that at any time of the year blossoms and fruit in all stages —from the lemon so small as almost to inquire a microscope to discern it up to that ready for use — may be seen upon the tree in company. The fruit takes about a year to arrive at maturity. It also seems to me very strange to cut down the pine trees today and burn them for firewood tomorrow ; but this is the custom here, and I am told that the wood is much better green, as, if kept, it seems dead and lifeless.

I am glad to find that the old adage —“ a prophet hath no honour in his own country ’’—does not apply to the Lady-mayor. In the South that lady is not appreciated by modest women, and the members of the W.C.T.Tj. have frequently had to correct an erroneous impression as to her connection with that organisation. But the prevailing opinion in her own district is that Mrs Yates is a much maligned individual. “Ho man would have stood the treatment she has received from the Onehunga councillors,” said a member of the University Council; “ he would have locked them all out.” Councillors and newspapers have combined to make a travesty of the whole thing, with the result that the first lady-mayor in the British Empire is not considered a success. However, I have no doubt that Mrs Yates, being a woman of great ability, will live down opposition and come off triumphant in the end. In connection with Dr Newman’s bill, Mr A. Saunders scored a point in favour of the women, which has not got into all the papers. He remarked that it had been said women needed ■educating before they would be fit to git in the House. That was not his opinion, but certainly the House needed a deal of educating before it was fit to receive them ! Miriam.