Auckland Echoes.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4288, 28 September 1882, Page 2

Auckland Echoes.

(FBOM OTTB OWN COBBEBPONDENT.)

I hear that a " spec " in course of formation here for the purpose of working; a large piece of ground on the WaioKaraka Flat lias come to grief—at ;anyrate that fcurtejn Auckland capitalists who had promised to take up shares therein suddenly withdrew their names.

And now for a little story just a-? it 'twas told to me, how worthy host Kidd, of the Commercial Hotel, was recently '' sold " by a venerable toper. The V.T. entered his cheerful bar one day last week, and placing an empty French brandy flask on the counter, called for " Two shillin's 'orth brandy." Kidd poured the spirit into the bottle, which the V.T. sp: edily concealed in the recesses of a capacious but very ragged overcoat, and at the same time began fumbling in his trousers pocket apparently in quest of the money wherewith to pay the boniface. After a few minutes search, the shabby old. scoundrel, in a rone of well simulated concern, said he had lost the money. " Well, hand over the brandy." This the V. T. did with apparent reluctance, and with slow and sorrowful step left the bar. Half an hour later as Kidd was emptying the flask in'o the bottle, he was astonished to find it contained cold tea. The V. T. hnd left him with a mild decoction of Pekoe, and skedaddled with the gcod Hennessy. It is not yet safe to mention " cold tea" witfcrn the precincts of the Commerckl.

It is a legal paradox that " the greater j t':e truth the greater the libel." Sad experience has made me cognisant of the ■ correctness of the apparent absurdity contained in these words, and in narrating the facts of a big I'ailwayjjob—being per petrated under our very noses, I must exercise a due amount of caution. Somewhere in one of the blciik wildernesses of that portion of New Zealand culled by Mr Khreafri d " The Slouth," there is a coal mine. Now tho co 1 taken from this mine is no better than the coal of our own provincial district, but owing to the fact that one of the magnates of the railway department holds a seat in the directorate -of the coal company, the output of the mine is actually brought 6CO or 700 miles, and used on the railways of a provincial district, we all kaow very well, but which, for obvious reasons shall be nameless. The Southern coal costs the Governmett— well something over £2 per ton—rwhile better local coal from miues on the line of the railway could be purchased for about 14s per ton. Moreover, through the " clinkers '.' appertaining,to the use of the imported article the cost, per annum of repairs to each locomotive is £100 more than formerly—a very considerable item when it is taken into consideration that there are nearly 20 locomotives on the railway I am endeavoring; to enlighten you dear Thames people about. The consequence of all this is that the cost of maintenance is something like £40,000 per annum more that it used to be in the good old times, which tidy little sum finds its way into the coffers to the enterprising company who work the mine on the bleak Southern wilderness. Nor is this the. only source of revenueof theoorporationof which the railway magnate is an official, i other railways in the creation-licking but job ridden colony of ours, are supplied /r

from the same source, at the same cost, and taking it all in all, Piako swamps and Patetete swindles pale into utter insigni« Bcance before the little innocent specula^ tion I have endeavored to bring under the eye of the Thames public.

Walking with a friend of mine the other evening along a back street in Ponsonby, I was suddenly aroused from a reverie by my companion remarking, " see those three = allotments," " Yes," I replied, " Well," continued my friend, " Two years ago I bought them" for 6s 3d per foot. This morning I refused £2 5s a foot for the lot." It is really wonderful how property in this city has gone and is still going jup, but I do not think this mania for land speculation can continue much longer. In Ponsonby the greatest increases in value hare taken place, but I sincerely believe that as soon as the Hon. James Williamson cuts up the Surrey Hills estate—that fine green 400 acre paddock at the corner of the Great North and Ponsonby Boads—there wiil be more sellprs of property than buyers.

Though all immediate.chance.of. having Auckland elevated to the position of a Naval Station seems to /have gone, we hopeful Aucklanders are quite prepared to accept the establishment-of, the sugar refinery a sort of solace for oar blasted hopes. It is now finally settled that the sugar refinery is" to be erected at the North Shore, and I hear that the Company are prepared to.expend £100,000 on J buildings, machinery, etc. As the concern will find employment for 200 hands regularly,'tho effect it will have on the prosperity of our marine suburb in particular,, and the whole district in general, can be easily imagined. • ■ ■ : .

A good deal of quiet interest is taken by the more thoughtful portion of the community in the proposed introduction of the Contagious Diseases Act, and though the majority of.our philanthropists are strongly in favor of the project set on foot by our worthy Mayor for the restrainmerit of tice, a considerable party headed by ladies of the strong-minded variety are moving heaven and earth to prevent the introduction of an ordinance which they regard as " a degradation to the sex." At their instigation meetings have been held, numerous potent arguments adduced, and the other day I'was shown & numerously signed petition, intended for presentation to the City Council, asking that body to reconsider their decision. It is not improbable that the City-• Fathers, seeing that there is a strong/fueling against the pro • posal, will take a poll of the ratepayers on the question.- For my own part, as a thorough utilitarian, and a believer in truth' of the' axiom that -'desperate diseases require desperate remedies," I believe that, despite sundry drawbacks, fje operation of the , Act,'should the wishes of the Mayor be carried into effect, will have ; a beneficial* result— perhaps not in repressing immorality as in protecting the innocent from the dire effects of thelr.sciviousneisof others. Some months ago, in one of my letters I mentioned that upwards .pf 150.women were pursuing openly immoral lives in this city. I am now assured by a person who?e position should enable him to have pretty accurate information on the subject, that there are now fully 309 abandoned women in this city, acd many of them are wealthy, owning property of their own— how that wealth ia acquired has been sho wa by the disclosures in the recent prosecution of the notorious Madame Valentine. The insolence of these belles of the pavement is unbounded! One' day last week I was shown a letter sent to the City Council by one of these harpies, de< fying tbe Council to adopt any aggressive measures against them, and asserting that the police are entirely in their-power. - I think I have established a strong enough case to satisfy my conscience' that the " desperate disease " of • the social evil requites the " desperate remedy " of the Contagious Diseases Act.