AUCKLAND SHAREBROKING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 202, 14 December 1871, Page 6

AUCKLAND SHAREBROKING.

The " Man at the "Wheel,"' in the Napier "Telegraph," says: — '" See Auckland and die, is very likely the idea of the dwellers therein, who withdrawing their minds from Caledonian shares and other opes which effbdiunter and irritamenta onaloruvi } I think of the place in its picturesque point of vi-nv. Not long since I told you of the stranger who, in reply to questions, as to his opinion of Auckland, said ' Fes, I like Auckland very much ; its harbour is lovely, the situation of the town picturesque, the surburbs beautiful, and the climate salubrious ; but — as to the people, well — the place reminds me on the whole of two lines of one of Hebcr's liyms. — Where every prospect' pleasing is, And ODlyman is vile.'

I do not know what Auckland was before the diggings broke out, but now ifc seems to have taken to its bosom all the lame ducks, bankrupts, brokendown swells, out-at-elbows cads, ne'er do-weels, and loafers in the Colony. It is impossible to walk up and down Queen-sireet, waiting fire minutes at the Corner, without coming in contact with half-a-dozen men whom you have known elsewhere, and who have, as a rule, come to grief.' ff you ask what they are doing, the invariable answer is, that they ai-e on the 'Thames.' All the pleasures of ' Life on the ocean wave ' sink into insignificance compared with the delights of a ' life on the Thames,' It is useless to ask most of these men what their vocations are ; if any of them do condescend to reply, it will be with a stereotyped answer, ( broking.' Every man -who can afford a clean paper collar, and can get his boots blackened, begs, boi'rows. or steals a white hat, and calls himself a share broker. It is a matter of wonder that the i*espectable sharebroknrs, of whom there are many, in Auckland, have not leagued themselves together and form a 'Stock Exchange' long ere this. As they have not done this, it behoves the Chamber of Commerce, if. that body has any regard for the commercial state of Auckland, to impose severe restrictions upon this class."