ON THE WALLABY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume IV, Issue 221, 25 April 1872, Page 7

ON THE WALLABY.

BY P. TENAX.

One of the worst features of colonial social development is very prominent in Dunedin, viz. , the preference evinced by 4 the rising generation for light "genteel" employments. Trades and handicrafts seem to be looked down upon as ignoble by the young New Zealander of 1872. Nothing will suit that precocious youth but a clerkship. If he manages to secure a clerkship in a bank, his most ambitious dreams have been realised. The cause of the distaste to learn trades, so general in the colonies, must be looked for in the training- of youth. There must be something radically wrong there. Clerks are merely unskilled labourers ; their pay is wretched, and their tenure of situation uncertain. On the other hand, a mechanic, if at all skilful, is sure of high wages and constant employment. Yet, in this democratic century, in these ultradeinoncratic colonies, men prefer to make their sons clerks to maße them mechanics, simply because the clerk generally wears a coat at his occupation and does not soil his hands. Clerks are the very worst colonists ; in fact, they are of very little use in the colony at all. The unexampled prosperity of the great West was not brought about by men striving to make their sons genteel. No ; the sons of the settlers went out into the wilderness, the same as their fathers had done before, made homes for themselves, and laid the foundation of a mighty empire. Rough aud profane were these early settlers and their sons, but they were men — not calculating machines. How many instances are there on record of clerks rising in the world, amassing wealth, or occupying positions of honor ? Look at our successful colonists ! They are men who have labored at the plough, with the woodman's axe, or the pick and shovel. You do not find man}' clerks among them. The Corporation of Dunedin lately shifted the Cargill monument from its position in the Octagon to a site in front of the Custom house. It was removed because it impeded traffic. Because it impeded traffic in the Cctagon, the Corporation moved it to a place in close contiguity to where the 'railway stations will be erected. In a very few years, if the railways are constructed, it "will be found thnt it is more in the way than ever. Hut the Dnnedin Corporation has plenty of money, and can easily remove the monument again. Larrikinism does not seem to prevail to any great extent in Dunedin. I saw many rowdy youths, but did not come across a genuine larrikin. Dunedin is scarcely old enough for that product of colonial capitals to be matured. Probably in five or six years the larrikin will have developed himself. Dunedin is about as well protected by poHceman as any city I ever visited. And the best and biggest men in the force seem to be stationed there. From the numbi r of policemen patrolling the streets atnight, one would be quite justified in supposing that Dunedin was the rowdiest city in Christendom, and requires a large force to keep its inhabitants in order. Early closing is the latest hobby of the Dunedinites. All the shops are now supposed to shut at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, which thin^ they will continue to do for about 3 weeks longer, Ie would, no doubt, be better both for the employers and employed if the week's business were concluded at 1 o'clock on"Sa,torday. But once properly in. a groove it i» <liffic«li> to get out of it. The working classes have been so accustomed to shop Saturday afternoon and evening that they feel lo*t on that evening if they have not the the shopping to do. As usual, it was impossible to inaugurate this early closing movement without introducing religious and other subjects entirely foreign to it, which weakened rather than strengthened it. While on the subject, I cannot refrain from repeating a most affecting anecdote related by Mr Bathgate at tin meeting called to express public sympathy with the movement. Mr Bathgate, after the usual common- places, stated that he knew a young man once who occupied the position of draper's assistant. TM3 young man was most religiously brought up, but through working lato hours and not getting a sufficient supply of fresh air, he took to evil courses, which had the disastrous result of inducing him to emigrate, and he is now a shepherd. Mr B. almost wept when he finished the interesting recital. It occurred to my prosaic mind that, as the young man now has got plenty af fresh air, is not compelled to work late hours, and has probably a far better screw than he got as counter jumper, the evil courses were a good speculation. The Dunedinites go in for cricket extensively. There are two leading clubs — the Dunedin Club and the Citizens Clvb — I think. They generally play a match once a week after this wise. In tho " Daily Times" appears an advertisement, stating that the D.C.C. and tho C.C.«'. will play a match on a certain Saturday afternoon. That portion of the public which admires or affects to admire the noble game rolls up, expecting to see a well-played match. About half-an-hour after the advertised time, about half the players on each side put in an appearance, thell's are made up from the bye-standers, and an indifferent soratoh match is the result. There are two shanties en the ci icket ground, but the trade they do is, like the cricket, very little account.