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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9018, 3 January 1908, Page 5

%./ It is satisfactory to learn, says > the "Star," that the only rates outstanding in the city of Auckland for the years 1904-5-6-7 amount to less than thirty shillings. They are owing by a ratepayer living in Sydney, who has promised to remit them by an early mail, so that by the time the Auckland City Council's financial year expires there will probably be nothing whatever outstanding, which speaks well both for the prosperity of the city and for the thoroughness with which the staff of the treasurer's department have carried out their duties. A correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times" states that hundreds of unemployed are walking the streets of Dunedin. They are mostly clerks, shopmen, and "light employment men." "Men at fifty years of age, their hair getting gray," the writer says, "are found in considerable numbers unemployed. Take any business in Dunedin, and you j;can count on one hand all employees who are over fifty years of age. As a means of bringing unemployed and emplovers together the Labour Agency Office is a failure. As an unemployed correspondent I might state that since January (1907) I have not earned £5 I have no money or property, and but for the assistance of iriends would have been in absolute want. I have been over thirty years in the dominion, am a total abstainer, healthy and ablebodied. I have tried railway work, but failed. I was brought up to a «;ity life, but, unfortunately, learnt no trade or profession. Something is necessary to alleviate the sufferings of the class referred to. That the number is very large . I know from tiersonal observation as I walk the streets myself. At this season of the year one expects to see very few unemployed, but I notice every other day new faces swelling the ranks." Inspector O'Brien, in the course of some remarks to a Dunedin reporter, said that he expected the statistics for Dunedin district for 1907 would show a slight increase in minor offences, but an undoubted falling off in cases of more serious crime. He emphasised the beneficial effects of the Habitual Criminals Act in preventing an annual invasion by criminals from the Commonwealth and its deterrent effect on local criminals. He also stated that the Gaming Act •of last session had already done away with street betting, and had closed reputed gaming houses. He further -eulogised the beneficial results that •had followed the passing of the Firearms Act and the provisions of the Police Offences Act in dealing with consorting together of vagrants and members of the criminal class. A town visitor spending his holiday in this district (says the "Eltham Argus") thought he would try his hand at milking. It is hard to say what was the cause of the accident, but probably his long nails dug into the cow's teats.. In the twinkling of an eye a smart young man was seen rolling in the byre. A cow 's leg was lashing out quicker than lightning. A tin bucket struck the man violently in the ribs and smased a couple. The town visitor is going to spend New Year's Day in bed and occupy his time cursing cows. When he gets out of bed he intends to write vigorous articles to the Wellington Evening Post on the iniquities of child slavery in Taranaki.