A STRANGER'S IMPRESSIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10495, 5 December 1911, Page 5

A STRANGER'S IMPRESSIONS.

[To The Editor.]

../Sir,— I omlJy arrived in Masterton from Auckland last Thursday, ; and ami what you colonials humor- [ ously term a ' 'mew chum." Om page J 8 of Jac,-., Saturday's issiu©\ of the I "Evening Post" 1 noticed over 200 "To Lett" advertisements. In addition to these, there were also a number of Janes reading "Aliso siliopls-, offices and warehouses. in all parts of .the city." I was under the impression that Wellington-, which is (1 understand) the capital city of New Zealand, and ailso the feeder of the Rinrnitaka and .Manawatu 3 line's, would be absolutely overcrowded with populaitrjon, and that the .merchandti's© •would -be-cni'shing the wharves fiat for 'want of Thris> dbes not appear -to *be the case. Apparently there is- something' wrong with ■Wellington, wlher,e there must be about, hallf a thousand places. to let. I asked l a. gentleman- if Wellington is (dike Masfcerton-) a rio-lieeir.se area; He replied -in tbat~ styles' so charaeteri»tae: of yon colonial®, giving us ?" As I was not. presenting him with anything, I, was non'p'ussed at Ms /rejoinder. Another (to the same query) replied, "Wihat-er-yea-comSn' at?" In Juxtaposition to the "To Let" advertiseimentß, I noticed a letter, qy a gentlemam named Mr Ridgway, describing tlhe ■time la-nd manner an whidh a number ■of' eanptfcy bottles had been collected. I asked a gentleman what siignificance empty I bottles had', and how they affected the affaire of the State. He told me that in' a No-license district the ydemote misery, poverty, and empty Louses'. In a licensed' district ft'liey indlioate prosperity, happiness, and l an overflowing population. I think that • tuie thanks of the public are due ,to Mi- Rwlgway for gratuitously enlightening the publtic re the bottle incident. lam still in the dark a® ito Wellington's license position', not having seem an account of its empty bottlieis'. "Willi you please inform' me lif it is >like Mlaeterton— No-license? I am, etc., 1 SOUTH SHIELDS.