JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4877, 15 November 1894, Page 3

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

[By Our Own Correspondent.] Tuesday, (lash Versus Credit—Mityoml Honours.—Fallen by lite Way.—Wellington Cricket. Its Itisa.—llunk botes. — heal Industries—liallmy lieforms.—How Ik Show Skpa. A week of shorn—The " Wairarupa" Relief Fund. A fuel not Generally miked, The Cryoflk Children.

■ A 1 nrgo drapery cslnblislimnnl litis been recently oponcd in town for the express purpose of selling to, the public" for cash only." The establishment in question lias been very handsomely fitted up and brilliantly lighted with electricity, Premises have been secured in the very heart of the city, upon the shady side of Lanibtou Quay, wlioio drapers most do congregate The slock is of the newest and best and what is more, the proprietors are direct importers, and are thus enabled to soil at a vary considerable reduction. " For c $ only "is the present watchword of the firm, and they intend to keep to this resolution. Now J lmve watched with a good deal of interest tho attempt to wipe out the credit system in Wellington. At first from tlio novelty of the thing there is some success, but gradually (he cash, system lias fallen more ami more into disuse, until at last the attempt becomes "more honoured in tie breach than in the observance." The public must have credit even if they [lay 25 per cent more for the article and if they cannot obtain it at one establishment, well they will go to another. Oliicinl Assignees may rail at the system which gives credit to people who arc positively nimble to pay for tlic goods they obtain, but still the practice must prevail until the tradespeople combine amongst themselves to prevent it. Some very large and wealthy linns have started business in Wellington during the last few years who have made strenuous elforts to sell their goods on a cash basis. These efforts have one and all ended in ignominious failure and 1 shall bo very much astonished if the present attempt proves a success. Keen competition and habits of extravagance far in excess of the majority of people's incomes have fostered and engendered the credit system to an alarming extent.

Not very long ago thcro was :i movement on foot in Wellington to establish Civil Service Co-operative Stores, The attempt was, however, abortive, mainly from the fact that the bulk of the civil servants in Wellington were so largely indebted to their tradespeople that they were literally unable to transfer their patronase elsewhere, fearing financial pressure. As a matter of fact, the salaried classes in Wellington aro so heavily indebted to their tradespeople that the shopkeeper must keep thorn going to get his money. To sue them would mean that they must file, and to file means loss of office. It is therefore a case of Hobson's choice with the tradesmen —he must perforce wait and tako what he,cangct. Thewcalthypcople, ns I have pointed out formerly, are however, just ns bad ns tho impecunious class. They insist on credit and will have it and sometimes the bills run on for over a year before a cheque is sent. The unfortunate shop-keeper dares not press for payment or he would lose Niuxtom, and thus has to wait an un(inscionable time for people who '-could and should certainly set the fashion by paying cash for their purchases, The Trade and Labour Council tried the experiemout of oponing a grocery storo where cash down was to be tho rale. This soon proved an utter and complete failure, for the "horny-handed "wouldhave none of it, and the result ultimately ■was that the co-operative store was put into liquidation at considerable loss to the shareholders. The curse of the ago is tho credit system and trade Will never be on a satisfactory footing until it is abolished, in the retail establishments at all events.

'J'lie mayoral election litis resolved itself into a duel between Messrs Brandon and Harris. Mr C. M. Luke, the well-known iron-founder, is the third candidate, but practically be is out of it. Mr Brandon must win easily for obvious reasons, and the general feeling is thai Mr Harris has been misled as to the amount of support he would receive. There is a Bpecial inducement in connection with this year's mayoralty, which does not seem f o have been generally noticed, mul that is, should the Duke of York and his consort, visit those shores, the mayor of the capital city of the Colony is almost certain to receivo the honour of knighthood as a memento of the Royal visit. Possibly, if this liud boon considered, there would have been more emulation for tho oflice.espccially amongst our wealthy citizens. However, Mr Brandon, as a native of Wellington, and, in addition, a man of culture, refinement, and position, is eminently suited for any honors which may be in prospect.

There died in tho Wellington Hospital within the last few days, a man who in bis timo was worth nearly a £IOO,OOO. His name was Spence, and old West Coasters will Member that in the palmy days of tin gold rushes, there was no weflMiier or 'better known firm j/irjUo Colony, than that of Spence Bros,, merchants and shipowners of Hokitika and Melbourne. The late Mr Spence, like many another West Coaster fell upon evil times when the prosperity of the West Coast began to wane, and with the failures of the gold fields the fortune of the late Mr Spence began to vanish also, until at last the large business which by his energy and enterprise he had gradually got together, slipped away from him, and the once prosperous merchant dies almost a friendless inmate of the Wellington Hospital, Such aro the chances aijd changes of this mortal lifoaud those which fell to the lot of the late Mr Spenco were exceptionally bard.

It used to be said at one time that wo would never be able to raise a decent cricket team in Wellington. The result of last Friday and Saturday's match has completely dispelled this idea. Tho Wellington men, by their brilliant display against the redoubtable Cliristchurch team, have shown that thoy Lave a grip of the game which jew elevens, in this colony could equal, Undoubtedly had the treacherous Wellington weather remained line tho Cliristchurch mon would have received about tho most crushingdefeat they have experienced since their province haß been ' looked upon as the eriekot'stronghold of tho colony. Fortunately for them the wind and the rain proved thoir : best friqiid, and thus defeat was averted; although ,thp, 'draw, was , worniously in .favour of the Wei-

lingtou mon. It is a great pity that this interesting match could not have been played to a finish, as it is thero is no satisfaction to anybody in tho result.

1 _ When one considers tlio difflcul--1 ties which Wellington orickctors labour under in the shape of want of' pmclico grounds, the prolicicnoy shown in Hub grand old gamo is highly creditable. There is but one ' cricket ground in Wellington, tho Jlasin llcsorvo, and overy aftornoon during the season tlio'ficld is per fectly alive with cricketers practising. Fiolding practise is utterly ont of tho question, and tho batting consists of standing at tho nets null slogging at tlio bowling, wliilo all the time halls from the various nets are Hying right and left to tlic imminent danger of all concerned. In Christchurch, of coursd! quite a different state of affairs exists, for Micro are to bo found acres and acres of beautifully level sward such as at Lancaster and Hagluy parks, where there is more than sufficient room for all to practice to their heart's content. Auckland has spacious cricket grounds, and so lias Duncdin, and therefore while everything is against any progross being random Wellington, our men have proved themselvcssupcrior to njl disadvantages, and we will no doubt shortly take the same high rank in cricket as wo do in most of the other manly sports and pastimes. The Wellington team lenves here towards the cad of the month on a , four lo Christchurch and Duncdin, j and much interest will attach lo the ( trip, for we are anxious to see what i our men are now capable of when | away from home. Tlio return match j against Christchurch about the (ith < of December next will he especially ( iiituß-stiiig in the of recent , events. Wliilo Jam on the subject ] of cricket, let me say how pleasant ( it is to observe the gentlemanly con- f duet which prevails, and what ncon- t trust it is lo the rowdy larrikinism c mid the" barracking"' which sceins « to lie a sine mm non on the football field,

The Bank of Now Zealand' is gradually removing; its Head quarter's stiilf to Wellington and pending arrangements being mado for permanent quarters tlioy will probably oceupy some of the vacant rooms in the old Athenieuin buildings. It was at first said that the JJnuk had taken McAvthur's line buildings as offices but this temporary occupation of the Exchange Buildings, which 1 should think were in every way unsuitable for tho purpose, looks as if the present Bank premises am to be enlarged ns originally intended, The Bank of New South Wales, I hear, do not intend to remove their Head Office to Wellington from Christchurchjustatpresont,althongh no doubt they will do so before very long. It is asserted in business circles in town that the negotiations for the amalgamation of the Bank of New Zealand and the Colonial Bank, which were abruptly broken off on the receipt of the Government's ultimatum, will be resumed again early next session

Your efforts to prevail upon the railway authorities to establish a better and more expeditious train service between Wellington and Masterton aro much appreciated hero, mid it is to be hoped thnt your representations will eventually be crowned with success. Business people, of course, would derive tho greatest benefit from a better service, but now the holiday season is coining on, the general public, who dearly love a day's mm in tho country, would be attracted more to tho Wairarapa were the trains faster, and the hours of departure and arrival timed to suit their convenience, At present a trip to Featherston is an undertaking, while to exteml\tlio journey to Masterton is more than the majority care to tackle. The Wellington and Mnniiwatu Company endeavour to meet the public in every way, and ns a natural result their excursion trains oil holidays aro generally crowded with pleasure - seekers. From n scenic point of view, tho Wairarapa line is even more attractive than tho Manawatu, and there is no reason why the Government line should uot boas much patronised by excursionists as tho private lino is. Considerable dissatisfaction has been expressed that no special excursion trains aro running Irani the Wairarapa on tho Wellington A. and P, Show Day. Surely one extra down train might have been arranged for, in view of the fact that there will probably be a good many country visitors to tho Show ':!

The entries for the Wellington Show exceed those of Inst year by a good many and the Association is to be congratulated upon its good fortune in obtaining exhibits from some of the most prominent Hock owners and cattle breeders in the Colony. Tho Show of fat cattle will bo very Hue, but tho exhibit of sheep will not quite equal that of last yoar. A fcaturu of tho Show, however, will be thehorses,!iudiii this department it is confidently asserted that a liner collection has seldom been got togcthor at any previous show held in this island. The horses are all to be judged on the second day this year, ami this should servo as a special attraction for tho public, who always manifest great interest in ahorse, when they cannot get up much enthusiasm over sheep and cattle, whose particular qualities they do not appreciate because unlearned in the subject—whereas on the contrary ] nearly everybody does, or thinks ho docs, know something about a, horse. The entries for agricultural implcmonlsarealso very numerous thisycar aiid in this respect the present will be a groat improvement on, previous shows, where the implements, such npromincntfeaturciucountryshows, [ have in Wellington been conspicuous Iby their absence Tho weather does not look very favorablo at present but Captain Edwin has promised us a rise in baromoterwithin ten hours, ■ so perhaps the fates may be propitious this year. Given fane weather, it being also a public holiday, a record attendance is anticipated on Thursday. • '

This will be quite a gala weok as there are no less than three shows of various kinds taking place.- First and foremost is the gathering at Petouo of which you have heard so much, and then in town there is tho Flower Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Dog Show on Friday and Saturday, This latter will be well worth seeing, for a magnificent lot of entries has been received from all parts of the colony, comprising most of the caiiino champions of recent shows, The Flower Show is not expected to prove suclr'a success as the boisterous weather wo have experienced r'ecoutly. has cull up the pardons very severely; '*

Tlie "Wairarapa" Relief Fund in Wellington alone ojcyedu 1800, and

boforo tlio end of tlio week tlio amount will have', 110 doubt, reached tlio respectable total of £IOOO. There seems to be a strong feeling tlmt tlio surplus arising from the nclministrntion of tlio relief fund should be devoted to some other deserving object, [for thore is little doubt that tlio money which has been collected! in various parts of tlio Colony when lumped together, will mora' than' suffice to relievo those, who suffered by the wreck. A great deijl has been said nbout the loss of the "■ bread winners," but unfortunately this has not turned out tlio case, for of all the people who perished, by far the the largest per centago was composed ofhelpless women and children, It will be observed that tlio majority of tho men drowned woreijitber single or fairly well to do, and consequently their friends not trespass on the fund which is being raised, Almost tho whole ; of the crew with the exception of some ton or a dozen wero saved. 'l'ho friends of tlioso drowned recoivo compensation out of the Union Company's Provident I'und, and to which every individual employe is compulsorily a contributor, therefore these would not require so much assistance from tho publio fund. Careful enquiry has revealed the fact that comparatively few have been placed in urgent need through the loss of their male relatives. Money can hardly bo paid as a solatium to those who lost their wives, daughters,. and sisters and children in tho wreck, and these represent by fur the largest number of victims, Tho Union Company have of course, also done what they can to relievo temporary destitution, and * it may have to lie decided yet 1 whether tlicy are not legally rcspon- ' sible to passengers for any loss they ( may have sustained by the wreck. Much has been made about, the loss of the breadwinners, but a discreet silence has been observed regarding this wholesale sacrificeof women ami children who appear to havo been 1 illowed to shift for themselves.