TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5050, 13 June 1895, Page 3

TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

[By The Ancient Mariner.]

■ "Aid thus spak on that ancient man, The bright-eyed mariner."— Coleridge. Wellington, Tuesday. ANOTHER-" RAO."

Rumours have been afloat for several weeks past of the probability of a third daily paper seeing the *' light of day in the Empire City, and according to tho gossip of Litmbton Quay, about a dozen different adventurers aro credited with fathering the sohome. So far, however, nothing ... that the eye can detect has been done towards cradling the little stranger. Nevertheless, I am assured that a nowspapor venture in tin city is in contemplation. A northern journalist has cast a longing glance at > Wellington, and intends to establish himself hero, by hook or by crook. Ho is at the moment making determined efforts to acquire the morning "* journal, soil is reported, and failing this, he will launch out on independent lines. The wily speculator, JKjowever, hopes to bring Ministerial > " influence to bear on the Directors of . the A 7. Z. Times, and by the close of -this month there should be some striking developments in connectior with the matter. My only wish is that we may have "another rag." The two dailies that serve us now are literary wonders of the age. One is piteously sycophant in tone, while the otherisnauseatinglysupercilious, and yet npou the two of them lire spent several thousands of pounds by the patient and easily pleased citizens. Between these extremes there is ample room, and a paper that will adopt an independent, yet fair and honorable stand, should,and no doubt, will be supported.

A NEW ROOST. This is not a " par" for poultry keepers, for I really have neither .Arvented nor patented anything that ijll conduce to the comfort or safety of the feathered folk. The new roost that I have occasion to refer to now is the artful contrivance of a " lady with ' rooinatics.'"' She was of the class common in all Cities, and unfortunately not quite 1 uncommon in country towns. Without any fixed habitation, without friends and without monoy, she strolled into a much-frequented building, secluded herself in the room sot apart for the fair sex, and managed to elude the vigilance of the attendants at closing time, and so managed to get a night's shelter, minus bed-clothes. The Public Library is visited by all sorts and conditions of men, women and children, but this is the first time anyone has been able to make a bedroom of it, The shelter was much appreciated by the unfortunate woman, who on the, following morning expressed her gratitude to the surprised attendant who discovered her. Her career after this little •jdrenture,came to a sudden terminavagrancy—gaol! GUTTERING GOLD.

Poker is " dead," nap goes too, Devil's pool is cleaned out, and we are all struck on the northern gold mines. The odd money that would otherwise be spent in a mild form of gambling is being invested in mining shares, much to the gain of several lucky speculators, who have turned over some good things. The magnificent returns that are being shown by several of the Thames and Coromandel claims have whetted the appedto of the community, and speculation in mining scrip is a strong feature of the share market. The development of the mining industry within the last few years is due almost exclusively to the improved methods of saving the gold, the cyanide process • having completely changed the whole factof gold mining. Many of the esthnt|were,under the old systems u old extraction, a burden to the shareho'ders, are now dividend payers. In the North the people must be more energetic and venturesome than we ate here, otherwise I am sure some efforts would have been mado ere this to test the possibilities of Terawbiti, under the cyanide treatment. It is umiecesary to recall the Terawbiti boom of a few years ago when men almost mangled one another in their eager rush after valueless shares in duffing claims. A fter the boom the task of calculating the loss was painful, and possibly the memory of this has prevented any further prospecting in the neighbourhood. With the improvement in gold saving now available Terawbiti may not be such a duffer as we think, at anyrafe the place pught to bo worth testing.

" WHAT HO!" I W!he pass word of the city hoodlum is " What, ho !" and one may hear it yelled out in the streets all hours of the day and night. Amid the din and bnstlc of business it makes no impression, but at night the sound of this password is abominable. The larrikin element is fast growing into a formidable menace to the peaceably inclined, and a source of absolute danger to women and children, The " pushes " may be seen ateveiy street corner, insulting every passer, and vomiting the foulest of foul language, and yet there must be some protecting angel, guarding these larrikins, for nevei by any possible chance docs one bear of a street rough being "up 'afore the beak," .Gentlemen of this class may loiter in the streets, congregate round comers.obstructthe footpaths, curse and swear,and indulge in every degree of horse-play, and yet escape the vigilance of the police, but a respectable woman may not stand on the footpath longer than is neces- . J&ry to cast a covetous glance at a /fwetty bonnet, without being summoned to appear beforo the S.M, An incident of this character was recently witnessed in the city. The promptitude of the policeman in ordering a lady to "move on" roused her ire to an extent that caused her to bring herself within the clutches of the law. Ono of the hoodlum class would, under such circumstances, have chevied round the corner, and in the vernacular, "given the bobby fits, and gotoff scot free." The vagaries of a city policeman are incomprehensible, and the artful manner in which he can arrest a pint of beer when on his beat, is an object lesson in tricks.

It seems but the other day when a few enthusiasts, woll versed in the game of golf, talked learnedly of "links," and other technical terms associated with this form of outdoor exercise. Now nearly all tho youth and beauty of tho City can swing a stick, and are linked to the links with a strong affection. As a means exercise, golf is said to be superior qgo'any other game; all the muscles are brought into play, without the violent exertion necessary in tennis football, and other pastimes. Golf las secured a- strong hold in the

City, so much so that we now hear of golf capes, golf shirto, and golf on Sundays. If I mistake not, efforts were recently made in the Old Country to obtain official recognition for golf on the Sabbath Day, on tho links of a Southern county town, but tho warm reception tho promoters received in tho newspapers, has, I fanoy, caused them to reconsider the subject. On one of tho links close to Wellington, golf is played with vigor almost every Sunday, and tlio players thoroughly enjoy tliomselves.

VKBV KIN'D INDUED ! , Duuedin has already opened its soup-kitchen, and it cannot be very long before the same kind of institution becomes a necessity in this City. The number of unemployed daily increases, and, I regret to say, printers make up a large per centage of this unfortunate class, In the midst of dull times, flat business, retrenchment, and commercial depression, it seems incredible that money should be so cheap and plentiful as it appears to be in Wellington. The banks are well stocked; so much so that a friend seeking a temporary investment for £6OO, offered to deposit tho sum for 3 months, in one of the largest of tho Australian Banks (Joiug business here. "Thank you," said the official, "We don't want your money, and we cannot accept it as an interestbearing deposit! We will look after tho money for you, until you require it." Those were the best terms he could make, and be thought the banker was very kind indeed. The explanation of such conduct is, that bankers are troubled with an abundance of idle money, for which they seek an outlet in vain; to keep on adding to this pile, would not bo sound banking, but gigantic folly.

THE KEEN EDfiE. Chatting the other day, with a gentleman closely associated with the iron trade of tho City, 1 gleaned a few facts' from him, illustrating how very keen the competition for business has become. Tenders were recently called, for a job involving a certain amount of ironwork, which the engineer estimated, basing his calculations en the cost of similai work in England, plus 20 per cent., at £240, but his astonishment knew no bounds when, on opening the tenders, ho found that tho work could be done hero for £l6O, while the highest tender was .6185, At this price, I was assured, there was bound to be absolute loss to the successful tenderer, even allowing for the exclusive employment of I 'prentice labour, long hours, and indifferent workmanship. With the ironworkers, tho times are very hard, few men are employed, and the little work the foundries have on hand, is being done mostly by boy labour. A foreman of 18 years, has just been compelled to take a holiday through slack times. The suggestion thrown out by my informant, for the purpose of putting a stop to the insane and unprohtabfe competit'on that now prevails among the iron-masters, is that the employers should form a union, and agree to work each foundry iu turn for a month at a time. This may or may not be a good idea; possiby something of the kind may have to he adopted. , BACHELORS 1 DUDS.

A button is a small event that often comes off, as most bachelors know, but in comparison it causes a mi'd sensation. He-setting the button is an event that most bachelors abhor, and very seldom occurs, if by any means it can be prevented, Young men from homo have a great mauy petty annoyances to endure in connection with their " duds," more paiticularly their underwear. Shirts fray and tear, socks gape at the heels and toes in the most provoking manner, jersejs rip and pyjamas weal's out at inconvenient points. "A stitch in time saves nine," but how is the bachelor, who cannot distinguish between a seam-stich and a hem-stitch, to pnt this little text into practice. He-is beholden to the more charitable of bis lady friends, or he must seek the assistance of bis " wash-lady." A casual acquaintance of mine, who in public always appeal's well groomed, related bis experiences to me in connection with his mending and darning requirements. With his soiled, linen lib sent a polite note reqnestir.jj tho laundry maid to mend, patch, and darn such of the articles as required attention, giving her carte blanche in the matter of expense. He was told the washerwoman had no time for such work, and when sho was asked to engage someone else to do the work, replied that no one could be found willing to undertake thetask. ThisEeemsincredibloina city where theroare so many senmtresses sewing from morning to night for a few pence. I wonder that some of them have not struck this line of business—mending bachelor's duds. If carried out in a systematic manner it should prove' remunerative; but, perhaps, tho average seamstress is afraid to tackle the work because of (be fact that young men are apt to forget the debts they owe, as most tailors can attest,

STONE V, BRICK. 11l my last letter I referred to the large warehouses and business premises that are soon to be erected on the Reclaimed Land. These, of course, must be built of brick, and being curious on the subject, I made enquiries to find out, if possible,why bricks alone should be eniployed.and not stone. In the other large centres and even in Napier, the well-known Oamaru stone is largely utilised, while in Melbourne there are more buildings of Oamaru stone than are in the whole of New Zealand, and yet Melbourno has • to import its material. So far as Wellington is concerned, the veteran architects appear to have got into a'groove, and nothing but bricks with cement facings will suit them, The difference in cost between stone and brick is very trifling, the foimer would involve an expense of from 15 to 20 per cent, more than thecostin bricks, but better architectural effect can be obtained with stone. Besides this a Btono building would bo stronger, and more handsome than an edificereared in bricks. Oamaru stone is to be extensively used iu connection with tho additions to the Government- Printing Office, but for ornamentation only, _ A stono building has yet to be erected, and I learn from a reliable source thatit is more than probable that a warehouse will shortly bo built, entirely of stone, A novelty in the style and material, so far as buildings are concerned, will bo very welcome,

Tho sale ot drapery and clgthing announced in another column, will comooce on Saturday June Ist, at the Bon Mavcho. Messrs L, J. Hooper and Co., have decided | to dispose ol the whole ot their now season's Block of drapery, millinery, clothing, household furnishing, woollens, blankets, etc, This is a ohanoe tint very seldom ooonrs and buyer! would do well to visit tho aalo early as thcro is no doubt tho goods will be sold Independent ot cost prices and at great BSCrifiCOj-ABVi,