TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5086, 25 July 1895, Page 3

TOLD ON LAMBTON QUAY.

[By The Ancient Mariner.]

"Ami thus spake w\ that ancient man, The hnijlil-eiied rnii'i «(>'■' —Coleridge. Wellington, Tuesday. " HUNG BP." Carterton has had visits from members of the present Ministry within the past twelve mouths, and the good people of Carterton rose to the respective occasions and_ entertained the peregrinating Ministers in a handsome manner. The fatted turkey and the plump chicken bad their fates scaled to satisfy the cravings of first the Minister of Justice, and later on anotliersot of birds were sacrificed in honor of the Minister of Lands. Carterton, however, did not " enthuse " with sheer loyalty, there was something else behind the banquets tendered the Ministerial visitors. Carterton wanted a site for a Public Hall, and the Minister of Justice in a moment of abstraction, or possibly overcome with the extreme hospitality of the people, granted them a site at the back of the Court House. This site was inspected by (lie Minister of Lands on the occasion of his Hying visit through the ffairarapa, and met with his approval; the Ministerof Education and his private Secretary also took the trouble to view the spot, but none of the Ministers ever led the good people of Carterton to believe other than that they (the Ministers) were in dead earnest. All seemed fair and square and above-board, and nothing seemed easier than Gazetting the Ministerial gift. Alas, for Carterton and its misplaced hospitality, the site is "hung-up" ; the Lands Departments, under instructions from the Ministerial head, has ceased to take any further steps, anil the tjazctte notice, granting the site for a Public Hall, will not be made. The Minister of Lands is, of course, responsible for the delay, and he, no doubt, has his reasons, Possibly the feasting in his honor was not up to the standard of the other Ministers. At any rate Carterton has to remain a little longer without its nincli-iieeded Public Hall site. Misapplied hospitality, truly!

Ami: many yi:ai:s. Csu'tnrlon people may console themselves, for after all, laud grants take a long time to tind their way into the (!<izette, if we may take the experience of the people of Purkvi lie and Newman as an example. .Some four oi'live years ago the residents of this little spot applied for certain

reserves for recreation, municipal and other purposes. Trustees were nominated at public meetings, and a great deal of correspondence passed, and now, after many years, (he matter has gut as far as the Lands Department, and there is every probability of them being dealt with very soon. There is, however, many a slip 'twixfc cup and lip, oi 1 rather between sealingwax and red tape, and the people of Parkville and Newman may have to wait some time longer, before lliey see the Reserves gazetted. i!orru:s. In this great City, great only when compared with the bush towns of the Colony, a livelihood is obtained by sundry little urchins, old men, and cripples, in gathering bottles, The urchins are on the track very early in the morning and invade the back yards without hesitation. There is no choice in the matter', any bottle that has not passed the age of usefulness is carefully hidden away in the bag, and the little ones, travelling generally in pairs, make a fairly good thing of it, although at best it is a precarious business. There is much instruction in bottles, their shapes suggest characters; take the ordinary sauce bottle and place it alongside a gin bottle, and it will give you the impression of a saucy character. The " square-face " bottle that some old dames nurse with tenderness, looks, as it is cuddled up under a tattered shawl, very much like a black laby. There is as much character in bottles as there is in mankind, and this feature of the bottle tribe was impressed upon me by a lecture I once heard. The bottle-gatherers of Wellington, find ready sale for their collections; beer and stout bottles arc taken by the trade, while bottles associated with pickles, vinegar, sauce, gingerbeer, etc., are gladly purchased by the people who prepare these condiments and delicacies. Soda-water and lemonade bottles, however, arc scarce,as thesearegenerallyreturned to the cordial factories; this particular class of bottle is manufactured in Jfew South Wales, and the yearly importation totals up into a good round sum. Early in the year' a gentleman connected with (he bottle manufacture in New South Wales visited this colony and it is his intention to establish a factory in New Zealand. He approached Ministers with a view to getting a protective duty on the kind of bottles ho intends manufacturing, and his request will very likely receive attention in the Tariff Bill lo be biought down this session. Wo ought to welcome the establishment of industries, and when foreign capital is to be sunk iu new ventures, we ought to encourage the adventurers by every legitimate means. A protective duty may not be the best means of aiding tins new industry, but that is a question for honourable gentlemen to battle with,

SUITI.VIXtI A WAST. ' When it was proposed to dispense soup to the poor at a-nominal charge of a penny a pint, opinions were freely expressed thattlie gentleman to whom we owe the existence of a soup-kitchen, was manufacturing genteel paupers and encouraging loafers; but experience lias proved these assertions unwarranted, The soup-kitchen in Courtney-place has been opened for about a fortnight, and the call for soup averages from eighteen to twenty gallons, per day. Most of the soup is paid for at tho regulation price of a penny a pint, but some of the peoplo who patronise the kitchen are unable to find this modest sum. They are not turned away, however, but are supplied with a full sup gratis. Tho promoters claim that theyarcsupplying a want, and up to the present there is 110 lack of help from the charitably disposed. Meat, bread and vegetables aro received in fair (juantities, and tho charge mado for the soup is to take away tho" sting of charity" which somo feel so keenly. Tho soup-kitchen dames receive many a parcel of old cloth- ' ing, which they find very useful for , distribution amongst tho poor. It is a pity that there should be any rea> . son for a soup-kitchen, at the same , timo it is pleasing to noto that it is ' conducted in the best possible manner, ( SECONDHAND. . The depressed times and the

straits in which some unfortunate peop|e find thoinsolvos through lack of employment, has given rise to iv class of traders who appear to thrive on the misfortunes of others, Dealers in second-hand goods are the next in range to pawnbrokers, and tlioro are some fair-minded honest men in both callings. The second-hand dealers flourish mainly in Tory and Taranaki-streets, for in their neighbourhood there is n very j large population, existing as best itj can, but mostly by aid of the dealers. | Household goods, nick-nacks, pic-1 tares,curios, books, etc., nil find their j way into tlio second-hand shops, 1 whose motley appearance is a story j of the times. These shops must be! a source of serious competition to J the pawnbroker, but I doubt whether they arc as useful. With the pawn-1 broker there is some chance ofj redeeming the family plate, if it so j happens that fortune should smile | again, bat with the second-hand dtulers the goods arc sold absolutely without any rightof redemption. Of courselhourliclecan be re-purchased, but 1 fancy the dealer's profit would outshine the pawnbrokers cent, per cent, It is time steps were taken to license the dealers, as there is no doubt their calling gives tlicm scope for ninny a peculiar venture, which I daresay sonic of them are not above making.

Will, IT I'AY ? Caleriug for the public amusement, is at all times a risky game. If the piece takes the public fancy, then the dollars roll in with a mighty rush, but if the play fails to please, the loss is certain. "The Land of the Mon" is a theatrical venture on a colossal scale, and we arc promised a stage spectacle of rare splendour, while t lie play is said to be four pieces rolled into one, but each of which would bo complete in itself. The title is bad to begin with ; there is nothing taking about

it, noi' does it suggest a tithe of what we are promised. Jt may be suitable enough for Now Zealanders; even to them it conveys no idea, but to the people of oilier countries, such a title as " The Land of the Moil" must be noninspiring. This part of the play could be materially improved and a good sensational name would mean money. There is a Wellington Syndicate behind this venture and I heir expenses by the lime ilie curtain goes up on the opening night must be close upon, it' not quite •■£5.000, a sum of money that will take earning. The promoters, however, seem quite satislied with their risk, and although they do not hope to do more than clear expenses in this Colony, tlicy expect to make a very handsome profit when the company goes on lour. The interesting feature to us is the fact that the first production of the play is lo take place in the City and that one of the ladies engaged as under-stu dy was formerly book-keeper at a leading hotel in Wellington.

DINTMCES OK OI'IXIOX. The pitiable condition of the Pougaroa co-operative labourers which I touched upon last week, was brought under the notice of the House to-day by Mr Hogg, who asked the Minister of Lands a pertinent question, and pointed out that the co-operative' labourers were restricted in their earnings, while the cost of living as at l'ongaroa was exceptionally high. Under the Public Works policy, navvies were allowed lo earn as much as their work was worth, and seeing that the cost of living differed according to the locality in which they were employed, a uniform rale of wages is obviously unjust. According to the Ministerof Lands, however,there is no limitation as to the wages to be earned, the price of the work, as on the Alfredton-Weber Road, being based upon the ability of average men to make lis per day. The Minister rather resented Mr Hogg accepting the statements of the cooperative laborers as absolute facts, but sad to say, the Labour Department, confirms to a very large extent the yiews expressed by the labourers. The Ministerial reply will notation! any comfort to the hard-pushed workers at l'ongaroa.

I'ATIi.NT MKDICi.NKS. 1 am assured that the Pharmacy Jiill, as it now stands, is doomed. A good doiil of interest Ims been awakened by the measure, and the opposition toithasstcadily developed. Jinny members feel that it means legislating for a few against the interests of the many. The Bill seeks to prevent storekeepers and others dealing in patent medicines, and certain classes of goods that druggists and chemists consider theirs by right. Jn bush districts where chemists find it unprofitable to" open shop," if would fall very lrnidly upon settlers if they could not purchase Cockle's Pills, Epsom Salts,cattle and sheep remedies, etc., from the storekeeper in their midst, but be obliged to ride or drive to the nearest chemist, who may reside miles away. The inconvenience, not to say loss in such cases would be intolerable. The Pharmacy Bill is in danger and those for whom it is designed will need (o be on tho alert if they hope to engineer it through both Houses into the Statute Book.