ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.
It is announced that a new Customhouse is to be built at Wellington. Well, it may be required, for ausrht I know, but I believe in the saying, •' Turn about is fair play," and as a new Post Office has just been built at Wellington, I think that Auckland should have a call when Custom-houses turn nn. Wo aie very ninth in need of a new Customhouse here. The building now used foi that department and the Post and Telegraph Offices, and a large number of other purposes,is much too small for the requirements of the public. Especially are the postal officials disgracefully overcrowded. The present mail-room is almost as bad as the infamous Blac't Hole of Calcutta. It is far too small for the work done in it, very dark, and shamefully ventilated. If the colony has. £20,000 to spend on a new Custom house (which, however, I doubt) it should be spent m Auckland, and the present building should be utilised entirely by the Postal and Telegraph Department, Then there would be room to carry on the work of that department satisfactorily, without the present injury to the health of the officers. By the way, with regard to that new Post Office just completed at Wellington, I should say that if it was planned in the Colonial Architect's Office it alone was a very yood icason why that office should be abolished, as it is one of the ugliest buildings designed by any man calling himself an architect.
Talking about aicbitects reminds me that there seems to be a great deal of illfeeling on the part of some of the local members of the profession, in consequence of the winners of the prize design for the Fiec Public Library and Art Gallery being a. Melbourne film. Ido not profess to be a judge of these matters, but I am free to admit that I think there is far too much sameness about the work of our local architects, and that it will tend to improve the appearance of our city it a number of prominent buildings are erected accoiding to plans drawn by other architects. Tne Clnrendon Hotel in Wake-field-street, and Missis Sanjood, Evving and Go's, warehouse in Victoiia-stieet, are pleasant breaks in the monotony of our city architectme, and such also will be the new Haibour Board G (Vices, the New Zealand Insmance Company's Arcade at the foot of Shortland-street, and the Fiee Public Libiaiy and Ait Gallery if constructed in accoi dance with the design of Messis Graingei and D'Ebro Of couine, it is yet extiemely doubtful whether the last-mentioned build ing will be consti noted in accordance w irh those plans, as manj of those best competent to foim an opinion on the subject expiess themselves as quite confident that the buibUm.' cannot be elected tor the money at the disposal of the city council. As I have aheady said, I think <i handsome and suitable building should be elected even thought the council should be compelled to " o\er-iiin the constable " a little in doing so. However, we will know moie about the matter when the tendeis have been sent in, ■A The irrepressible Air W. G. Garrard is to tie fore again, as is proved by the following advertisement :— '• Gentleman and Brother Wot king Men, Electors of of Newton and Ponsonby. Do not Pledge your votes to any Cuulidate or Com mittees before Polling Hay, Soliciting votes comes under the Vagrant Act.— Mr Wm. Gno. G viiumid." From this it is to be infeued that Mr Ganaid intends to ofFer liis valuable services to the Elootois of Newton and Ponsonby at the Genei.il Election to be held at the end of thejeai. I think he may just as well save himself the ttouble, as, whoevei his opponent, Mr Guraid would find his name at the bottom of the poll. I still hope that Mr Swan son will allow himsolt to be ic-eliicted for Newton, which lie will suiely bs if he allows, himself to be proposed, as we can ill afloul to lose his sei vices. He has always been a good and useful membei. a consistent advocate of Auckland's i ight^ and a bitter opponent of polisical jobbeiy, and we can ill alloid to lose him. I would much latliei sec Sir Georgo Grov, Mi Daieavrllc. Mr Moss, Mr Tole or MrHairis omitted fiom the list of Auckland members than Mr Swanson. By the way, there is a valuable piece of infounation given in Mr G.irraid's advertisement — soliciting votes comes under tlip Vagrant Act. The only objection to the infounation is that it is not coucot. It would not lie a bad idea to inseit such a clause in the Elections Act, as then people would be free to vote accoiding to theii wishes and the dictates of then consciences. In last Satin day's " Heiald" time appeared a leviovv of a pimplilet m-rntly published by the Riiiht Hon. Hcniy Fawcett, Postma>stei-Ceneial in the Gladstone M:n,f,tiy, entitled "State Socialism and the Nationalisation of the Land." In his pamphlet Mr Fawcett deals with a number of subjects which hive been taken up as pet "fads" by some of our New Zealand statesmen. He first condemns the nationalisation of the land, which is a pet theory of our Mr Rolleston, as unfair to the individual if the land is to be taken away without adequate compensation, and too costly to the State if that compensation is to be given. He then condemns the theory, supported by our Sir George Grey, that the "unearned increment' should belong to the State, on the ground that the investor in land should not be condemned to take all the lisks of loss without any of the oh.mc "3 of gain. He is opposed also to National Insmance, which is advocated by our Major Atkinson, because, if the funds aie to bo raised by the compulsoiy payments of all, the system will assuredly provoke hostility, whilst it will be difficult or impossible to get their contiibutions from the unemployed and tho->e who, though emplo\ed, sire earning only a baic subsistence. Mr Fawcett finishes by condemning Free Education, which is advocated by so many of our colonial statesmen, on the giound that the State might as well be expected to pi ovule food, clothing and houses as education. If Mi Fawcett had been asked to give his opinion on the vaiious "fads" of our New Zealand kgislatois, he could not have picked them out and condemned them more thoroughly than he has done.
Last Monday w.is S. Patrick's Day, and it is a blessing that they are not " hanging men and woman heie for wearing of the green,'" for there were some thousands of men, women and children who went up to the Domain wearing that beautiful colour. It was very evident that vS. P.itiiclc and the clerk of the weather are chum«, for Monday was one of the finest days ue have had this year — a blight sun shining oveihead, and a cool breeze blowing, to temper ii f s heat. It was just the day for out door sports, and those who did not enjoy themselves, if there were such, could not blame the weather. Though the day was not a public holiday, a very large number of people made a holiday of it, and went to the. Domain, the North Shore, or Hendersons Mill races. Whether it was owing to better arrangements or to the fact th it only a small number of people went by train to Henderson, I do not know, but it is a x'emarkable fact that there seem to be no complaints about railway mismanagement on Monday. Let us hope that the railway authorities have at last discovered how to ruu trains for the convenience of the public. St. Mungo.
Life in theßo&h— Then axi> Now. — It is generally supposed that in (he bush we have to put up with many discomforts and privations in the shape oi food. Formerly it was so, but now, thanks to T. B. Hill, who has himself dwelt in the bush, if food does consist chiefly of tinned meats his Colonial Sauce gives to them a most delectable flavour, making- them as well, of the plainest food most enjoyable, and instead at hard biscuits and indigestible damper his ImMOVrfD Colonial Baking Powdkr makes the very be** bread, scones, cakes, and pastry far cup i»r and more , whole*ome than yeast or e%'<2U. Sold by all itorekeepers who can ob- , from any pt,sxt^vx{ ia Auckland;
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18840325.2.26
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Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1828, 25 March 1884, Page 4
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1,428ECHOES FROM THE CAFE. Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1828, 25 March 1884, Page 4
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