ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2064, 29 September 1885, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

In case some of the Southern members should do such a very natural thing as take up the " Wai kato Times " toasccttain the causes of Auckland's prosperity, I will mention what I believe to be the reasons. They will not need to be told that we do a fair amount of shipping business, including the Islands tiadu, nor that our export of timber is no inconsiderable item. Then we have had the kauri gum trade, which, though it is rather " sick " just now, has allorded re tnuncruti\c employment to a large number of men for some years past. Again, wu ha\e the head-qiurteis of the Hank of New Zealand, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, and the New Zealand and South Butish Insur .nice Companies, a considerable number of ihniib in all of these institutions being owned heic. The Sugar Company, Fio/en Meat Company, Onehunga Iron Works, Fibie Company and some others, though they have notpioved remuneia tive to the sliareliol lei-, ha\e all been the means of employing a considerable number of men, whose wages have been -.[ii nr in the city, Besides these, we have a lug iiumtu-r of small industiicb, -.vi h .is boot f.ictoi les, bloom and brusl. (sutnifs, ul.ih-.woi ks, Ace, \.c, w Inch in the aggregit'- distnliuto laige .sums in wages every week Oui splendid climate is a source of revonii' 1 tn u« as it brings hither a most desirable olat-a of immi yiant^ — people of independent means One of the main causes of >mi prospeiity, however, is that a huge section of the community have acqumd habits of thuft. Instead of bpruding all then earnings they legularly put something by for a ininy day, and the number of fiee holdcis bears an unusually large piopoi tion to the population. I sinceiely hope that that piopoi tion may ineicaae, and there will bo httlo reason to fear for the continuance of one prospeiity. One of the objections made to the late engineer of the Haibour Boa id wai the unieliability of his estimates of the cost of work. For the Calliope Dock he was £•20,000 or £30,000 (I forget the exact figures) wrong in his estimate, and the members of the board were naturally indignant at being mibled. In this respect Ins succegsoi docs not appear to be any gteat improvement. At the meeting held on Tuesday last, tendeis weie opened for two works. In one case the Engineers' estimate was £8,47!) 7s Id, while the lowest tender was £5>,7'23, or 14\ per cent more. Now when a man descends to a penny in his estimate he ought surely to have a better idea of what the woik will cost. In the other case, he was fne times as far wrong, though it was a much smaller job. He estimated the cost at £2002 l'2s 8d ; while the lowest tender was £1,151, bo that his estimate exceeded the tender accepted by 4 per cent. Should thcie be mu cli more of this sort of business »ye shall ha\e good grounds foi believing that the harbour bonid have once more put a square peg in a round hole. St. Munuo.

Tm.Ri, is no more conservative set of persons than washei women. They have always conducted their business on the tame old lines. Jaok, who is at a boarding-school in tho country, untes home ■ — I'lease send me a good trap to catch birds, and a piece of carpet to say my prayers on." Q ii. ill rough s tarm, Kihikihi, will ho sold bj auction by Mr J. S iiuckland at Ohatipo, on Tin sdi) , the lllth Octnbor. Mr H Covvpcr will hold his usu^l sale of product', sundries, &c, at the Cambridge Auction Mart on Saturday. Mr S. J. 'lhnmpson, Tamahert- Store, will hold his rleaiinff sale ot winter goods shortly. Sec future advertisement.