"Gang" of malefactors have not been in evidence, and in most cases a series of burglaries or house-breakings have been traced to one common source. Drastic methods, too, have gone a long way towards "cleaning up" the least desirable portions of the city, where, as one official remarked, "a holy calm reigned on Christmas Eve, in place of the pandemonium that so frequently hailed the festive season." The war is, of course, to a large extent responsible for the improved condition of affairs. Many criminals, or potential criminals, have been swept into the ranks; in some other cases short sentences have given worthy place to long sentences, which have rid the city of undesirables for quite an appreciable period; anti shouting regulations have laid a heavy hand on the festive "rings" of merrymakers, and 6 o’clock closing has (generally speaking) had its effect. During the present holiday season the streets have been crowded with people on pleasure bent, but the behaviour generally has been excellent.
Patriotic family
There have been some excellent records of war service established by New Zealand families, but probably the following would be hard to beat: Mr Thomas Pratt, late of the Baptist Manse, Lincoln, and now of Linwood, has a cousin of the same name living in Bradford, Yorkshire, the whole of whose family of nine sons and one girl are engaged in war work. Three of the sons are officers, four are non-commissioned officers and privates, one controls a munitions works, and one is a scout. The daughter is a Red Cross nurse. There was recently published in a Home paper a photograph of this patriotic family.
Bluff crowded
There is a record holiday crowd at Bluff this season, and accommodation at hotels and boarding houses is in brisk demand. Bluff’s proximity to Invercargill appears to be popularising the port this season, when the high railway fares are curtailing far-afield tripping by holiday-makers. This was well exemplified on Wednesday, (states the Southland TImes), when 2400 passengers booked for Bluff and 600 for Riverton. — ODT, 31.12.1917.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
