Strap-hangers crowd trams

A general view of Fairfield and Saddle Hill from Abbotsford. - Otago Witness, 19.9.1919.
A general view of Fairfield and Saddle Hill from Abbotsford. - Otago Witness, 19.9.1919.
Strap-hanging has of necessity become a skilled art with many residents of the hill suburbs.

At certain hours of the day the cars which start from the foot of High street, Rattray street, and Stuart street, present a decidedly amusing spectacle to the bystander, but it is more than doubtful the unfortunate passengers themselves are fully seized with the humour of the situation.

Packed inside and out, these cars may be seen starting their long climb up the hills, and it is little short of amazing to observe how many people manage to crowd aboard them, or how large a proportion of their human freight is sustaining a precarious hold on the narrow footboards which surround the cars.

This state of affairs perhaps applies more particularly to the Mornington and Roslyn services than to the Kaikorai line. It is not suggested that there is anything positively unsafe about these services, but no one would feel disposed to impugn the valour of a nervous old lady who showed some diffidence about boarding an excessively crowded car.

For years past these trams have faithfully performed the duty of carrying the residents of the hill suburbs to and from the city, and thus far they are entitled to the gratitude of patrons.

For years they have been free from accidents of any kind and, according to common report, they have not been guilty of returning any excessive profits to shareholders.

Hard-working schoolboys

At yesterday's meeting of the Otago Education Board, Mr J. E. Ryan (truant officer) submitted a report which showed that the total number of boys in the city and suburban schools working before and after school hours was 365, made up as follows: Boys working on milk carts, 189; on paper runs, 148; for the grocers, bakers, etc., 26.

More than half these boys, had to rise very early in the morning; two of them at 3 a.m., one at 3.15, seven at 3.45, six at 4 o'clock, 14 at 4.30, 38 at 5 o'clock, 13 at 5.15, 34 at 5.30, 46 at 6 o'clock, 56 at from 6 to 6.30, and 148 at 6.30 to 7.30.

Mr Ryan, who was in attendance, said that all the boys referred to were under 14 years of age, with the exception of one, who was 15.

This boy, who was in Standard VI, rose at 3 a.m. The other boy mentioned as rising at 3 o'clock was 11 years of age and was in Standard III. He worked 4½ hours every morning before school, and was receiving 6s per week.½¼½

St Clair erosion persists

Without any undue haste, but with quite steady persistence, the ocean at St. Clair is continuing to eat its way into the sandhills that shut it off from Victoria road.

A few forlorn and misplaced rows of piles serve to increase the backwash here and there, and to emphasise the dangerous nature of the beach for bathing at the present time with its shoals and potholes and swirling cross-currents.

At low tide there is still a quite attractive stretch of sand on the beach, except right in the corner near the baths, where there is nothing but tumbled boulders.

- ODT, 19.9.1919.

COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

Comments

Good Mornington, it's Vietnam up there!