Auckland and Wellington are very jealous, as both the last named cities have beautiful harbors, though neither is as large as that at Sydney. . . . A gentleman who sits at our table at the hotel lived for six months at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and thinks it a very fine town. He lives in New Zealand now, but Lancaster pleased him very much. Chicago scared him; he was there one night, and the next morning the papers reported six murders. As soon as Dr. Beeson arrived, Chicago had a more capable defender, and I withdrew, to enjoy the scrimmage. . . . Chinese are admitted to New Zealand on payment of $1,500 per head, and a good many of them run fruit and vegetable stores here. . . . As the maid predicted, the Monday morning papers mentioned the death at the Grand Hotel Saturday night, but they handled the item very cautiously, saying that the circumstances were suspicious, and that an inquest was necessary. . . . No doubt the people at the Empire are much exercised; unless I am much mistaken, the people of the Empire are saying: "That rotten outfit across the street is getting what it deserves." You can't expect anyone to be fair with his rival in business.
Tuesday, January 28.—We took a long street-car
ride this morning, and paid sixteen cents for one journey
which would have cost only five cents in an American
city. But you can ride a short distance for two
cents. The fare increases two cents per section.
Whether our plan of five cents for a street-railway ride,
long or short, is better or worse than this, I do not know.
