Maori on the curbstone, looking a horrible
tatterdemalion as he stands there in the scantiest and wretchedest of
European rags, offering peaches and water-melons for sale. Him and his
proffered wares the chief waves off with aristocratic hauteur, until he
suddenly recollects that his humble countryman has a vote at the
elections; then he stops, enters into a brief conversation, examines the
kitful of fruit through his glasses with supercilious disdain, but
eventually purchases a chunk of melon, and goes on his way munching it.

In the shops the same sense of equality is noticeable. Shopkeepers and
their assistants are not the cringing, obsequious slaves that we know so
well in England. There is none of that bowing and smirking, superfluous
"sir"-ing and "ma'am"-ing, and elaborate deference to customers that
prevails at home. Here we are all freemen and equals; and the Auckland
shopman meets his customer with a shake of the hand, and a pleasant
hail-fellow-well-met style of manner. Not but what all the tricks of
trade are fully understood at the Antipodes, and the Aucklander can
chaffer and haggle, and drive as hard a bargain as his fellow across
the seas; only his way of doing it is different, that is all.

Auckland possesses a class whose members are akin to the street-arabs of
London and elsewhere, but differ from them in many respects. The
Auckland "larrikin" is a growing nuisance, but he is neither so numerous
nor so objectionable as yet as his fellow in Melbourne and Sydney.
Unlike the street-arab, he is either a school-boy, or earns his living
somehow, or he is a truant from work of either kind. He probably belongs
to some working family, whom he favours with his company only at such
times as pleases himself, for he is utterly unmanageable by his parents.
He has exuberant spirits and an inordinate love of mischief, which shows
itself in manifold ways. He has a sort of organization of his own, and
seems to revel in uncurbed liberty of action. Occasionally some wrathful
citizen executes summary justice upon him, in spite of the fear that
such an act may bring down the vengeance of the whole boyish gang; and
sometimes the youth finds himself in the police-court, charged with
"larrikinism," an offence that is sure to be severely punished. The
"larrikin" easily gets a job, and works by fits and starts when it suits
him, or when he wants money. He lives in the open air, sleeping
anywhere, and getting his food no one kn