RANDOM SHOTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 42, 18 February 1905, Page 12

RANDOM SHOTS.

■ZAMnoT

Borne write a neighbour's name to lash; Borne write — rain thought — for needful cash; Borne write to please the country clauh, And raise a din. For mc, an aim I never fash— I Write for fun. "Oil! Listen to the Band. ,, It is a long time since the fervid adjuration of the "Runaway Girl" first caught my ear, hut I am quite glad that I obeyed the injunction this week, anyhow. Qu«en-street is rather splendiu just now with gorgeouslj'-aHired bandsmen, bedecked with marvellous badges, and important-looking officials half-hidden behind rosettes, that look a little like ,red, white and blue cauliflowers. But I forgive them their somewhat aggressive uniform on account of their music. For a brass band is a joy for ever to me* I must say I don't particularly enjoy a very strident cornet or a very hoarse trombone inside a small room. But thea the bagpipes, the most inspiring of all musical instruments, are simply terrific under cover. It 'is only in the open-air that a brass band' ought to play —and then it is most delightful. There is something about the quality of the sound—"timbre" I believe learned musicians call it — which tingles through every fibre of mc when I hear it. And then, the marching—l never hear a brass band without appreciating very fully the reason and the excuse for "playing" troops into battle. I believe the veriest coward that ever lived would fight to the death so long as he could hear the band play. There is something wonderfully infectious about the swing, the lilt, of march music; and-when you hear it thundered forth iv brazen tones from a full band it seems to mc the most overwhelming and inspiring sound that mortal man has ever devised; I don't pretend to know anything about the technicalities of band music, and I can only just about tell a euphonium from a slide trombone. But the brass band is a great institution, and I hereby pay my humble acknowledgments thereto. There is an old story that a man who had been born blind was once asked what he thought the colour "scarlet"' was like, and he replied that it was like the sound of a trumpet. There may not be a great deal iii that little anecdote, but I like to think that it sheds light upon the association that has existed so long in the English mind between fighting and scarlet uniforms, and military bands. Of course, we are changing all that now. Even the Japanese wear khaki, and have given up "regimental bands; and I suppose in time we will follow -their example. Bttt in the meantime, and while you have the chance, take my advice, and -while the beat instrumentalists in the colony- are gathered together at, your door, go and "listen to the bands." ' ********** The great cricket match" was very much like all other cricket matches of the sort in this colony. There was the came display of overwhelming superiority by the visitors and the same exhibition, of absolute nervous collapse and moral and physical prostration on the part of the local players that I have seen at intervals in every New Zealand City when an English or Australian Eleven has come that Way. Of course, the Australians are several classes above our and their enthusiastic manager is probably right in saying that they are as strong a "batting team as can be got together in the world to-day. But they art not so very much superior that cur men couldn't manage to make a de«ent fighfc for existence, if only they iwefe not liable to eiich deplorable accesses of-sheer "funk." How else can you account for that last innings of ours on Moriday? It is aU very well to be bowled by a Cotter, 6? a Noble, or an ArmStrong—some 6f the best batsmen in the world have endured that fate—but it fs a very different matter to succumb to the bowling of Hill because he is a fine batsman, or of Kelly because he is a crack wicket-keeper. What was the matter with the majority of Auckland's batsmen' was that they w&ce morally bowled before they went in. I admired Mason's batting immensely; but you can't persuade mc that he is so utterly and absolutely superior to all our other hats as he aeeinea to be last Saturday. The difference was ihat he had "nerve" and confidence, and the others, or nearly all of them, had none. lam afraid that Jbese remarks may sound rather heartless; but they are not meant to be merely cynical, because it is quite possible to acquire confidence at cricket, even if i£u Lave very little of it to start with. Of course, the beat way is to get lota of practice against fiTst clase men; and that is unfortunately impossible here. But anybody can train himself into a reasonable state of self-control and selfpoesesaion if he will only take the ganie sufficiently in earnest tflid devote his energies to the task of overcoming his natural tendency to faint or die in deepair as soon aa he sees the bowler pre paring to send up the ball. After all its only a bit of leather, whether it is trundled by Cotter, or Noble, or McNeil, •r Dug. Hay; and it was just because Mason remembered this interesting fact that he was able to succeed where bo many others failed. ft********* 'At last a New Zealand jud»e has deJnitely allied himself witn the £ of the ■Mβ imprisonment of habitual criminals. .As you probably, know already, thjs project .was originated by Sir R OD of the 7 Criminal Instigation Department at Scotland }£ d, tCI " hls retirement from that ■ ™? e " •?? pOinted mit that the Persist- ■■ Oldel of creature than he was usually ■ supposed to bej and that by detain- ■ ,n ? ? ome «gbty of the worst type of ■ criminaLin London, the gain to the H community, even from the base point H Of view of pounds, shillings, and pence, m would be a matter of thousands a year. B 'AfbeT this'judgment from a man who ■ fs generally conceded to be one of the Ht most experienced of. practical criminol- ■ egists in the whole world, isn't it ex-

traordinary that So little attention has been directed to his suggestions? Of course ne pointed out that these special prisoners, who would be charged ■with being habitual criminals as a distinct, offence, would receive a slightly better treatment than the ordinary convict. But their niethod of life would not bo so alluring as to tempt the less vicious. On the merciful side again the prerogative would be reserved of release under very special cirr cumstances. To my mind there seems, at the very least, to he an excellent case for the most careful consideration of . Sir Robert Anderson's proposals; and if that is so, why this dull indifference in tlie matter? Have you heard of "The Fairy Tale Society 1" It is an institution which has just been started for Mie purpose of giving the poor children of London free evening entertainments, at ■which fairy tales will be read to them, illustrated by lantern slides, and accompanied by' music. Later on more educative lectures may be given, but the main object at first is to get hold of the little ones, to brighten their lives, and to cultivate their imaginations. Cultivate their imaginations!—is it not refreshing in this sordid age to lind even one coterie really appreciative of the meaning of cultivating the imaginations of children? Would to heaven some one would set about training the imaginations of some of these shrewd, sharp-tongued antiquated infants of our own city! The fairy-tale idea seems to mc to be a very good one, but I very much doubt if fifty people in the whole town will sincerely—or at least enthusiastically—take that view. But even those who don't think that children in general should be brought up on anything so "useless" as fairy-tales will at least admit that it would be a happy innovation in the ease of the suffering youngsters in the hospital. To those associated with sick children I commend this humble suggestion. ********** The old question has once more been raised—What is a gentleman? This time it was in regard to a schoolmaster, and a London County Cottrt decided that although he was a, gentleman in fact, it could not be maintained that he was a gentleman in law. The debate on the question was interesting. The solicitor for the schoolmaster, in arguing the matter of costs,.held that a gentleman is "one who, by education, occupation, or income, holds a position above menial service or ordinary trade." But, said the judge, that would include the draper making ten thousand a year. Was he a gentleman? The discussion went on to show that he was not, but that the man who was passing rich on a private income of £50 a year was, and so was xi graduate of a University even without the £50. No wonder, then, that the solicitor at last impetuously exclaimed: "Are we to be reduced to the Irishman's definition of a gentleman, 'Bedad the chap that never did a hap-'orth far himself nor anyone else?' Because a man earns his living is he not a gentleman? A retired pork butcher or rag and bone dealer living on money saved would. I suppose, be a 'gentleman'?'"' And the judge sympathised, but was helpless in the grip of the "hass"of a law, aud decided, as I 'have told you, that a schoolmaster is a gentleman in fact, but that legally he fails to reach that dignity. Well. I supposa it's iio use jeering at the Law. The poor old idiot will never be cured of its follies, and, besides, it has a habit of kicking even when you talk to it the most for its own good. But the mischief is that there are people silly enough to think like the ass of a law. And there are thousands who consider that the discussion of the question of what is a gentleman—in preference to an honest effort to live like one—is really worth whole hours of precious time. I don't. But, like most people, I have my own ideas on the subject. I would roughly define a gentleman as "He who is sympathetic both generally and in detail," or "He who is sensitive for others"; and both amount to the same thing. The "good, fellow' , is not always a gentleman, because, while he may be very good if one happens to break an arm or a leg, he may in more peaceful times cultivate habits perfectly indifferently as to whether they please or annoy one. That is to say, he is sympathetic generally, but not in detail. So you see that I don't believe that the thing is dependent on •anything but heart, with perhaps a little head thrown in as a make-weight. But I sometimes hope, in face of its abuses, that the word "gentleman" will follow its companion, "lady," into disrepute, if not desuetude. ********** I wonder if all the other nations on the face of the earth are as fond of a fire as the English. This remark is called forth by the circumstances attending the conflagration at Mechanics' Bay the other night. It was a few •minutes after midnight when the fire bell rang; and about five minutes later the slopes of Constitution Hill were fairly crowded -with an exceedingly interested throng of spectators. Where they all- came from and how they got i there so quickly, I really can't im.ag ine; for in almost; all eases they had only too obviously just risen from slumber. I happened to be up at the ■time tbe alarm was given, so that I was as well dressed as I ever am—a journalist, of course, can't afford to worry about mundane trifles very much. But I was, I firmly believe, the only adequately attired person in the whole crowd of onlookers that lined the hillside. A good many of them had rushed forth under the very palpable disguise of a rain cloak or a* top coat; but the indications—however, I needn't dwell on them. Suffice it to say that scores of half-dressed and manifestly shivering and dejected men and women stood around on the hill at the mirk midnight hour, ans for nearly an hour later, just to watch a fire that couldn't by any chance be a matter of serious concern to more than half-a-dozen of them. It happened to be the safest fire I ever saw, because it was so completely isolated; so that the crowd hadn't the usual morbid excuse for j wondering whether their house would! l>e the next. It was rather a prett3' fire too —paint and oil and motor cars appear, to be a good mixture for a eonfl.igratjcu—lut it would hav-2 needed a great deal more thau the smoke and the flames to keep mc there. I came out to make sure that the (ire was a l->ng way off. and I stayed to watch the people; but; Ihey stayed there, gazing fixedly at the blaze, long after I had departed wearily speculating what the next outcome of this little incident might be in the way of pneumonia and rheumatism. Truly, we English folks have strange ways of. enjoying ourselves, and fire gazing seems to mc one of the moat inexplicable of them all.