It Is Town Talk

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 9, 1 September 1900, Page 17

It Is Town Talk

— That Hone Heke aspires to shine as a Maori love-song poet. — That rounders matches are now popular amongst Christchurch femininity. — That the other buildings in Willisstreet will look mean when the new Empire Hotel is up. — That Thorndon took more interest in the municipalisation of the tramways than did Newtown. — That nine master tailors didn't furnish one man to sit out their case before the Conciliation Board. — That ex-Lessee Hall is mentioned as the most likely managpr of the trams for the municipality. — That if the tram loan is subscribed locally, the Coiporation will take control of the tiams by Ist October next. — That local candle-makers melted in sonow and match-factory owners struck when the new Budget came to light. — That many people want to know why Seddon, Cadman, and Ward should visit John McKenzie all in one week. — That over twelve hundred pounds has been inflicted in fines for sly-grog selling in the King Country during the last four years. — That we seem at last to be in a fair way to having the shelter sheds excrescence removed from the Post Office front. — That the Kaiser will likely be called upon to ledeem his promise of 1000 taels (£200) for every foreigner rescued fiom Pekin. — That Trooper Toogood, of Featherston, had an " all-right" time as an invalid, having been sent first to England and then back home. — That the front-door key of our Opera House must have been lost. The place has been closed so long that playgoers will forget the way to it. — That when Mrs Bracher gracefully waved her arms, animadverting against corsets, it was clearly demonstrated that she was not whalebone-girdled. — That at least one of our draper's shops has got such a big stock of Peace Celebration Hags that the firm is daily piaying for the proclamation. — That a steamboat passenger, required to write a line of English as an educational test under the Immigrants Act, sciibbled "Seddonian methods spell humbug." He passed. — That Socialist William Ranstead promises to start a flow of the most desirable immigrants we have had from England for a long time. Banstead himself is enraptured with New Zealand. — That it was pretty rough on the match factory girls that the Budget proposals should shut down the factory just after the girls had got their rise from the Arbitration Court. — That Trooper Hadfield, of Raugitikei, limped off the Gothic like a man with a shot in his leg. " Oh, no," he said, when asked if he had been shot, " it's only enteric fevei in my leg !" — That Trooper Tom Freeman, of Waimate, who was among the Gothic invalids, had the pleasure of reading his own obituary notice, having been lepoited dead some months ago. — That the Chief Magistrate of Wellington (Mayor Aitken) was "blocked" on the Gothic's gangway by a seaman when the big liner came alongside the wharf with the invalids on board. — That Thomas Pringle still holds up his end as one of the most artistic amateur photographers in the colony. No doubt he will bring back a bulky portfolio with him from Japan. — That although three officers in the Registrar of Patents office divide £456 per annum the Registrar himself receives no salaiy, being Under Secretary for Justice. A case of masterful sweating. — That Rabbi Van Staveren's silver wedding presents were one of the finest and most valuable collections ever seen in Wellington. The Rev. Hermann is appreciated by his congregation more than most pastois. — That Wellington people are more tolerant of the perambulator nuisance on city pavements than those of most other places. And the prams are used, as frequently used, to hold goods as to carry babies.

—That " What Happened to Jones" last week was quite satisfactory to Jones. — That people are not satisfied that the Wellington Gaol staff of warders is not undermanned. — That the free bar will be abolished at the next Manawatu Show, and coupons issued to stewards who must countersign them. — That drapers say that, judging from the success of their recent sales, money was never more plentiful in Wellington than it is now. — That a great many common-sense people think that instead of the duty on patent medicines being lowered it should be doubled. — That every Ministerial statement of the slightest consequence is now well advertised, at State expense, per cable, in the English papers. — That a Masterton syndicate will probably finance the local Juvenile Amateur Operatic Society if it produces " La Mascotte " in Wellington. — That it is not intended to make any alteration of the present system of managing ihe tram service until the electric power is installed. — That some people say that the trouble between the colony's South African commanders was created in the Big Wooden Building, Wellington. — That, having got its tram loan passed, the next move by the City Council in that connection should be the acquisition of the electric light service. — That, with the numerous Libel Bills and the Court Reporter Bill, newspaper men are having quite a special interest in the present Pailiament. — That Captain Tanner is disgusted with his bad luck over his share in the South African campaign, which luck, he says, wasn't worth sixpence. — That big mercantile firms throughout the colony will save many hundreds a year when the universal penny postage system comes into operation. — That a Southern paper wishes that the libel law could be suspended for one week so that the press could tell some legislators what it thought of them. — That the breezy controversy between Parsons Hosking and F. W. Isitt over the King Country grog question, is causiug infinite amusement in the liquor trade. — That there is a queer story current of alleged suppression of an important letter in the coriespondence that led up to the disbandment of the " Minahs and Mistahs." — That a sensational letter from a trooper is going around the West Coast papers distinctly accusing one of our Contingent officers, by name, of cowardice on the field. — That there were about fifty men — warders, policemen, and permanent militiamen — and a boy out after the two convicts who broke loose from a gang at Polhill Gully on Monday. — That the warmth of Corporal Hadfield's enthusiasm in print over Nurse Eowley, his guardian angel in the South African hospital, has set the romancists speculating. — That in announcing a bankruptcy, a Stratford contemporary very politely " obseives with regret that Mr has found it necessary to place his affaiis in the hands ot the Official Assignee !" — That two neighbours a long way from Tar anaki- street quarrelled the other night, and one said to the other, " Why, you've got no sense ; you're next door to an idiot ! " And the other fellow wonders what he meant.

" The Eose of Persia " is having a long run at Sydney Her Majesty's, and so brilliant a success does it appear, there is hardly likely to be any change of bill by the Williamson Opera Company for some time to come. In a letter to Melbourne Argus, Madame Melba cautions young vocalists of mediocre talent against going to England in search of fame. She severely criticises certain contributors to the Australian press, to whom she attaches the blame of bringing so many to poverty and despair by their unjustifiable " puffery " of would-be songsters, whose abilities warrant nothing greater than the flattery bestowed upon them in their own parlours. A company, headed by Miss E. Crane, Tyrone Power, and Cecil Ward, take up the running from. Miss O'Neil's Company to night at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne. This combination has just recently concluded a most successful season at Brisbane with "Tess of the D'urbervilles," and Miss Crane's refined pourtrayal of Tess is spoken of as one of the finest pieces of work the clever tragedienne has yet shown.