ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 23, 8 December 1900, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

ANOTHER brave young spirit who went from Wellington to fight for the flag has found a soldier's grave in South Africa. Corporal Horace King, whose death at Klerksdorp was cabled to the colony last week, was the third son of the late Mr. Alfred King, for many years sub-edi-tor of the "Evening Post." He was an enthusiastic member of the Arawa Sailing Club, and also belonged to the Wellington Cycle Corps. He was educated at the Newtown State School, under the late Mr. Chas. Hulke, and after leaving school obtained employment in the office of the City Engineer. When the Fifth Contingent was being formed he volunteered for service, passed the required tests, and went into camp. At riding drill one day he got thrown from his horse, and his place was filled, but his unquenched martial spirit won its due recognition, and he went away with the Fifth Contingent as one of the reserve men. The news of his death came as a sudden and distressing surprise to his widowed mother and her family. On Wednesday last week they received his last letter, hearing the Mafeking post mark, and breathing fond hopes of a speedy return to New Zealand. Next day arrived the Premier's sympathetic wire breaking the sad news of the young fellows death. He was only twenty-one. * * * Avery Belvwa, the handsome baritone of Musgrove's Grand Opera Company, now performing on the other side, owns a name which advertises itself. But it needs some thinking out to discover the key. Look at it closely, and you will see that the surname is the phonetic spelling of "belle voix," the French for "beautiful voice," and so the whole thing has only to be pronounced to convey the idea "a very beautiful voice." Is it coincidence or design? **■■'' Out of the mouth of a native has come the latest complaint to King Richard of Polynesia. The Vion w of the Wairarapa, and this is what ha said to a friend:— "Mr. Seddon good man; he better than God; say work six days a week. Mr. £ don say work five days and a -halt Good man Mr. Seddon, I tmk. * * * Many Wellingtonians will remember chirpy little Dr. Fen wick, who camped at Newtown with the Second Contingent, and accompanied CradocKh corps to the front. He has returned to the front again, after being invalided Home with enteric fever. Dr. Fenwick went on to Pretoria early in October, with the hope of rejoining the New Zealanders. He is a cheerful medico, who spoke of horses as "gees, men as "Johnnies," and things geno rally as being "jolly," or "not too goody, you know." * - * Great was the hand-shaking that took place at the Wellington Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon over the return of Mr. John Ross and Mr. T. J. W. Gale. It was not exactly Mr. Gales first re-appearance, for he had taken an effective hand in the previous days match between the Law on the one hknd and Insurance and the Banks on the other. Still Saturday is the usual field day of the bowlers and very cordial was the welcome extended to both gentlemen, whose names hare been prominently identified with the club since its formation.

Sir Geo. Turner, Victoria's new Premier, is said to be close — very close. In illustration whereof one of the Melbourne papers tells a story which it says is current in political circles. It runs to the effect that when Premier > u eddon visited Melbourne "the usual courtesy call was neglected — neither Sir George nor any member of his parsimonious Cabinet paid him a visit, each probably thinking it might cost too much. Nor was a railway pass sent to him." Quite different treatment had been meted out to the Victorian Ministers who visited New Zealand, an rl the story - teller therefore rounds off his ale after this fashion : —"Dash it all," said Mr. Seddon, "I knew that Melbourne people had been hard hit, but I thought there was some money left in the place. They needn't have displayed their poverty m such a marked manner." * •* T There resides at Woodside, in south em Wairarapa, an old identity, Mr. H. H. Jackson, popularly known as "Stonestead" Jackson, that being the name of his run. He is 83 years of age. yet retains so bright a memory that he can recall details of those first days of colonisation when he was sent out from London to assist in the work of surveying and laying off Wellington. He and Mr. Renall (of Masterton) are the only surviving members of the committee of colonists who founded the Masterton and Greytown settlements away back in '53. An Anglican deputation waited upon Mr. Jackson last week to get from him data concerning the early history of the Church in this province. He mentioned the names of three gentlemen who had contributed funds for work in Masterton in '56, and when some one doubted the accuracy of nis memory the old settler replied that there were only six families in the district in that year, three being Anglicans and the other three dissenters. Mr. Jackson disputes the late Samuel Duncan Parnell's claim to having been the originator of the eight-hours work da \ The old settler claims to be one of a party of surveyors who employed their men for eight hours each day some weeks before Parnell arrived in Port Nicholson. * # * There has been much discussion in the Dunedin press concerning the authorship of "The Land o' the Leal." Some say Burns, others got the right party in Lady Naime. This talented lady, who is still hale and hearty, though only two years short of a century in age, is the aunt of Dr. Kingston Fyffe, Wellington's well-known medico-musi-cian. *• * * Wellington has had an interesting personage within its gates during the week in "Banjo" Paterson. Thanks to his rollicking lines in the "Bulletin" during the past ten years, "Banjo" is a name which is known throughout the Southern Seas — as well in Wellington as in Sydney. This is the poet's first visit to Maoriland, but he assures us that it won't be his last. He would like to linger longer here, but that he desires to be in at the Commonwealth festivities. And he is also writing a book of his war experiences for Angus and Robertson (Sydney), and the Mac millans (^London). He hoped to finish the book during his run through Maoriland, but he has found <*i many attritions in the colony that since star-in:? on his tour his book has got "no forrarder." It is "Banjo's" intention, on getting back to Sydney, to devote three solid weeks to his book, and then he will take the platform again. Paterson is Australia's Admirable Crichton, for he is a lawyer by profession, a poet by inclination, a writer of good prose, an expert polo player and ffolnst. and so good a judge of horses that he has judged many at the bydnev Agricultural Show for the society. And now like Crichton, he has been to war, and 'come back to gather in the shekels.

Not a few Wellingtonians who were wont to watch our First Contingent's encampment at Karori will remember a little bit of a man who often acted as oicerone to visiting military folks in camp. There was some wonderment as to who the stranger was, and then it leaked out that he was Major Ken nedy, "late of the Imperial Arrmy, me bhoy," who was between two moinds whether he would join Buller's staff in S.A., or go out as a war correspondenc He stayed in this peaceful colony, and became a street-corner general instead, writing running comments for the Christchurch "Press" and Dunedin ''Times" upon the way the war should be conducted. The Major had a rival writer on the Dunedin "Star, ' in Colonel Morris, and these two old soldiers worked up quite a battle royal between themselves in the press. Finally, they had a "go" at each other on the platform, the Colonel oas inej doubt upon the Major's bona fiaes ad an Imperial officer, and asking him to produce his commission. The little Major retorted that on a given day he would hand his commission to the editor of the Dunedin "Times," but the day passed, and the Major njow says his commission is in the possession of relatives at Home. ¥■ * * Mr. Graham, M.H.R., in his speech at Carterton the other day, on the oc casion of the social to Mr. Hornsby, made a good-humoured retort to ihr statement in one of the local pipers that "the people of Nelson wr» »••• ginning to know him." Sis laconic comment was that his age t.< '• l ' r half a century, and he was born in Nelson. It fetched his audience in laughter and applause. * * * A propos of a paragraph in last week's issue suggesting that Mr. 11 . S. Smyth 6 had made unsuccessful overtures h Mrs. Howie for a concert tour in Great Britain, Mr. Smythe assures i's that nothing of the kind ever occurred. Suda a project never entered his avvA •*H he is quite positive he never l*v-> ...uy one reason to suppose lo "'id it in conone reason to suppose he had it in contemplation. His vocation, he says, is to introduce celebrities to the colonies. * * * Two Marlborough ladies have just been holding meetings of their -M'Oitors. One is Amy Isabel Johnston, who for two years practised as a don tist in Blenheim, and at last was ob liged to leave through ill-health and repair to Dunedin with a view to undergoing a medical operation. The oth-r lady is Mrs. M. C. Merlet, of Picton, and formerly of the Clyde Quay HoteL, Wellington. Under examination by Mr .Jameson, of Jameson Bros., she said her husband sold her property when she was in Wellington, and she did not know exactly how the money was disposed of. Her husband died in Australia, and a month after his death she came back to Wellington, and ficed the creditors. * *• "**" Captains Crawshaw and Chaytor, whose names have been specially mentioned by Lord Roberts for distinguished gallantry at Reitfontein, are both young men and enthusiastic officers. Mr. Crawshaw resigned a teachership in the Timaru Main School to take up a lieutenancy in Major Craddock's Contingent (the' second). In the same con tingent two other South Canterbury men held commissions — Captain Hayhurst and Lieut. Findlay. Mr. Chaytor is the son of a well-known Marlborough squatter, who has two sons holding South African commissions. It will be remembered that both Captains Hutson (of Wellington) and Hayhurst were invalided from the front, the larter returning to Temuka, and the Wellington officer is at present in England. The departure of the two captains <rave Lieuts. Crawshaw and Chaytor their promotion. They are both sons or families through which a strong fighting strain of blood runs.

v Mr. Pat Fitzherbert, son of the wellknown solicitor, is the first returned youiie. New Zealander to take to the lee tu rin or platform and tell the public w hat he saw of the war in South Africa. He saw a good deal of it, too, while he served in Roberts' Horse, and he tells his story with graphic force and much fluency. The 'lecturer is assisted by Mr. Herbert Fitzherbert, "the lightning cartoonist," who furnishes sketches of the celebrities of the war. Mr. Fitzherbert is modest. He is confining himself to the country towns just now, but by and bye, when he has 'cot used to the platform, he may possibly tell his story to city audiences. * * * According to "Banjo" Paterson the New Zealanders have earned a solid reputation in South Africa as adepts in the art of looting. In spite of the prohibition of the Provost-Marshal against the practice, they "got there" every time. It was no uncommon sight, saith the veracious chronicler, to see a New Zealand sergeant palavering with a Dutch vrouw at the front door while in the back-yard the troopers were chasing and murdering the poultry. "Banjo" says he never saw an Australian or a New Zealander pay for anything, and yet they never were without turkeys, pigs, and poultry. They were left to look after their own feeding, and they looked after it uncommonly well. *■ * * Liang Kai Chu, the Chinese reformer who was chased out of China by the Dowager-Empress, is now taking round the hat in Australia to enable him to push European eivilsation into the Flowery Land. Meanwhile the Dowager offers £15,000 for his head. Other Chows have only one tail apiece on their heads, but as L. K. Chu has no less than 200,000 taels set on his he may claim to be the biggest tael-bearer in the world. * -•■ * Many New Zealanders remember burly one-armed Schilling, who was plentifully and withal gratuitously advertised as the man who was walking round the world for a wager — and picking up shillings en route. Shortly after leaving Wellington his obituary appeared in the papers, but he has turned up !ike .* bad shilling again. He has writ jam to a Christchurch friend from All. it labad (India). He tells a tall tale ot adventures since leaving these parj-s— escapes from tigers, from drown rig, from jungle fever, and from being, clubbed to death by Hindoos for a breach of etiquette. He is still marching onward, with China to follow India, and the American flag as his protection. There seems to be small change for a Schilling the world over, and wherevor he goes this man, at least, always has a Schilling to his name. * * * Ferris, the Australian cricketer, uhc.se ueath in bouth Atrica was reported the other day, had a grievance against the Auckland "Weekly News, which he was determined to redress. In its issue of August 3rd last it printed an item from its London correspondent couched in these words : "Mr Percy MacMillan, formerly of Whangarei tells me he was surprised and shocked to meet Mr. Ferris, the famous cricketer, once of New South Wales, and later of Gloucestershire, in the Boer ranks and fighting against England. A* Aucklander who is serving in Brabant s Horse has sent the item back with a request that it may be positively contradicted. He says: "Ferns belongs to X Squad, 2nd Brabant's Horse, and is fighting for England, not against her He is very wild about this untruthful par, and says for two pins he would have Wilson and Horton up for libel." Now that the poor fellow is dead, perhaps the "Weekly News" will make reparation at least to his memory by correcting the error.

Mr. A. W. Hogg, the genial member for Masterton, has got an enthusiastic admirer in Adelaide. In a recent issue of "Quiz" he rises up to remark: — "The ablest man on the land question in New Zealand is W. Hogg, M.L.A., who is at the head of the advanced Liberal movement there. Hogg should have been appointed Minister of Lands on the retirement of Mr. J. McKenzie, but favouritism secured the return of another party." * *■ * Mr. Hogg, himself, would be the very first to maintain that "favouritism" is quite a grotesque way of _ accounting for the presence in the Ministry of the Hon. Thomas Duncan, so slightingly referred toas 'another party." There is no man in New Zealand who can teach plain Tarn Duncan anything that is worth knowing touching agriculture or the lands of New Zealand. No one has been in closer sympathy with the land policy inaugurated by the Hon. John McKenzie. And if length of service in Parliament and fidelity to party count for aught, no one but Thomas Duncan was the proper successor to John McKenzie. # * * Inspector Pender, whose portrait appears elsewhere, is a police officer of •whom New Zealand has every reason to be proud. As a young man he served in that splendid corps <V elite, the Eoyal Irish Constabulary. Later on he fought in the Crimea, and after a further period of service in the Royal Irish Constabulary he went out to Melbourne and joined the Victorian police. That was in 1856. In 1862 he volunteered to assist in organising the police force in Christchurch, and two years later he became Inspector of Police. During his long residence in Christchurch— over 30 years — he won the high esteem of the citizens, received «t various times the warmest compliments of the Bench, and was looked up to with the utmost possible respect by the men who served under him. They knew him to be a strict disciplinarian but no martinet — a man who spared himself no pains or trouble in the cause of duty, and ever prompt and generous in recognising faiibfnl service on the part of his subordinates. • * # In 1892 Inspector Pender was transferred to Wellington, and the reputation he bore at Christchurch has also been established and confirmed here in the metropolis. Many notable cases have passed through his hands, and in them all he has figured to great advantage. It was be who had general superintendence of the court arrangements when Hall, the poisoner, was tried. It was he who was sent Home to bring Leonard Harper back to the colony. And at the age of 72 he is as alert -and active, as vigorous in mind and body, and as constant at his post as any officer who only carries half his load of years. In the colonies there is not a finer police officer than Inspector Pender. * * # The credit for working up so skilfully and completely the evidence which resulted this week in the conviction of Mrs Mary Henderson for manslaughter belongs in equal measure to Inspector Pender, Detective Nixon and Detective Broberg. It is manifestly a difficult matter to sheet home a case of that nature, resting upon the performance of an illegal operation, and very few officers keep so carefully within the strict line of duty as to extort from counsel for the defence the generous acknowledgment which Mr T. M. Wilford paid to Detective Nixon on Wednesday last. "It is generally the practice of counsel for the defence," he said, " to take exception to detectives' evidence, but in this case I believe Detective Nixon has given thoroughly satisfactory and honest evidence." • • • In collecting the evidence Detective Nixon had the collaboration of Detective Broberg, who is entitled to his fair moiety of the credit and the praise, although he did not come under the public eye in connection with the case. Nixon and Broberg are both young and very able detectives. During the last three years and a half some exceedingly clever work has been accomplished by them working in concert. It will suffice to mention the notorious house-breaking gang which they were successful in breaking up about three years ago.

"Banjo" Paterson quite faibd 10 impress one press man in Dunedin. Tim*, js the local correspondent of tin Bmr*"Herald," who thus delivers himself: — "Notwithstanding the flowery encomiums passed upon him by the press, he is, in the opinion of many, a remarKably poor lecturer. Considering Irs reputation as a literary man, the wonder is that he could have told so "plain and unvarnished a tale" on the platform. There was a disconnectedness about his lectures that was surprising, and a crudity and poverty of language that was astonishing. 'Banjo' Paterson is a spare, medium sized man, with a somewhat hatchet-shaped face, and when he speaks he looks chiefly at the gallery, with occasional glances at the ceiling, as if searching for inspiration — or words."

The startlingly sudden death of the Rev. J. M. Burne, Primitive Methodist, at Denniston, last Sunday evening, recalls that of the Rev. E. Best ,at Auckland, just a fortnight previously. And there is a curious parallel between the circumstances in the two cases. Mr Best was officiating in the Union Free Church, in Auckland, and he had just given out the opening hymn from the pulpit when he suddenly uttered the exclamation "What," fell forward, and expired. Mr Burne, last Sunday, also died in the pulpit, and likewise jusfc after giving out the opening hymn. In both cases heart disease was the cause. Having regard to the number and frequency of sudden deaths in all parts of the colony during the past month or six weeks, it would deem as if the season is peculiarly unfavourable to people suffering from heart trouble. Christian De Wet. the Boer General who has kept the British officers on the gui vive during the last four or five months, evidently acts on the safe old maxim that — • "He who fights and runs away, Will live to fight another day." In "The Gondoliers" the Duke ,i Plaza-Toro candidly confesses that lie did not aspire to the martial glory ( f leading his troops into battle, but he takes credit to himself for the alertness with which he always led them out o f it De Wet seems to have improved upon that model. It is said he leads his warriors to the spot where they .tre likely to take the enemy unawares, and then retires to a safe distance to await results. The Boers have lost a 2;ood many generals since the war started but the current impression is that if his running; away so fast and rayr ay that they lose De Wet it will be because of he won't be able to find his way back

Capt. Russell has administered a kind of back-hand slap to those members whose consciences would not allow them to accept the J640. He has no such qualms himself. He opposed the vote because he thought it was wrong, but as it was passed he does not propose to display singularity or affectation by handing the money back to swell the next surplus. This is funny logic. If it was wrong to vote the money, then surely it is equally wrong to pocket the money. Apparently the gallant Captain is desperately afraid lest even by as much as £40 he should help to build up another surplus for the Premier. Therefore, although it revolts him, he takes the .£4O. * # • Mr Cressvvell, a Christchurch solicitor, who has just returned from a trip to the Old Country, has been giving his impressions to the unfailing newspaper man. He says he was fortunate enough to hear the last address Sir Richard Webster, the present Lord Chief Justice of England, delivered as Atlorney-General and the first he made as Master of the Rolls. *' It may sound conceited to say it," added Mr Cress well, " but I don't think the London lawyers can teach those of Christchurch a great deal in the practice of their profession." Ahem I