ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, 30 March 1901, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

DR. GORE GILLON, who has taken time by the forelock, and asked the press to let it be known that he will stand as a Liberal for the Patea seat (should Georee Hutchison resign) is well known in Wellington. His elder brother (E. T. G.) was the thunder-maker for the "Evening Post" in days not so long gone bv and the doctor, who for many years carried on a practice in this city, was never at that time suspected of having political aspirations, or even opinions. Some years ago he sold his practice, and crossed the Tasman Sea, but did not stay long in Australia. It is said he caught the microbus-politicobus during his stay on the "other side," and he camefcback an ardent Seddonite. bhade of E" T. G. ! What would the "big brother" say to this an' he came out of the shades again ? • • • The Wellington Industrial Association can always provide a good dinner, and plenty of "tasty" after-dinner speeches by way of a finish to the same. Saturday night's "send-off" to Messrs. R. Hannah and Thos. Ballinger was no exception to the rule— vide the allBrown "Post" of Monday last. Mr. Ballinger has for a generation permeated Wellington life with as many ramifications as the pipes his firm has buried beneath the city for the good ot home and office. As captain of the Fire Police, he is to be seen "all over the place," at all hours of the night— "when duty calls, he does obey" — and in the afternoons he is pretty sure to be found chasing the "kitty" on the Wellington bowling green. The mornings of his life he has employed so usefully that now that he has reached the afternoon thereof he is able to take a well-earned holiday abroad. As a matter of fact, though he would not divulge the secret "for the world," he is going Home to look up the latest wrinkles in playing bowls and up-to-date plumbin q- . Mr. Hannah is another citizen who has made his mark in other walks of life than Lambton-quay, though he is one of the greatest stickers to business known in the city. If he is not to be seen in his shop on the Quay, he is sure to be found in his little office on the first floor of his big factory. Then, the many country branches of his business have kept Mr. Hannah continually on the move for years past. During the past few years he has given some of his time to the general good of the community as a member of the Onslow Borough, and as a vice-president and active member of the Industrial Association. Mr. Hannah has only recently sold his pretty country home, at Khandallah. The Lance wishes Messrs. Hannah and Ballinger bon voyage and a safe return. # • ■• It is alleged by a Blenheim correspondent that one of the most popular members of the "Scrapping Seventh" is Trooper S. Reid, of Blenheim. Sam is one of tho best riders in camp, and is a good shot. He was accorded a hearty send-off bv his admirers when he' left his native town. Also, that one of the youngest wool-classers in New Zealand is Mr. Harry Sta-ce, of Robin Hood Bay, Marlborough. When Harry first started classing (two years ago) he was only nineteen years of age, and was considered one of the best classert> in his province.

Mr. "Bob" (otherwise Robert H.) Davenport, who was the first candidate to open the campaign for a seat in the City Council, is a well-known citizen, and one of the active members of that small party of retrogrades yclept the Ratepayers' Association. A plumber by trade, he knows every hole and corner of our drainage system, and has run up against more "nasty smells" in his time than have a hundred average citizens. And didn't he let the gathering at Newtown know it last week. "Bob" is far from being the best speaker in the world, and admits that, naving had some experience at the gentle game of football, he could play a better game with his feet than with his tongue. Still, practice makes perfect, and he seems to be willing to pay for halls and "do some talk " as long as two or three citizens will listen to him. At the last election for the Council, he was badly beaten by Mr. Tolhurst in the Thorndon Ward, but, though a little 'un in stature, "Bob" has a big heart. *■ <- * By the way, Mr. Davenport prides himself upon his travels in the colony. He has several times informed the Newtownards that he had been in every city in the colony — and always came back to Wellington, the biggest and the best. He had lived in "this here town" for 27 years, and he knew Newtown when there were only four houses in it. "This here town," and "I firmly believe," are oft-used Davenportian phrases, yet, whilst he "firmly believed" that it was not wise for the city to acquire Miramar, he admitted that "if I sit at the Council alongside a chap who knows better, I'm open to be convinced that I'm wrong." " This town of ours," observed the candidate, is in its babyhood. It has lots of progress ahead of it. But let us use our own talent in pushing it along. In our new schemes, I'm prepared to watch out and employ Wellingtonians for the jobs. Why should we import surveyors who have never seen our streets, and platelayers for the tram lines who have never laid a blooming rail in their lives?" And when a solemn voice in the back of the hall echoed "Why?" the candidate for Thorndon proceeded to explain, with a pointing finger, with one foot on the chair, and tiptoeing to reach the height of that 'ere chair. * * * Mr. John Holmes and suite are expected to lend due eclat to the approaching Royal visit to New Zealand. The suite, by the way, consists of Mr. Robert Leckie. Robert has been temporarily withdrawn from his daily routine in the Crown Lands Office at Auckland to act as private secretary to the Organising Reception Commissioner. It is not the first time, by any means, that Mr. Lecky has been a private secretary, and John and Robert will be a pretty strong team in the reception line. By the way, the line of route for the distinguished visitors up in Auckland is to be decorated with Venetian poles and arches. This sounds more artistic than the arches of frozen mutton and tinned sausages which have been suggested as "just the thing" in Wellington. '-* * * An experience met with at Home recently by the Rev. Edward Walker, who has just returned from England, will interest many Wellingtonians, particularly Newtownards. It will be remembered that Mr. Walker was, for a short time, in charge of the Constablestreet Congregational Church, and was succeeded in that pastorate by the Rev. Edward Doddrell. The latter died suddenly some 18 months ago and Mrs. Doddrell and her family returned to her own people in England about June last. To return to Mr. Walker. That gentleman has a sister, who is in charge of a private school in one of the suburbs of London, and to her place he

was a frequent visitor, especially upon Sundays. In his travels to and from the railway station attached to the suburb, Mr. Walker was often struck with the extreme discourtesy of the clerk in the railway office. Other folks noticed the surliness also, and it became a subject of common talk, and then of complaint. • • • One Saturday, in taking his run up to see his sister, Mr. Walker saw a young stranger in the place where the discourteous one was wont to be ; and the new-comer was politeness itself. Next day, Mr. Walker's sister met the new railway clerk at her church, and, finding he was a stranger in a strange land, brought him home to lunch, where the temperance organiser met him. During the conversation at table, the clerk happened to remark that he had come from New Zealand. "What part?" asked Walker. "Wellington," was the reply. "Where did you live?" asked the reverend gentleman, who was now keenly interested. "In the Congregational manse, Newtown," was the reply, which astonished his hearers. "Why, how came you there?" asked the ex-pastor of Con-stable-street." "My father was the pastor of Constable-street," replied the clerk. "Your name?" exclaimed Walker. "Harold Doddrell," said the young man. who was the late pastor's eldest son. "My boy," said Mr. Walker, "it's really remarkable how small the world is, for your father succeeded myself in that same little church I" • * * Councillor Anderson is the "daddy" of our City Fathers, and in his ward (Thorndon) is as well known as the town clock. And so he should be, for he has grown white under Wellington's zephyrs, having lived half a century in the city. He was for 32 years of his life in charge of Levin's store, retiring under a pension from the firm in 1893. He was succeeded in the warehouse by his son, and, by the way, it is a rather rare feature in colonial business houses to find son succeeding father as an employee. Although, some of his irreverent fellow-councillors are disposed to relegate "John Anderson, my Jo, John" to the precincts of old fogeyism, he has done good work for the city in his time, and has been a champion barracker for Thorndon. • * • It was through sheer persistency on his part that the Sydney-street cemetery was closed up as the common burial ground, and the new cemetery opened at Karori. If he had achieved but this one task, he deserves the gratitude of Thorndonites, for Governor Jervois and other '"big guns" had fired off utterances against continuing to bury the dead so near the heart of the city — and had "fired off" in vain. But Councillor Anderson is persistent, and, at last, he succeeded in gaining one all-power-ful supporter — Premier Ballance — and the strife was ended. That the deed of removing the sit© of our necropolis was no mean achievement, let these figures show: — The Karori ! Cemetery was opened in 1892, and since that time no less than 4232 burials have taken place in its precincts. "All my work!" as Councillor Anderson exclaimed to a friend, in telling him of these statistics. • • • ' Mr. David Nathan rather startled citizens last week when he let it go forth that he was out after one of the soft-padded seats at tho City Council table. It was generally thought that the head of the Nathan firm would be content /with nothing short of the chief' magistracy. But he has assured Doubting Thomas that ho has no aspirations for the* mayora.l chair — yet. That may come in time. At present, he desires municipally to walk before he runs. Mr. Nathan is ultra-progressive in his notions, and w ould follow the Vogelian idea — obtain a million of money, and bring the Empire City right into line with the best

of the Old World cities. He has only recently come back from the Old Land and from America, and, therefore, has fresh in mind the condition of the most progressive municipalities in the two countries. Mr. Nathan is a good type of the merchant class, which the thinking members of the community have long desired to see at the Council table. That he will get there next month, there can be "no manner of doubt, whatever." • • • Mr. D. McKenzie, who was made the recipient of a presentation at the annual meeting of the Poneke Football Club last week, has had a long and eventful career as a secretary. As far back as 11386 he was elected secretary of the Oxford Football Club, a club formed among the apprentices of the Auckland "Star," and two years later he became the controlling official of the Junior Rugby Union, which, in 1888, consisted of ten competing clubs, and was a distinct union from the Auckland Rugby Union. For two years he held this position, and then the Native Rose Football Clvb — probably one of the best junior clubs the colony has seen — decided to compete in the Auckland Rueby Union's junior championship, and Mr. McKenzie was elected its secretary. » • • In 1890, the subject of this notice left the home of his birth, to wander through New Zealand, and, after spending some time in Christchurch, on the West Coast of the South Island, and in Wellington, he was next heard of as a secretary in Woodville, Hawke's Bay, in 1892. In that year, and in 1893, he- acted as secretary of the football club there, and in 1894 and 1895 he held the office of its captain, besides acting as secretary of the Bush Rugby Union for the last two years of his stay in the bush. In Woodville he also managed the correspondence work of the cricket club, besides other minor concerns. • • • The Thorndon Cricket Club (Wellington) in 1898 secured his services as its secretary, this being his first office in the Empire City. In 1899, the Poneke Club, as the result of a deputation, fyrevaUed on him to accept office, and ast week he entered on his third successive year as its controlling head. The same year he acted as sports secretary to the Eight Hours' Union, and when the election of officers to that body came round the succeeding year he was elected general secretary to the union without opposition. He is at the present time the secretary-elect for another term. • • • Besides acting in the above office last year, he became, for the first time, the main executive officer of the Wellington Rugby Union, and, in all probability, will be re-elected at the annual meeting to be held on Saturday night. The Empire City Athletic Club, finding itself languishing, also prevailed on him last year to help it along, and one season in office enabled him to put that club on a good footing. It is now firmly established, with a membership of close on a hundred, and with a clubroom of its own. • • • Mr. McKenzie is still on the youthful side — his years over 30 being easily counted — so that his services should be for some time still at the disposal of the followers of the sport he loves best — Rugby football. • • • Commander Addington, who lias just been appointed to * the third-class oruiser Phoebe, which is to replace tlic Porpoise in Australasian waters, is a personal friend of the Duke of Cornwall's. They were shipmates together in the Dreadnought, long before 'George," as they called him, evpr dreamt of the cares and responsibilities of kingship. Commander Addinprton is a- brother-in-law of the Hon. Mr. Arkwright, of the New Zealand Lesslative Council.

Mrs. Allen, M.A., LL.B., so say the daily papers, read a forcible essay the other day before the Women's C.T.U., upon "Some Indirect Methods of Temperance Reform." Now, very few readers would recognise in Mrs. Allen that Miss Stella Henderson, who, two or three sessions ago, fought so vigorously with her pen for wpmen's right to sit in the Press Gallery of the House of Representatives along with the male journalists. In those days, Miss Stella Henderson was very prominent in the public eye, and, as the Parliamentary correspondent of the "Lyttelton Times, she did some capital work with her pen. She is a member of a well-known Christchurch family, and a younger sister is following the example of the brainy Stella in coming forward in the women's realm, Miss Henderson having been booked to give a paper upon "The Duty of the State to Its Neglected Children," before the National Council of Women, at Wanganui, next month. As for Miss Stella Henderson, she married a clever journalist, who is on the "Evening Post's" staff, and thereupon ceased to be Miss Henderson in order to be Mrs. Allen. • • • Another women's righter, whose identity has been swallowed up in marriage, is Mrs. Atkinson, who, as Miss Kirk, was known throughout the colony as one of the most active temperance organisers in the service of the Alliance. But Miss Kirk married Mr. A. R. Atkinson, another active advocate for temperance reform, and who is now member for Wellington, and, as Mrs. Atkinson, she has, as it were, had to start public life anew. She is the daughter of Professor Kirk, is an effective speaker, an ardent advocate of equal rights for women as for men, and has taken a prominent part in the W.C.T.U. Convention. Mrs. Atkinson will also visit the National Council Convention at Wanganui, and will give an address there on her favourite subject, "Temperance." • • • Mr. F. Sutton, ex-M.H.R., gives himself away rather cheaply in a recent issue of the Napier "Telegraph." He writes a letter objecting to the Hon. J. G. Ward's proposal for a Government cable to Australia, on the ground that the terminal point. La Perouse, is in New Caledonia. F. Pirani knows better than that, and has just been letting F. Sutton know it. • • • Wellington has had among its visitors these two weeks past Mr. Wm. Poison, a Wanganui "old boy," now editor of "Truth," the evening paper issued by the Christchurch "Press" Company. Mr. Poison, who is quite a young man still, was well known in Wellington a few years ago as first shipping, then police, and later general, reporter on the "New Zealand Times," on which paper he is still remembered as one of the most active of newsgatherers. Then the lengthy William was offered a post on the staff of Christchurch "Press," and he covered himself with such glory as a man of much energy and resource — especially during the plague scare — that when the directorate of the company decided to shake up "Truth" into renewed vigour, Mr. Poison was appointed editor. Another well-known Wellingtonian, Fred. Earle (late of the "New Zealand Times" and of the "Post") was appointed as first aide to the new editor, and these two bright young journalists have exceeded expectations in brightening up and rehabilitating "Truth," the circulation of which is to-day very healthy. Mention of Mr. Poison recalls a good story of an incident which happened on Lamb ton-quay the other day. Mr. Arthur Adams, who had just arrived back from China, met the editor of "Truth" on the Quay, and they were chatting over old journalistic experiences when Adams was "doing the police" for the "Post," and Poison did the same rounds for the "Times." As they strolled along towards the Police Station, they saw Inspector Pender

coming out of his office. "By Jove!" exclaimed the war correspondent from China, "there's old Penderl Let us go and ask him if he has got any news for the press!" "Right r exclaimed the editor of "Truth." And, when they put the old familiar question, "Well, Inspector, have you got any news for us, to-day?" the Inspector was a most astonished man. "Why — Mr. Adams! and Mr. Poison!— Well well, my boys, I'm glad to see you both!" And he looked glad. • • ♦ Mr. H. C. Woolmer, an Auckland mine-manager, is a law-abiding, inoffensive citizen, but that did not protect him from maltreatment by a parcel of blundering, over-zealous policemen the other night. The fact that, in seeing him leave his office, they mistook him for a burglar, does not patch up his wounds or remove the impressions of their bludgeons. But it certainly tends to make all the rest of a peaceful community uneasy in their minds lest they, too, or some of them, may be mistaken for thieves or burglars, and treated accordingly. Hence, the "Observer" aptly suggests that people necessarily transacting business at night time might ring up the police office: "Are you there P' r "Oi am, that." "Please take notice that I'm in my office, and tell the man on the beat that I am a peaceful citizen, without burglarious designs" — as a protection to themselves from attacks by an over-zealous constabulary.