ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 41, 13 April 1901, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

WfclEN the Wellington City Council holds its first meeting, after the forthcoming elections, there will be one very familiar figure missing from its circle, and there will be one genial presence the less in that coterie ff city fathers. After thirteen years of faithful service, Mr. Chas. h. W. Willeston, the senior councillor, makes his modest bow, and, with the same old pleasant smile upon has goodnatured countenance, retires unobtrusively from the Corporation stage. Charlie Willeston is as well known as the town clock. He numbers his friends by the thousand, and no one has ever yet met the man who could say for a Burety that Charlie had an IZrly. But he y is not the sort of man to blow his own trumpet, and, therefore, we do not mean to let him quietly walk off without reminding the public of his honourable record. • • * Councillor Willeston was bom, of English parents, in the State of New York. At thirteen he went to sea as a midshipman, and visited India, China, and Japan among other places. He left the sea to try his fortunes on the Cahfornian goldfields, and, in due time, the gold fever took him to Australia. When it had abated, he came over to an infant metropolis neighbours used to call it 'a little fishins village in Cook Strait," until it got so big that the nickname became grotesque. That infant metropolis was Wellington, and the time was 18S8. Mr Willeston opened the tobacconists shop (wholesale and retail) that is now Mr. Batkin's, and for the long space ol thirty years he ran it prosperously. In 1889 he retired from business, and the previous year he had entered the City Council. He went in as a representative of Lambton Ward, and he has sat for Lambton ever since. • • • Every progressive and enlightened movements in the city has had his active support, and no beneficient scheme or charitable undertaking has ever had to plead for lus assistance. For twelve years he has been chairman of the City Reserves Committee. Prior to his entrance upon the civic parliament, he was chairman of the Clyde Quay School Committee He has also served on the Licensing Bench, on the Hospital Board, on thl Benevolent Institution as a trustee, and he has been foremost in municipal reforms. More than that, he helped to usher the Wellington Bowling Club into existence, and, if he has not kissed the blarney stone— we are inclined to tninK he has— he has certainly devoted a good deal of his spare time to ' kissing the kitty. 'j Mr Willeston retires now from the City Council not because he is tired of serving his fellow-citizens, or because they are weary of him— not in the leasl>-but simply because he wants a spell" in order to do a bit ot travel He intends to look in once more upon China and Japan, see a bit of South Africa, where he has a married daughter settled in the Orange River Colony, and pay a visit to the Old Country. Mr. Willeston will return by way of America May he have a real good time. He richly deserves it. • ♦ • Mr A. B. Worthington, of "Temple of Truth" notoriety, is irrepressible. He , ee ms to take it for granted that all the happenings at Chnstchurch are entirely foreotten. for lie has started to adver-

tise himself in quite a big way over on the other side. A recent issue of the Adelaide "Critic" contains a full-page ach ertisement from Worthington about Worthington, which makes lovely reading for those who know the man. And, being marked as an "advertisement," it is to be inferred, of course, it was written by himself. It is headed by a cabinet portrait, which shows that he still gets himself up with the same attention to detail as of yore, and wears his hair after the same old studied neglige fashion, and keeps his smooth cheeks clean-shaven. The advertisement mentions quit© a lot of things about A. B. Worthington and the Students of Truth he has gathered round him in Melbourne. It also says that he introduced his teaching twelve years ago at Christchurch, New Zealand, and established there a system of religious, educational, and social instruction and that his social ideas have been copied and imitated, endorsed and adopted, throughout Australasia. « # ♦ A good deal of matter follows in the best spread-eagle style, thus. — "During that time" (twelve years ago, presumably) he published and circulated over three million pages of literature, for five years he addressed audiences of from 1600 to 2000 people every Sunday ; during two and a half years the Christohurch "Press" published from two to four columns ot his lectures every Saturday , he is "personally felt" in every detail of his work, and "his class-room hours are the happiest experiences of his followers" ; "as a public speaker he is original, clear-cut, logical, eloquent, and impressive" , he "has proved himself an intelligent, arduous, and unselfish devotee of metaphysics in its highest and best phases." All this will rather open the eyes of Editor Hornsby, who, if we remember aright, made the climate of Christchurch particularly tropical for Mr. Worthington just before the hegira to Melbourne took place. • • • However, to hark back to that fullpage advertisement in the Adelaide "Critic." There are quite a lot of interesting things in it. It says, for instance, that "the development of the educational and social phases of A. B. W.'s work in Melbourne is awaited with an interest occasioned by a knowledge of its religious and ethical character." Wonder if the development in Melbourne will be on the same lines as at Christchurch; if so, it will be interesting enough to repay the waiters. There is a great deal in the puff advertisement about Worthington, about his wife, "who is as good as she is beautiful," about presentations to them both, and about their "lovely children," but there is not one word from beginning to end about Sister Magdala. The whole affair is a propos of a descent "the Student of Truth" was about to make on Adelaide. Owing to the painting and decorating of the hall where he holds his services in Melbourne, 'he had consented to leave his work for ten days, at the urgent request of his students." And, it is stated to be the first time in twelve years that he is taking a holiday. * * » " Port Chalmers has for Mayor Fred. De Maus, one of the most enterprising photographers within the colony s borders. He has carried his camera throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, is a frequent visitor to Wellington, and he must have the record number of negatives in his collection. He has made a specialty of maritime subjects, and there is scarce a slup or steamer that has touched our shores that he has not had a shot at Copies of the world's great paintings are also among his records, besides our own scenic beauties. Keen amateurs themselves, there is no doubt the Duke and Duchess will be having a look in at De Maus' collection — if he is returned to the mayoral chair again. He is to have a doughty opponent in Mr. John Mill.

Mr. George Hart, who cam© out to the colony with his brother (afterwards the Hon. Reginald Hart) as far back as 1843, passed away the other day in the Asnburton district. The deceased in the long-ago represented the North Canterbury people in Parliament as the member for Coleridge. It was of this Mr. Hart that Mr. E. G. Wright said, at the hustings, when fighting him for the Coleridge seat — "I have known Mr. Hart for a long time, and have a great respect for him. During his career as a representative I have beard nothing to his disparagement — which is almost more than I am justified in honing for in my own case!" And, yet, Wrieht went on to beat Hart for the seat. Was Wright right in thus artfully praising a Hart which he had set out to break? • * * Mr. J. G. Wilson, of tiie Woodvi'le Rifle Club, who was runner-up for the rifle championship the other day, has had an eventful history. He is the only surviving member of the unfortunate Wilson family, who, father an-1 mother, sons and daughters, were ruthlessly murdered by Te Kooti and his Maoris in the fearful Poverty Bay massacre of 1870. He was then a mere lad, and his escape was a rather remarkable one. Ever since he attained to man's estate he has been an enthusiastic rifle shot, and, as a member of the old F Battery of Artillery, he was a regular attendant at the championship shooting meetings over twenty years ago. In fact, he has probab'y attended more meetings of the New Zealand Rifle Association than any other marksman. Next year his friends hope he will crown his shooting career by bearing off the champion belt. • • • The skipper of the ship Wellington, which arrived in Port Nicholson last week, evidently has had a wide experience with pressmen. On one of the local shipping reporters approaching the captain for his report, on the day of the arrival, the skippe-r took the newspaper man into the cabin, and without a word, placed before him, in businesslike manner, a bottle of whisky and a liberal plug of tobacco. Now, how did the Wellington's skipper know that Wellington reporter took whisky and tobacco ? • • • Among last week's newspaper cables there was one from Berlin, stating that Lieutenant Ruger had had a life-sen-tence reduced to six years' imprisonment (on a second trial) for shooting Captain Adams dead. Thereby hangs a strange story, which is worth telling. At an officers' dinner, given in a German garrison town in honour of the Kaiser's birthday, Army-Surgeon Ruger, of Samsonian strength, in a fit of "show off," seized Captain Adams by the wrists (without by-your-leaving him), and forced him off his chair on to 'the floor. Adams objected, and, when his hands were free, struck the doctor, and went home. Of course, a duel had to finish the incident. When Ruger's seconds waited upon Adams the latter was in bed, and another visitor was awaiting his awaking. This was the doctor's brother (Lieutenant Ruger). When Captain Adams was called, the seconds asked the lieutenant to retire, but he refused, and, as the captain walked into the room, the lieutenant shot him dead. He surrendered immediately, remarking that he had saved his "brother's life, as Captain Adams was an expert duellist. « • • ' Mr. Guy, of Palmerston North, has struck a novel idea of advertising his candidature for election to the local Borough Council. His newspaper advertisement consists of an outline map of the North Island, showing lines converging from everywhere upon Palmerston. And, underneath are the lines — "Vote for Guv the man whose r>olicv is to make Palmerston the commercial centre of the island." A big contract, truly, but Guy is not the man to "guy" Palmerston on a matter so near to its heart.

M.H.R. John Hutcheson has suggested to the Progressive Municipal Association that it should run Messrs. D. McLaren, Robert McKenzie, Wm. Jones, and A. H. Cooper as candidates for the City Council in the workers' interests. This quartette are well known m labour circles, and have been prominently before the city for some years. Mr. McKenzie is a carpenter by trade, and was for several years president of the Trades Council. He is "a quiet chap," and uses his head rather than his tongue. It was. "Bob Mac" who saw the Match Factory girls' case through the Conciliation Board and Arbitration Court, and secured a substantial improvement of their position. In national politics he and the other three labourites named are "left wingers," and "agin the government." Mr. Cooper, a bootmaker, has just retired from the presidency of the Trades Council, and has taken up the secretaryship. He was one of the three delegates chosen by the Wellington Council to represent it at the Easter Trades Council Conference, at Dunedin. • • • Will Jones is known from the Three Kings to Stewart Island by every man who "goes down into the sea in ships." He has engineered the Wellington Seamen's Union (of which he is secretary) through troubled waters, and, despite much opposition from Secretary Belcher, of the Dunedin Union. David MoLaren is another familiar figure among waterside workers, only his familiarity is confined to the Queen's Wharf, which, as secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, he haunts. He has frequently taken the platform on phases of national politics, and has appeared with effect before the Conciliation Board. He refused a good permanent position on the Queen's Wharf a couple of years ago, because he thought the billet was offered as a bait to close his mouth as a union advocate. He found out, after he had refused the situation, that it was a fair offer, made in good faith, to a deserving man. • • • Mr. Boddie, of Eltham, is not hankering after any more interviews with Cabinet Ministers. He has just been assuring his friends and neighbours that the best way to test a man's patience is to make him a delegate to interview Ministers in Wellington. If lie can stand on the door mat till his turn arrives he is a champion stayer all right, and quite sound in wind and limb, and also in temper. This is the opinion of an experienced body. • • • Mr. E. M. Smith, in addressing his constituents at New Plymouth the other day, let them see how necessary he is to the happiness of Parliament. For instance : 'In the debate on the Address-in-Reply, I followed the Leader of the Opposition* and dealt with that gentleman^ speech in auch a thorough way that when the House broke up rhe Premier said 'Well done, Smith, you've sent them home happy.' " • • • Trooper Bert Wallace, just lately returned to the peaceful glades of Shannon from the lead-infested country of the Boers, has a good word to say for the Boer nurses, who treated the sick and wounded invaders with the greatest consideration. Wallace says there is certainly an element of vindictiveness about the Kruger crowd, but all round they are not such bad enemies after all. He throws a new light on the muchdiscussed white flag question— in regard to farm houses, that is. The flag was often raised as a protection for women and children while the men were away during the day. The latter often returned at night to their houses to sleep, were surprised early next moraine by a British detachment, and they fired at their visitors in self-defence, probably forgetting that the white flag was flying over their house. That is the way Trooper Wallace puts it, anyway, and, as he has been at tho scene of troublo, and spoken to innumerable

Boeis, he should know what he is talking about. The residents of Shannon, b}' the waj , have presented the returned contingentcr with a handsome gold watch, and lie has also been entertained at a social. ♦ ♦ * Mr. James Stuckey, who returned from a visit to Sydney the other week, is one of the best-known pastorahsts in Wellington province. His well-kept, well-stocked farm is located in the Lower Valley of the Wairarapa, and Mr. Stuckey is to be seen closely studying the inmates of cattle pens at all our A. and P. Shows. He is a keen breeder of Hereford cattle, of which he is an expert of the highest class, and frequently acts as judge of same. For years he advocated the compilation of a stud book, and he is the secretary of a stud stock society. As a result of his recent visit to New South Wales, the enterprising Wairarapian has puichased 88 cows and heifers for his run. Of recent years, things have flourished with Mr. Stuckey, and the other day he gave of his substance to the Church, by erecting a little Bethel in his district. * • • Mr. Alexandei Falconer will be held in grateful remembrance by the men of the New Zealand Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Contingents. At each and all of their encampments before they left the colony he furnished them with the large marquee bearing a flag inscribed w ith the welcome device "Soldiers' Rest." At his own expense he equipped it with seats and benches, laid in a stock of magazines for the troopers to read, and kept them supplied with writing materials, so that their friends in the various townis and hamlets of the colony from which they had come might not be kept waiting for news of their soldier boys. Mr. Falconer is devoted to his unostentatious work For thirty years past he has conducted a Sailors' Rest and undenominational mission in Port Chalmers. He established there the colony's first "Rest" for seamen, and he has also conducted missions and run a Home in Dunedin, where he is as well known as Cargill's Monument. * # * An event of more than ordinary interest in connection with Mr. Falconer's mission in. Port Chalmers was the conversion of two seamen who have since won great fame as writers of unusual power — Frank T. Bullen, F.R.G.S., and author of "The Cruise of the Cachalot," "The Log of a Sea Waif," and " With Christ at Sea," and Rasmus E. Rasmussen, of Norway. Strange to say, Bullen and Rasmussen both attended the mission meeting in the "Rest," in Port Chalmers, on the same evening — now nearly thirty years ago — and afterwards sailed away as shipmates in a whaler, the barque West York. Rasmus settled down finally as a seamen's missionary in Bergen, and recently surprised the Norwegian literary world with the production of an autobiography which has won him fame. • • • "With Christ at Sea," Mr. Bullens latest work, is also autobiographical, and in that book he makes lengthy reference to his life during the months spent ashore at Port Chalmers. He came out in the ship Rangitikei, as an A.8., and was paid off in the Port. Of the Falconer mission, he has written in his works — "I found, for the first time in my life, that there were people in the world who cared for me for my own sake." Mr. Bullen has not been unmindful of Mr. Falconer, for he has constantly been a most interesting correspondent, and always sends out advance copies of his books to his old friend. * * * Auckland seems determined that if there is a knighthood in store for her mayor, w hen the Duke comes along, her most w orthy citizen shall receive it. Dr. J. Logan Campbell is her choice, and he is going to have a w alk ovei . He is not .only the oldest and most esteemed merchant of the northern city, but he is actually its most historic personage. He came to Auckland before the site of the city was chosen, and he and his partner (Mr. Brown) owned, and were living upon, the island of Motukorea, at the entrance to the Waitemata, when Governor Hobson .sailed in to look for a likely spot for a capital. At the first Government sale, Dr. Campbell bought a section, and pitched his tent in Short-land-street, where his office now stands. In 1855, lie was elected Superintendent of the province of Auckland, and in 1856 he became a member, without portfolio, of the first Stafford Ministry, holding office from June till the end of November. • • • In the House of Representatives, he sat first foi Auckland City, and afterwards foi Painell. In 18fil, he closed his political career, in order to make an extended visit to England. Ten years later he returned to Auckland, and has resided there ever since. He was one of the founders of the old mercantile firm of Brown, Campbell and Co., and is now leading partner in the Campbell - Ehrenfried Brewery Company. Dr. Campbell has been closely

identified with most of the leading institutions of Auckland, and he has made his mark in colonial literature as the author of that delightful book on early New Zealand, "Poenamo." Certainly, in honouring her oldest citizen, in the person of Dr. Campbell, Auckland is honouring herself, and if a knighthood is reserved for the Queen City of the North, it will fittingly crown the long colonial career of the octogenarian doctor. • • • Mr. A. Bennett Robinson, who is just now recruiting his health in New Zealand, and who speaks in eulogistic terms of Hanmer Springs, is one of the best known men in Melbourne business circles. He is commercial editor of "The Age," and looks after a great many of wealthy David Symes big speculative interests. The judgment of "Little Duppy," as he is called, is rarely questioned where money matters are concerned, and he is about the only man in Melbourne who would venture, without an introduction, to enter a bank board-room when the directors were sitting. • • • Mr. J. C. Watson, who has won the Bland seat (New South Wales) in the Federal House of Representatives, was an Oamaru boy. When contesting for Commonwealth honours, he was already an M.L.A. in the New South Wales Parliament, and is a prominent labourite. He won Federal honours on the Protection-Labour ticket, beating both Premier Barton's nominee (Mr. P. Heffernan) and George Reids candidate (Mr. W. G. G. Lucas). • * » Among the other successful candidates for a seat in the Federal House of Representatives is Mr. E. L. Batchelor, who, like our own Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, M.L.C., came out of the raih\ ay workshops. So prominent a labourite was Mr. Batchelor in his engine-fitting days, in South Australia, that for years he has held a seat in Parliament, and recently Premier Holder promoted him Minister for Education. This office he was holding when he entered for a seat in the Commonwealth Parliament, on the LabourProtectionist ticket. • « • Mr. John Wilson, who has recently been appointed to a lieutenancy on Lord Roberts' Bodyguard, is a New Zealand boy, with a pushing, adventurous spirit, and quite a remarkable career. His brief story reads like a romance. He began life as a telegraph messenger up at Whangarei, north of Auckland, and, in course of time he elbowed his way into the operating room, just like the Hon. J. G. Ward in his youthful days. Whilst working the Morse wrist-acher, Wilson studied law, paying all expenses out of his "screw." • • • He then left the colony, and qualified for membership in the Devil's Brigade, practising first in Queensland, then in Westralia. Ho struck the latter colony in boom times, speculated in gold mines, drew a fortune out of the lucky bag, and became Kalgoorlie's first mayor. Then, he

made something of an exploration of New Guinea,, and, on the breaking out of the Klondyke field, he got there by a route never previously traversed by anyone else. Back from the Arctic, and whilst enjoying a brief respite from adventures, the Transvaal war brpke out. Off went Wilson to Capetown, and eagerly enlisted as a trooper in the Imperial Light Horse. Although twice invalided, he was ever eager for the fray, and now, not yet 33, he holds a commission in Roberts' Bodyguard. • • • Mr. Walter Baker, who has played no end of beauteous hero parts in Bland Holt's various spectacular plays, appeared the other day in a role which was certainly not heroic, and, doubtless, highly unpleasant. In short, he appeared under his own proper name — which happens to be Alfred Edward Sadler — in the District Court, at Melbourne, to defend a suit for maintenance, brought by his wife, Carlotta Sadler, who complained that he had left her without means. It was stated at the opening of the case that the parties were married in 1887, that Mr. Sadler, otherwise Baker, was believed to have an income of £1000 a year, as v>eU as other property, and that, at the beginning of the present Melbourne season, he had surreptitiously left his in Sydney, without saying goodbye, and had ceased to support her. Mrs. Sadler swore that she had supported herself and provided the wardrobes of her two children out of £150 which her husband gave her last year. When she hunted him up in Melbourne, he told her to apply for a • divorce, and he would not defend it. • * • Mr. Sadler's (otherwise Mr. Walter Baker's) story was rather different from the foregoing. He swore he had not deserted his wife, that he gave her £151 a week before he left her, and that she said good-bye to him. That was thirteen weeks before she followed him to Melbourne. He also bought a house for her in Sydney, for which he gave £1000. She absolutely refused to live in it, saying that she would not even be buried there. He had always paid all her expenses, and treated her most liberally. Time after time he had redeemed clothing and jewellery, which she had pawned in order to obtain drink, and he had given her many presents. Three years ago she got £310, which he gave her in order to "have confidence in him." In Sydney, on another occasion, she had £251 from him. Turning to the bench, at this stage, the actor added "She looks very dem.ure in her black dress there, your Worship, but you should have seen her with her diamonds and her finery." • • • The magistrate asked Mr. Sadler whether his wife had ever asked for support, and he then admitted that he had "received a letter from her solicitor." The Bench- "What salary do you earn?" Defendant- "I could not say exactly ; perhaps £550 or £600 a year." The upshot of the case was that the bench decided to grant an order for £2 10s a week, but stay was granted to allow of consideration of appeal.