ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 57, 3 August 1901, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

BREVET-COLONEL HENRY who is to take the place of Colonel Pole Penton, is considered by Lord Roberts to be a man who is qualified for the position. Although Lord Roberts is an expert tactician, he is not acquainted with the peculiar needs of the country to which he ia sending Colonel Henry. One of the chief objections to the appointment of a colonial officer as Commandant was that there were no qualified artillerists among them. Colonel Henry is not an artillerist — he is an infantryman, who has had experience with mounted troops. This may be said of almost any of our colonial officers of the higher grades, so that the appointment of an Imperial officer may, unless the new Commandant has studied the colonial soldier, be open to the old objections. • • • The new Commandant is covered with distinction and medals, and has had much service. The London "Gazette" speaks of him as an "expert in the management of men." We assume the men were Imperial soldiers. Perhaps, the Colonel has met colonial soldiers in his African experience, and may have gauged them differently from the present Commandant, who has not seen them on service. There is the satisfaction of knowing that the new head of the Forces has a virgin field for reform to begin operations on. • • • Secretary Arthur Glass, who, during the past two years has been actively engaged in organising the Farmers' Union, which sat in conference at Palmerston North last week, is one of the most unceremonious of men. He is a fullycharged battery of energy, and has worked the country thoroughly from Northern Auckland to Southern Wellington. He cares not a jot for the opinions of his enemies, and is wholly wrapped up in hvs work. He is of a highly - nervous temperament, sneaks with volcanic rapidity, and is least of all like a farmer. He tilled a farm in Northern Auckland before becoming an organiser, but, during the two years of this work, has been wholly absorbed in the welfare of the fanner as a mass. • • • Mr. David Peat, who presided admirably over the first day's sitting of delegates of the Farmers' Union, at Palmerston North, last week, is as well known along the Coast as the Wanganui River itself. Everything connected with him is built upon a large scale, like himself. He was the biggest delegate at the conference, he probably had the biggest bank balance, and ho is the owner of several farms within a few miles of Wanganui town. As becomes a son of Scotia, he has ever been one of the River City's most enterprising men, being chairman of the big companies and commercial ventures of that town. Not to know David Peat, of Wanganui, is to confess oneself ignorant of New Zealand's commercial affairs. • • • Mr. Walter Wright, who carried the war right into the enemy's* camp by pleading for the farm labourer at the Conference of dairy farmers, hold at Palmerston North last week, is a goodlooking young fellow. He pronared the bomb-like paper for tho Butter and Cheese Factory Managers' Association, of which he is secretary, but pressure of business crowded it out, and the Dairy Conference management decided to in-

elude it in their programme. The consequence was that the paper was read and discussed before a crowded meeting, the audience being largely made up of owners of factories, one of whom satirically commended Walter on his courage in facing his foes. Mr. Wright was brought up in Otago's back country, and he became manager of a dairy factory in the Catlin'e River district. After gaining three years' experience in Victoria, he came over to the North Island, and got a managership in Taranaki. This he had to resign for his own and his wife's health sake. He had just been appointed manaerer of another Taranaki factory, located this time near Normanby. • • • A prominent figure in the dairy farmers' festival at Palmerston North last week was that of Mr. J. G. Harkness, who proved an energetic and ponular president of the National Dairy Association, to which office he has just been re-elected. His oratory is of the fiery order, and he smites his enemy "hip and thigh," and the table right lustily, when he warms to his subject. Just now he has "reduced freights?' on the brain, and if the Government does not do something with regard thereto right quick, well — they will hear from him. And he is not an extinct volcano, though he was the rejected of Nelson electorate years ago. "Sleepy Hollow," after sending Mr. Harkness to the House for some years, eventually preferred the soft wooiiigs of Graham to the more robust alliirements of Harkness. After losing the Nelson seat. Mr. Harkness took up land in Taranaki and has become a prosperous dairy farmer. So well does he like the Garden of New Zealand, that he declares the word Taranaki will be found written on his heart. # # In electing Mr. J. G. Wilson its first president, the Wellington provincial section of the New Zealand Farmers Union has secured one of the most nodular and best-known of the North Island's farmers. He has had large experience as a settler, agriculturist, and pastoralist, his farm being located at Bulls, in the Rangitikei district, whilst Mr. Wilson is himself known from end to end of the colony. He sat in the House of Representatives for his district from 1881 to 1897, and was ultimately beaten by Mr. Fred Pirani, in one of the liveliest of those hvelv contests of 1897. "My dear Pirani " said Mr. Wilson to that active member in those strenuous days, "you'll never get on _you talk too much!" The deduction is, therefore that Mr. Wilson did not talk enough, whilst Mr. Pirani assuredly did. » » • There were some interesting men among the delegates who attended the Farmers' Union Conference, at Palmerston North, last week. The president (Mr. J. G. Wilson) is one of the old school of Conservatives — that is. a gentleman first and a politician afterwards. As a leaven to Mr. Wilson's Toryism Mr. Y. C. Ransom, of Rongotea (near Palmerston), was. chosen as vice-president. As Mr. Ransom is said to be an advanced Socialist, and a strong supporter of Mr. Seddon, this election was looked upon as a startler. This appointment was evidently meant to indicate the non-partisan nature of the Union. • • • The Union chose Mr. A. E. Russell as its treasurer. Captain Russell will never cease to exist whilst his brother A. E. remains with us, so much alike in form, and feature, and voice are thc&o two. Mr. A. K. Russell has his homestead near Palmerston, and he is a very quiet member of the community, saving litt'e, and that little is generally to the point. During the Conference, one of the delegates made confusion worse confounded in trying to explain a proposition he was advocating. Delegate Russell confessed himself "lost" upon the matter in hand, and apologised

thusly — "I am not stupid. At least. Ido not think so, Mr. Chairman. I may be obstinate, which may be accounted for by my being partly Sco^h." Mr. R. Smith, known among*: his familiars in Pahiatua as "Kiltie" Smith, was one of the "solid Muldoons" of the Conference, and. as chairman of the Pahiatua County Council, his voice, frequently heard, was listened to attentively. He tried hard to bring about the amalgamation of the Producers' and the Farmers' Union, but it was not to be. • * * The Otaki and Te Horo district was represented at the Conference by Mr. Richards, the ex-Wellingtonaan, who bids fair to attain fame as a fruitgrower. Mr. Russell's colleague from Palmerston was that hardy shell-back-cum-farmer, Captain Hewitt, R.N. Carterton sent its Welch (R. G.), and Masterton its Welsh (W. T.) Mr. Venn, of Shannon, was a rugged delegate, but he had a good stock of sound and uncommon sense. Marton's representative was the stately, precise, and gentlemanly Mr. W. J. Birch, and in Messrs. R. B. Hamilton and C. Leach; Taranaki had a pair of delegates who* scored the biggest tally of talk at the Conference, and in Mr. T. Burre 1 the Upper Hutt supplied the quietest man there. • • • So Mrs. Kruger has gone. Her death calls to mind the story of Oom Paul's first courtship. One can picture him as he went courting. For a change, he took some care' of his personal appearance, and made more than the usual use of water. When attired in his "Sunday clothes," a showy handkerchief was a prominent feature of his get up — so veracious chroniclers tell us. Then he mounted his best horse, and rode off to his fair charmer. Approaching her house he went up with a showy gallop, jumped off, and swaggered in with the confidence which , only young Boers feel at such a moment. He stayed and supped. After supper the family discreetly disappeared, leaving the young couple in the sitting-room. Then followed the great ceremony of sitting-up — a ceremony said to be unknown in other lands. • ♦ • The candles were fixed, and so long as these candles burnt, the two young people sat together. It has been suggested that the young "Boeresses," when it so pleased them, took care to have the candles made of special length and thickness beforehand. However, in this instance, hour after hour passed on, the young Boer, usually early to bed, finding it hard to drive off the sleepiness almost overpowering him. But to go away before the candles had reached the very bottom would have shown a strange lack of love, and would have been accounted little short of an insult to his sweetheart. Did someone ask what on earth, Paul and his ladylove could find to talk about in those long hours,? Away with" such inquisitiveness. • • • Prominent amongst the visitors to Pdlmerston North the other day, a\ js Mr. John Holmes, who piloted their Royal Highnesses when on their recent tour' of New Zealand. Although the bell topper which he sported has been temporarily discarded, the ex-Royal Commissioner retains a few relics of the Royal visit, amongst them being the Ducal handshake, of which he freely gave illustrations at the gathering of the dairymen. It was most amusing to notice the look of bewilderment that came over the countenances of the hornyhanded sons of the soil when they were subjected to the fashionable hand-shake. Many of the sturdy settlers could not clasp the hand that the Duke shook, not being used to see that member held aloft, and having no idea of 'the distinction the ex-Commissioner could lav claim to. To see the honoured limb dangling in the air, and grizzly old farmers making frantic efforts to clutch it, was very ludicrous, but served as a little amusement for those in the know.

Giving evidence before the Arbitration Court last week, in the rival Seamen's Unions dispute, M.H.R. Millai said that the trouble could be adjusted if the personal element could be got rid of. Mr. Millar, like a much-advertis-ed ointment, "touched the spot." When Secretary "J. A. M." ran the Seamen's Union, it was the strongest labour body in the colony, and the Union was on the best of terms with every other labour body throughout the colonies. Secretary Belcher did not prove as able as Mr. Millar, but then J. A. M.'s are not as plentiful as A.B.'s. • • « Then again. Mr. Jones is not the easiest of men to get along with. He like "J.A.M.," is a masterful man, and the Union at Dunedin would get along all right if itj, would allow Mr. Jones to rule. He is of that class who would rather rule in a small capacity than serve in a great. Secretary Young was sent up from Dunedin to oppose Mr. Jones, and so the game began which has ended in the Court. Perhaps, Mr. Jones is the ablest ruling seaman along New Zealand's coast, and Mr. Jones himself believes it most sincerely. He is alive to the interests; of the seamen, and has done good work for them. But Mr. Millar says the removal of the personal element would stop the long-existing troube between "Jones's Union" and "Belcher's Union." This would mean that Messrs. Jones, Belcher, and Toung must be i got rid of! Seems almost as if Mr. Millar had resigned his mite at the wheel of State for the Ship of Union's helm. • • • Wellington should be particularly interested in the rivalry between the Farmers' and the Producers' Unions, because the secretary of the latter body is that Mr. F. J. Moore who, some twelve months ago, set up business in Willis-street as a metaphysician. This active young man was desirous of curing the world of all its troubles. He was prepared to instruct humanity how to cure itself of all ills, he kad an invention which would revolutionise the present system of telegraphy, and he is even now engaged on a soheme for settling the problem of getting our produce upon the world's, markets. • • ♦ In the meantime, as he told the Farmers' Conference at Palmerston the other night, he is prepared to amalgamate the two unions if -only they will make him secretary for' Wellington province! And yet he declares himself a farmer, with an area of 2000 acres of land. Mr. Moore resigned a position on the staff of the Meat Export Company to start out in the world as a metaphysician — and now he is anxious to be secretary of a Union. • • • Mr. W. M. Singleton, the Agricultural Department's latest acquisition on its staff of experts as an instructor in cheese-making, is a very young man for the position he occupies. In years he is but 23, and looks as if all his days had been summer-time, but in experience he is old. The old farmers of Otago were not impressed with "the boy expert," and at the Dairy Conference held at Dunedin during the. Winter Show week recently, treated Singleton in a discourteous manner, by absenting themselves during the reading of his paper, and refusing to believe that the young man could teach them anything. But at Palmerston North last week Singleton got much kudos for his papers on cheese-making and milk-testing. • • * The latter paper, which was purely technical, and dealt with the mysteries of the Babcock test, was claimed by some of the delegates to lie the mo6t valuable paper read at the Dairy Conference. Mr. Singleton had the especial advantage of having studied under, and worked with. Dr. Babcock for several years, and could therefore speak with a first-hand knowledge of the test of his master. Like the chief of the Dairy Department (Mr. Kin&ella). Mr.

Singleton speaks with a strong American • accent, which is rather pleasant to listen to. As for his youth — well, like a boy and his clothes, he will grow out of that, and he has the consolation of knowing that this is an age in which young men are doing great work. « « • Mr. Arthur Stubbs, who has just been appointed Deputy-Registrar of the Supieme Court at Dunedin, has lived most of his life in the pretty little town of Napier, and for many years has officiated in the Supreme Court, firtsly under Mr. P. A. F. Birch (now in Melbourne), and latterly under" "Mr. A. Turnbu'l. who holds the dual office ot Registrar and Stipendiary Magistrate. Mr. Stubbs, who is^ of a most courteous and obliging disposition, for many rears identified himself with the volunteer movement, and held a commission in one of the companies. Although of a some--,hat retiring nature, Mr. Stubbs will be greatly missed by those with whom he came "in dailv contact, but his many friends extend to him their congratulations on his well-deserved promotion. • • • A familiar figure will be missed from the Dunedin City Council offices in the person of Mr. S- H. Mirams, who has acted a= city surveyor to that borough for the lengthy period of thirty-six years, and who has been practically retired by being given leave of absence on full pay for two years. The surroundings of the City of Scots and other neop^ were nothing but a dreary wilderness when Mr. Mirams took pftce under the first mayor, Mr. William Mason, but great changes have been wrought in the interim, credit for the designing of many of the big works being due to the city surveyor, the underground sewerage scheme being p r erhaps the most important. Like a 'great; many others who have grown grey in the service of one employer, Mr. Mirams feels that he is as good as ever and that there are still many years of work in tiim : but. noting that a younger man i« required for the Council's proposed hie undertakings in the near future, he bows to the inevitable. • • • Late advice from the Old Land states that Mr. "Hee Hem" Smith, of Taranaki ironsand fame, has been talking ever since arrival there— descanting in honeyed phrases upon New Zealand s mineral products, and pointing out the great future before the iron industry if sufficient capital is only available to give it a start. His office is tricked out with multitudinous specimenscartloads of them— and he is never tired of pointing out to moneyed Londoners how fortunes can be made with a minimum of risk. He takes off his coat to it now. but sti'l wears his shiny topper and white waistcoat. The Hon. A. J. Cadman, who is acting in conjunction with the member for New Plymouth, is also working hard, but he goes about things in a much quieter way. Inev have great hopes of successfully accomplishing their mission. • • • Peter Jackson, the deceased pugilist, who succumbed to the dread disease consumption, was looked upon as the gentleman of his profession. Sometimes, when the dark one had no particular man to beat, he would take his "swag and brave the country to keep "hard as he expressed it. He was frequently useful, too. Writer remembers a little incident in which the late "pug" rather distinguished himself. The disposition of the average "traveller" in Australia to beg when he can and steal on every opportunity makes life for back country people one of -little pleasure. Gap-Gap station, on the Murrumbidgee, is far removed from civilisation, and is ever fair

game for the pariahs of the plain and the "whalers" of the rivers. To a hut on an out-station, tenanted only by a boundary rider and his wife, three "ne'er-do-weels" arrived one evening, at the popular hour of sundown. • • • They approached the woman. "Boss in?" "No." "Anybody else at home 9" "No, only a nigger down the bank, catchin' cod." "Give us some tucker " The woman's stores were low, and the creeks were up. She could not feed three hungry men on her scanty provender. She refused. l One defenceless woman against three hulking "swa-ggies" was big odds. She gamely defended her flour bag' and used a mallee root with good effect, but was brutally knocked under the table by one of them. The old nigger heard the noise, and, ascending the bank, saw the senseless woman and the marauders. ♦ • • Jackson— for it was he— walked gently in closing the door. The trio blustered, and attacked the big darkie, who placed his broad back against the door. What really did transpire the trio were doubtful about, but they were reduced to limp and helpless wrecks within a short time.* Before Peter left the house the boundary rider returned, and the three were eventually tied up with green-hide and transported to Balranald, where the police took them over. The boundary rider remarked that Peter ought to take on fighting for a living !

Carnegie, the has recently gone into the prophet industry, and, as he knows something about the subject on which he speaks — the decadence of British trade — his prophecies are causing much extra thought, and not a little uneasiness. He recently told an inquisitive journalist that before very long the Continental Powers intended banding themselves together with the intention of "smashing up this little i^'and of Great Britain." Pursuing his prophetic vein, he promises us help from America. The idea of the millionaire is that America should act as mediator in any impending struggle, and, mediation being ineffective, lend us a few battleships and an^-army corps or two. Evidently, Mr. Carneigie was not at the review in Christchurch, or has not lead the encomiums of generals on New Zea^nd's army, or he would surely not express the, belief that the Powers contemplated taking England over as a going business concern. On the principle of "one people one destiny." America probably would help the Old Country through a tight place. England is fully alive to all possible emergencies. Th 6 universal brotherhood and mutual protection of the Anglo-Saxon race is the surest road to universal peace. Perhaps. Britain's need for help in any impending squabbles, and America's cooperation, would do more to cement the unity and ensure the safety of the race than any other event could possibly do.