ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 59, 17 August 1901, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

THE Premier last Sunday laid the foundation-stone of the Scots Church. There has been a good deal of energy spent in preparing the way for this, the latest of our churches. It was originally to have been called the Peace Memorial Church, and to have been erected in Thorndon. But peace has not yet come to the Transvaal, so, as Mr. Thomson must have his church, he is having the Scots Church built in Abel Smith-street. Mr. Thomson is what may be termed a left-wing Presbyterian, in that, having differed with the conservative Presbyterians, whilst in charge of the church at Palmerston North, he has for some two years been conducting a mission in Wellington "on his own." The question is, has Mr. Thomson joined the Sedonnian ministry (a new element in party politics whioh recognises the left-winger) or has the Seddon Ministry become Thomsonians in creed, and taken up pews in the Scots Church? • • • It is interesting to note, in connection with the recently-heard painters' dispute, the decision in which was given by the Conciliation Board last Saturday, that the now-celebrated Yankee, Lilly white, who was charged with the Colchester murder, helped to conduct the case for the Wellington painters when their first dispute was brought before the Board. Lillywhite was an enthusiastic trades-unionist, and was one of the promoters of the local union. Being an illiterate man, and knowing his educational defects, he could not take office, but made a good defender. The members of the Wellington Painters' and Decorators' Union believed in his innocense all the way through the period of the hearing of the charge of murder, and, on his acquittal in Colchester, the Union sent him a congratulatory telegram. • • • Mrs. Bracher has received an engagement from the Health Department to deliver lectures in country districts on hygienic and rural sanitation. Mrs. Bracher is a recent arrival in the colony. and is remembered by a few sanitary science enthusiasts as having given some lectures on drains and drain-pipes and kindred subjects in Wellington just after her arrival from the Old Country. The lectures did not "catch on," but the lecturess was found to possess a charming personal appearance, far superior to the subject she had made her own. Therefore, though her hints on household .drainage are forgotten, Mrs. Bracher is still remembered. Mr. Bracher is said to have been connected with one of England's provincial newspapers as a reporter. Mr. and Mrs. Bracher, finding sanitary lectures a financial failure, settled in Feilding, where they have been residing; during the past year or so- ... Among the large number of our waterside workers and folks interested in Port Nicholsons shipping interests no raanii better known, or more highly respected, than Mr. John Daniel. Of sturdy physique, and rueeed of face, he is a source of profit to the Union Steamship Company and is deemed a prophet of shipping affairs in his own country. His word is law in the repairs department of the Union Company, and when lie says a thing has to be done there is no slackness about the bustle that ensues.

Mr. Isaac has apparently been found the right man for the post of organising Inspector under the Manual and Technical Instruction Act. He has made a speciality of modelling, and is an example for parsons to cultivate hobbies. For many years Mr. Isaac was a struggling pastor, leading a small flock in the ways of Congregationalism over in Sleepy Hollow. But his. lecture and demonstration, given before Wellington teachers last Saturday, proved that if he had not missed his avocation he was familiar with his adopted one. It was noticeable' in his technical lecture that he relapsed occasionally to 'a pulpit style. Still, a good teacher is a good preacher. • • • In the case of Mr. G. Smithies, who has resigned the municipal engineership of Petone, that borough's loss is Wanganui's gain. During his term of office, Mr. Smithies has seen Petone become the most enterprising suburban , town of the colony. He arranged its drainage and its water systems, and also installed the municipal gasworks. And now he has accepted the engineership of the Wanganui borough. Mr. Smithies will not have to lead the strenuous life on the banks of New Zealand's Rhine that he had to lead in Wellington's manufacturing suburb, but he will find Wanganui an up-to-date and enterprising town, as its folks will find in him an energetic engineer. • • • A remarkable thing about the directorate of the Wellington Meat Export Company, which held its twelfth annaul meeting last week, is that, with one exception, they all wear a beard, for the most part of the Duke of York cut. Mr. C. Elgar, of Fernside (Wairarapa) is the only director who shaves, and even the secretary (Mr. Dilnot Sladden) wears a beard. It is remarkable in these days of the razor and brush to find seven bearded men out of a board of eight. The directorate consists of Mr. W. C. Buchanan (chairman), of Tupurupuru, ex M.H.R. for Wairarapa, the the Hon. Walter Johnston, of Wellington, Mr. Wm. Booth, of Carterton (and member of the Harbour Board), Mr. W. H. Beetham, of Masterton, Mr. W. G. Foster of Assets Realisation Board fame, Mr. Elgar aforesaid, and Mr. J. W. Marshall, of Marton. • • • The city is full of Smiths, but the most prominent in the public eye during the past few weeks has been G F. Smith, first assistant to Secretary-En-gineer Ferguson, of the Harbour Board. Mr. Smith's latterday prominence has been due to his able advocacy of the case for the Harbour Board before the Conciliation Board, in the Painters' and Decorators' Union dispute. He has, been so full of surprises in his conduct of the case, that Chairman Crewes several times confessed that his lot would not be happy again until he had lost his Smith. At which G. 1. S. smiled as though he had been paid a delicate compliment ! Mr. Smith is just the man whom Shakespeare had in mind when he composed his famous "Soliloquy," for he hasi in his time played many parts. He has gone down to the sea in ships, and can add "R.N." to his name in token of many voyages • he has tilled the earth for its fruits, and in evidence thereof has a goodly-sized farm in Canada; he has acted as secretary and engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board, haying left the aforesaid farm in Canada, "just to oblige Wellington and Mr. Ferguson," and will return thereto just a*, soon as the Conciliation Board, the Arbitration Court, and the Harbour Board can unhook him. Then lie is a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge and experience, and can talk and work expertly with all experts in the sphere of human ener^v. In fact, taken bv and large this Smith, a mighty man is ho — as the , Wellington Conciliation Board will long remember!

A propos to the production of "Faust," in our Opera House this week, the Vienna grand opera "stars," Frau Allen Brandt-Forster and Herr Naval, who have just recently returned to the Gay Capital from an Eastern tour, tell a story of a Constantinople experience. After singing; at a concert before the elite of Constantinople, they were invited to Yildiz Palace. Anticipating that the Sultan would want a song, the prima donna donned her best evening gown, and Herr Naval his best suit. On reaching the palace, they were informed that His Majesty had arranged for a production of "Faust," with the Viennese in the leading roles. • • • "But I cannot sing 'Marguerite' in a low-cut evening gown!"' exclaimed the lady. "And Faust in a dress coat is not to be thought of!" added Naval. "And why not?" queried the Turkish master of ceremonies. He added that the Sultan kept a permanent Italian company of singers, so that such surprise parties as "Faust," etc., could be worked off. Well, the wardrobes of Yildiz were ransacked, and in the shortest tune on record Marguerite and Faust were "rigged up" for a performance, but the costumes were more fitting for opera bouffe than grand. But His Serene Loftiness was delighted! • • • Dr. James N. McLaren furnishes an example to the youth of New Zealand, inasmuch as at an early age he has gained enviable distinction in the old world. At an early age Ml-. McLaren showed signs of budding genius, and wandered wistfully over the hills of the Hauraki Peninsula with a geologist's hammer, in search of knowledge. That he gained the knowledge at a youthful age i 9 evidenced by his appointment to the directorship of the Coromandel School of Mines. Still thirsting for knowledge, he persistently pursued it, with the result that, still in the pride of early manhood, he has obtained the degree of doctor of science. • • • By the way what is there about the goldfielda that produces such useful brains? The Hauraki district turns out journalists, artists, doctors, and other professional experts in quite bewildering numbers, Dr. McLaren being one of whom the community of that portion of New Zealand has every right to be proud. Alas, for the instability of hero-wor-ship. Baden-Powell, once the universally adored, is now awarded the sobriquet of "Barnum-Powell." The muchboomed dragoon probably does not feel especially ill over the change in public opinion. Said public filled a good-sized mansion with extravagant presents, in recognition of deeds that other lesser officers have frequently done before and since. People have accepted BadenPowell at the valuation of his boomsters, but now, with the consensus of opinion freely given by his soldiercritics, there is a B.P. slump, that might make the hero wish he had got out of Maf eking when he had a chance. • • • Touching the fearful hardships the besieged endured, the Imperial Light Horse, who relieved Powell, rode down the dusty streets of the village, proferring cigarettes to the supposedly long smokeless defenders. "You keep em old chap, we don't want 'em; we can get plenty down the street at sixpence a time," known by writer to have been the answer of a proposed beneficiare, seems to point to the fact that the siege-notos issued by the soft-hatted general were more frequently used when the siege was lifted than before, and reived to advertise the gentleman who has been called the "greatest showman on earth." « • • As many New Zealanders have met Colonel lienrv appointed to the Command of the New Zealand Forces, writer, interested in Boors and gore, insti-

tuted inquiries recently of a sergeantmajor in one of our Contingents: "Did you ever meet the Colonel in South Airica?" "Did I what?" exclaimed the ruddy warrior, "why I sneaked a mule rrom him, and rode it into Pretoria." Which writer finds to be quite true. The sergeant-major, who is a Wellington man not altogether ignorant of horseflesh, rode has own horse, a chestnut, with a white face, well known in the regiment by the name of "Diddums," until it was knocked up, and, subsequently, commandeered a Boer pony, which also departed this life per medium of overwork. Here was a go ! Not to get get into Pretoria at the triumphal entry, and alleged end of the war ! What should he do ? • • • In the evening, when the column camped the sergeant-major (then a sergeant), who was not going to be left behind next morning, strolled over to the camp of Colonel Henry's column, picked out the best-looking mule to be found, and led him to his camp, subsequently making the entry on the dilapidated hybrid. It turned out that the mule was one of a team detailed for the special duty of hauling Colonel Henry's luggage into Pretoria, and that the said luggage was hauled minus* the mule the sergeant entered the capital on. It should be understood, of course, that the sergeant merely followed well-estab-lished precedent in procuring a mount, and was hardly likely to ye visited with the dread punishment similar conduct would merit in this country. • • • Celia Dampier, who plays the violin as everyone knows, has been giving samples of her genius An Stein way Hall, London. Lady Banrurly recently did Celia the honour of listening to her. » • * John Daniel had some twenty years' experience as a shipwright in the Old County before he came out to this colony, and that is twenty-six years ago. He helped to construct the famous floating dock for Bermuda, and was a "boss" of gangs engaged in the construction of the ironclad Northumberland at Woolwich. It is said of him that since coming to Wellington he has only served two masters, and the first of these was the rough and bluff Captain Williams, father of Mr. Williams, of steam ferry fame. From Captain Williams Mr. Daniel went over to the Union S.S. Company, and there to-day has control of hundreds of men engaged in half-a-dozen classes of labour. He is a good "boss," and treats his men with such consideration that when he asks them on occasion to "hit out extra," they do so, "for the old man wants the job done." • • • This story is not told at the expense J. G. Woolley, but is a propos to his visit. A lecturer was on a prohibition stump. "Some babies are brought up on the bottle," he exclaimed. "And a good many men are brought down by it," was a rejoinder from a "barracker" whose voice went one better, in that it brought down the house. • • • Mr. Tom Price, M.P., who was touring New Zealand the other day as South Australia's envoy to inquire into the working of our labour and social legislation, soon got to work again on reaching Adelaide. Mr. Price is the leader of the South Australian Parliamentary Labour Party, and as such moved a vote of no-confideno© in the Ministry. South Australia has come closest of all the Australian colonies to the advanced legislation our own colony has had, and that has been mainly because a strong Labour Party rendered loyal help to the Kingston Ministry. As a reward for that service, the the* leader of the Labour Party (Mr. Batchelor) was given the portfolio of education. But both ex-Premier Kingston and Batohelor secured seats in thr Federal Parliament, and things political have not been going so smoothly as of yore in South Australia.

One Greymouth employer is shaking hands with himself tor having just got a "cover" over his employees with one of the accident insurance companies in the nick of time. He had hardly completed the necessary arrangements when bis lady tvnist, who had gone a message on. her bicycle, collided with an expiess, and was run over, and injured — not very seriously, but sufficiently to wairant a few regular payment® from the insurance company for some time. * • * Ranjitsinhji, the Hindoo cricketer, lacks persistence. He will not go to Australia any more, because one of its States, on one of his previous visits, hooted him. It has been generally considered that the Australian crowd treated the coloured cricketer cavalierly on a former occasion by hooting him. Previous, however, to his last visit, Ranji wrote a paper commenting unfavourably on Australian cricket and cricketers, with the result that, on his appearance, he was given a saJvo of hoots. He was also asked by the Melbourne Cricket Club for an explanation, which he refused to give, with the result that his relations with Australian cricketers are by no means cordial. He refuses positively to come to Australia, whereat the country weeps. • "• • The Seddon Ministry are surely the most versatile of politicians. This week has shown at least two of them breaking fresh ground. Premier Seddon and Minister Hall-Jones each delivered sermons on Sunday last — the Premier giving a word in season to clergyman, and the Marine Minister at the Seamen's Mission exhorting seamen and others to follow the golden rule — and never go to sea' » « • The small bouts between Maori kings, colonial Premiers, and others are frequently reported to the London papers, with the result that although Great Britain is alleged to be fast following in the track of our civilsation, a large portion of the inhabitants of that country believe that this country is governed by a Maori monarch with a large Royal family to help him. A Maori lady in London has been created Princess by the press, and her entrance into London Society is chronicled at, an event of some importance. Thus the scribe —"The Princess Te Rangi Pai is her name, and she made her first appearance at the annual New Zealand dinner at the Holborn. The Princess, who is a lady of fine figure and charming appearance, possessed a good contralto voice, which has been carefully cultivated, and her singing of 'Home, Sweet Home,' in the Maori tongue, hterallv 'brought down the house.' "