ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 64, 21 September 1901, Page 3

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

SO America, like Austria, France, and Italy, hdi> paid her tribute to Anarchy, and William McKinley is dead! In a land bristling with colonels," Major McKinley was regaided a& the least aggressive of military men. Yet, as recently pointed out, ho saw much ser\ ice, and won his majority b,> sheer ability. Although several times Governor of his native State (Ohio), many times Congressman, and twice elected to the lughest office in the land, Mr. McKinloy was always thankful to get back to Canton, the town in which he lived the greater part of lus life, and the town in which he met, wooed, and won the woman who was throughout his life more to him than any honours he received. Those who knew him most intimately say that Mr. McKinley 's every action made plain the fact that first, and above everything else in his mind, was the comfort and happiness of his wife. This trait came out strongly in Ins lecent action in cutting short his tour of the States owing to the illness, of Mrs McKinley. When the President was leaving his humble home at Canton to take up his lesidence in the White House, the Cantonese gave him a great send-off. Addressing his old fnends, Mr. McKinley uttered words which, in view of lus martyrdom, lead strangely to-day. He said —"To all of us "the future is as a sealed book but if I can, by official act or administration or utterance in any degree, add to the prosperity of our beloved country, and the comfort and well-being of our citizenship, I will thus denote the best and most unselfish efforts of my life The assumption of the chief magistracy is of such t>;rave< importance that paitisanship cannot blind the judgment or accept any other considerations but foi the public good of all to eveiv party and every section " And he gav eup his life for it all. * • *■ The office of Vice-President of the United States of Amcnca is, for the most pait, ornamental Of the twentytice VPs onlv thiee, including Colonel Roosevelt, have 'come <o the tluone " The V P is avowedly elected as a stopgap to fill the post of President should am thing unfoiesecn happen to the head of the RepubLc And all down the line since Washington took the reins of Government m 1789, the Vicc-Presi-dents, with one exception, have been nonentities That exception is the Vice-President who has succeeded President McKinley The general opinion is that Colonel Roosevelt will prove as able a man as the late Ptesident, although he lacks the latter's national political knowledge. In many wavs the new President is a better-equipped man than he who has just passed away He is one of the most versatile of \mencans, and, as administrator iournahst warnoi and author, has won high liono 1 rs * « • A prediction is ventuied that Piesident. R'>osevelt will prove 1 one of the most renarkable Chief Magistrates the States have known Not onlv is he a man of ideas, and of initiative but lie has the couiage to cany out his pionosals He has done so as a Governor whv not as a President 2 Truly Tammam ami Trusts will feel verv unea.sv over the turn affair'- have taken Thev Ruli.ud Ciokcr .mil the millionaiiefe - thought that bv inducing Roosevelt to

take the Vice-Presidency they were relegating an enemy to obscurity, but they reckoned without the anarchist. Theie are some great problems for the President ot United States, America, to grapple with, and in the whole land none could have been found better equipped for the task than Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. Yet again lias Lord Rantuily shown his great interest in the veterans of tho Empire's wars, by presiding o\er the first conference of delegates fiom the Veterans' Associations Christchurch was not represented at the Confeience, because the City of the Plains has no association of veterans, and even His Excellency joined in the regret that Auckland had not sent a delegate The Governor's expressions of regret at Auckland's action were quite plaintive, because he had been the organiser of the Queen City's association, and had fathered it into a successful position. The cities and towns represented by delegates were New Plymouth, Wanganiu, Palmerston North, Napier, Masterton, Wellington, and Dunedin. In electing Lord Ranfurly as the first President of the Association, the delegates did the right and proper thing to one who is the best friend the old soldiers have in this or any other colony. * * * Wanganui sent the two most stalwart uainois to the Confeience in Tom Cummins and J. W. Day, both sixfooters, burly withal, and who would pass for brothers They were both troop sergeant-majors in Wanganui's Yeomanry Cavalry, were both "terrois for a fight," and made their mark on the enemy in the Maori War Delegate Day was 'down" on the talkative during the Conference, and, in his blunt way, proved a thorn in the flesh to the talkers with his constant reminder— ' It's rules wore here to pass, not to listen to talk'" Mr Day should make a useful member for Wanganui in the House, if he could be placed opposite the members much given to wordiness. Imagine the shock there would be when the interjection came — "It's laws vve'io here to make, gentlemen Let us have k^s talk and more work'" * * • Mr. "Tom" Cuininins was leally the piomoter of the movement which lesulted in the formation of the governing Veteians' Association. He is known as one ot the most enthusiastic and energetic of the dwellers on the banks of the Rhine of New Zealand, and he brought all his activity into play in bunging oft the meeting of delegates under notice. Theie have been few public movements in Wanganui duung the past quartei century with which Mr Cummins has not been connected In hre prevention matters he is an expert, and foi many years was captain of the Fire Brigade. Blessed with keen sight, he has evei been a crack shot, and had the honour of winning the carbine championship at one of the New Zealand Rifle Association's meetings Not only has he ever been Kfu as mustard in everything he undertook, but he has attained honours also In looal bodies he ha* played a prominent part, and, among other things, is at present Chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Trust. * # * Another interesting figure at the Conteience was Colonel Morris, who, although he was not the senior among those present was appointed cliainnan on the withdrawal of the Goveinoi The Colonel represented the Veterans' Alliance of Dunedin, and is a tall, wellpieserved, elderlv gentleman, with something of a Wellington cast of feature He is piecise of speech, and of a somewhat unctuous habit. Colonel Morns is a voluminous writei upon mihtarv matteis in the Dunedin pi ess and rarelv loses an opportunity of "diopping a lino" to the papeis upon some passing phase of mihtaiv tactics. His news-

paper controversy with the redoubtable iviajor Kennedy will not soon be forgotten by the peopie ot JJunedin and Christchurch. it will be remembered that the Colonel was writing the dany comments, on the war foi the Uca^o JJaiiy limes," and the Major was the military ciitic for the "Press" and the star.' A keen rivalry led to a challenge fiom the Colonel tor a production ot the other's "omciai papers ' — and the Major did not take up the challenge, and has dropped out ot the journalistic arena. * * * Wellington's \ eterans weie lepiesented bj the immaculately-dressed and lrlepressible McKellar Yvix, late captain, bir, m Her Majesty's Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. 'ihe Captain's now of talk partook somewhat ot the qualities of the proverbial brook, and he had a suggestion to make Upon every topic brought up. Yet, there was no resisting his courtesy, with his, constant "Might 1 be permitted to say just a word 1 " One of the disappointments of the Captain's life is that he is an undecorated warrior. He had had the honour of going out with the colours, but fever sent him out of the service, and he had no medal with which to adorn his breast. But in enthusiasm for the army — "We like our scarlet coat, Sir!" — he is second to none, and, as he had the good fortune to come in for a large legacy a short time ago, he is the right man to have at the post of treasurer of the new Association. * ■» * The silent membei of the Conference was provided by Wellington in Secretary 8. Stidolph, who is also an enthusiast in all matters pertaining to veterans. Napier was lepresented by three Majois — Richardson, Garner, and Gascoyne—and New Plymouth asked Mill. C. Hameiton, our one-time Public Tiusteo, to act on its behalf. Few Welhngtonians suspected that tins (|iuetgoing citizen was a captain of a tioop in the Maoi i Wai . Masterton sent old Cornelius Dixon, who, with Lieut. O'CaJLaghan (of Dunedin), was the only representative of the Navy at the Conference Mr. Dixon, like Captain Wix, has a gieat regret in not being able to spoit a medal. "Here's as good a discharge as a man need wish," he exclaimed, flourishing the bit of parchment, but. they sent me home out of the Royal Oak when we were in Turkish waters, because the doctors said I had consumption That was thirty-eight years ago. I ask you, gentlemen, do I look like a consumptive?" And Cornelius's looks certainly do be'ie the ancient medical testimony. In Masterton lie is the life and soul* of the Veterans' Association. * * * Captain Gcoige Preece, of Palmerston Noith, was one of the most letinng ot the delegates at the Veteians' Confeience last week, and yet he should have stood out as the greatest of them all, for he w ore the coveted New Zealand Cross — the colony's equivalent for the V.C. A skilled Maori linguist, the Captain was early pressed intd the colony's service, acting as clerk and interpreter to the 1 Resident Magistrate at Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) as far back a.s 1864 — and he does not look an old man, by any means, to-day. The lively campaign of 18bo-186G found him wielding a sword instead of a pen, and he served along the East Coast as an extra interpi eter to Colonel Fraser. ' * * * Attei 1860, there was a bnef respite, but the escape of Te Kooti from the Chathams put the Noith Island in a bla^e again, and young Preece took the field once more as an ensign, and took part, in several i ebel-hunting expeditions After the fearsome Poverty Biv massacre, he was promoted to a lieutenancy and given command of the Wairoa Native Contingent. He accompanied Major Ropata and the Ngatiporou Contingent to Poverty Bav in pin suit of the rebels, and won special

piai&e 111 despatches for his part in the engagement at iuan.eieDu, ana won his oio&s Dy has ganaiitiy auring uie first actaci£ on rsgatapa ra,. opeaking ol tins latcei engagement afterwards, major itopata saia — Ir we had had two 01 three moie ake Preece we would nave been able to break into the JNgatapa Pa." Captain Pieece was promoted to his piescnt rank in 1870, after serving in ine campaign ot I&b8-18by along the .hast ana the West Coast, under Sir deorgo Whitmore, being several times mentioned in despatches. On his promotion, he was given command of the .Native Contingent which was organised to chase Te Kooti after the latter's escape into the King Country, which was then, and years afterwards, a terra incognita to our settlers. The captain is never likely to forget the hardships he and his troops underwent* m the Urewera Country. He took part in the Te Kooti hunt until 1872, and then became a Sub-Inspector of the A.C. until 1876, when he was appointed a Resident Magistrate, with Opotiki as his district. Thence onward life has gone serenely with the veteran. * * * Mr. "Val" Sanderson, of the A.M.P. oflice, who went to the front with one of our Contingents, is one of the most popular of the city's commercial scribes. A short time ago he came back from South Africa safe and sound, and the other evening the Wellington College Old Boys gave him a rousing welcome back at a "smoker." The Boys had a jolly evening, and made much of their hero, but thev were all outdone in honours by W. Lawson, who composed a hve-verse-ver&ion of the ' Absent-Minded Beggar" for the occasion, under the title "Welcome Home " Here is the first verse and chorus — They called him from lus shiny office stool — And he didn't need no dressing up at all, Being strong enough to kill an aimy mule — When he giabbed lus hat and answered to the call And he's come back hoie, just as he went away, Without a bit of nonsense or of pride, Though he's heard the big guns bellow, He's the same straightforward fellow, And he couldn't pull the long bow if lie tried. Chorus — Oh' it's Val., we kind of missed you, And we guess the gnls did too, Tho', of course, the Dutch girls kissed you, As they say the Dutch girls do , So, when next the war-drum's sounded, Double-hitch your cable, do! And, because we sort o' want you, Hole's our welcome now to you. • • • Frank Hubble, news of whose sudden death at the Ivanhoe mine, Kalgoorhe, was received in town the other day, was well known in Wellington, Auckland, and Chnstchurch. It was in the latter city that lie was born, thirty-six years ago. He was connected with the Wellington Telephone Bureau in its early days as a lineman, and a.s he had ambitions he got on, qualifying himself for an electrician's position later on in Auckland. It is only a few years ago that he crossed over to the Australian goldfields, and he was attached to the Ivanhoe mine as electrician at the time ot the accident which resulted in his death. Mention of Mr. Hubble's name recalls his connection w ith the game of baseball, as played in Wellington. He was one of the first members of the Wellington B C , which was formed by and had for its first captain a tall Canadian named J. Grant Henderson, who spoke the lnnguaero with a pronounced twang. The W.B.C. was formed away

back in 1888, and its backbone came from the Post and Telegraph service. Its first piosident was the late Mr. W. H. Levin, its vice-captain was Mr. T. Mills (now of the "Post"), who succeeded Mr. Henderson as captain in 1889, on the latter gentleman's return to Canada. Mr. "Will" Chegwidden was, secretary, and Mr. W Scutt treasurer. The club had two dozen active members, and practised on Newtown Park. ♦ » • In. 1889 there were four baseball clubs in Wellington and suburbs, namely, the Wellington and Tui (afterwards called the Pacific) in the city, the PetoneClub, and a Hutt Club, composed mainly of Maoris Frank Hubble was a member of the W B.C.'s team in 1889, which was composed almost wholly of post and telegraph men, the only outsiders in ,the team being Mr. J. H. Pagni, Mr. F. W. Weston (now sub-editor of the "Post"), Mr T. Mills, and Mr. Henderson (captain). Baseball in Wellington became as dead as Caesar in 1890, the general run of the public looking upon it as merely glorified rounders played by a lot of bounders " It rose to the dignity once of having a representative match, America v. New Zealand, the land of the Stars and Stripes being represented by members of the HicksSawyer Minstrels, Mr. W. Speed being captain of the Americans, who made the representatives of Maoriland "awfully tired" before the game was through. # Wellington is to have its musical Parsons back again. Word has just been received in town that Mr. and Mrs. and the Misses Parsons have sailed from England on the return voyage. Mrs Parsons had been, until her departure some three or four years ago Wellington's leading soprano from gir - hood to middle age, and all her children — sons and daughters — had either the musical or the dramatic gift. Mr. Parsons was also a familiar figure with his violin at the Orchestral Society s concerts. Two daughters appeared to be specially gifted, and these were the Princesses Fortunatus, for thev were taken to the Old World to finish their musical education. Wellington will be pleased to receive her own again » • ♦ Mr. John Norton, of Sydney, is at present on a visit to our colony, having arrived m Wellington by the Sydney boat last week. Although Mr. Norton is a member of the New South Wales Parliament, he is better known throughout Australasia as the editor of Sydney "Truth." He has never feared any breach of privilege in the publication of ai tides. If there be sensation in them, then they see "Truth," the editor being prepared to take the consequences every timo. "Truth" at one time was not established upon the sound financial basis it now occupies and it is still remembered how, back about 1895, Editor Norton had to ic*ort to various devices to escape being served with writs. ♦ # * One particularly lively experience w as enjoyed by Mr. Norton about the penod named, when an aggrieved bucolic lover got out a writ against "Truth" for some spicy comment upon his love affairs. Now, Editor Norton was not hankering for writs just then, and he evaded its service. He shut himself in his office in the upper story of his works, and ontian.ee to his den was obtained only bv means of a basket hauled up from below. The smartest writ-servers m Svdnev were employed upon the job, but John N. proved a staver, and denied them all. That writ was not scned, and the siege was, raised * * * As a member of the Sydney Town Council, Mr. Norton was a thorn in the