All Sorts of People

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 130, 27 December 1902, Page 3

All Sorts of People

QUITE a shock w as received in town last week when word came that Mi. H E. Sbacklook had committed suicide in Dunedm, for he had many acquaintances in Wellington. H.E.S. had led a strenuous life, and, chinne; the past twenty years, had built up a business in quite the modern wizard style. We remember a good story which the engineering fraternity used to tell of the "old man" with great gusto. At the time of the origin of the yarn, he was working in a foundry m Oaniaru. One afternoon he overheard two of the bosses talking about reducing the staff, and they mentioned that Shacklook must go." H.E.S. waited for about an hour, took off his apron, went into the office, and, without referring to what he had heard, gave the partners notice that unless he was given a rise of half-a-orown, per day he intended leaving instantly. •'I'm not putting on my apron again here," he said, "unless you decide upon thatj rise 1 " And, those founders, who had decided to discharge Shaddock, gave him his rise — and kept him on' • * * Going to Dunedin from Oamaru, Mr. Shacklock started "business for Hmself in so small a way that he delivered his own iron-casitmgs on a wheelbarrow. Gradually, with the aid of his growing sons, business forged ahead. Then, he invented and started to manufacture what is now the famous Shacklock range. This range was specially constructed to suit the fierce-burning Otago coal, and it has sold by the thousand throughout the South Island. Indeed, that range boomed the business, which, to-day is one of the w ealthy concerns of Dunedin. » ♦ * Mr. Shacklock 's seven sons all went into the business and have been managing and carrying it on for several years. Some time aeo, H. E. S. was attacked by that insidious •enemy insomnia and gradually it sapped his strength, and destroyed his business ability. This resulted in fits of despondency — hence the final and sad stace of a useful and welllived life. H. E. S. had always been a pillar of the Congregational Church in Dunedin. He occupied a seat on the diaconate of the Moray Pkce Church Some thirteen years ago, when the Rev E. D. Cecil was supplying the pulpit of that church, Mr. Shacklock created a scene at one of t^e services * ♦ • He arose in lias place, and shouted out 'Here, that'll do l We don't want any of that'" "That" was the doctrine' of Mr Cecil, to which the ironfoundoir objected. As the church generally did not. uphold Mr. Shacklcck in his objections, he left Moray Place in high dudgeon and worshipped with the Presbyterians for some years. However, he returned to the old fold some years later. Mr. Cecil subsequently came to Wellington, a.nd was for a while, m charge of the Courtenay Place Congregational Church. ♦ • • Dr McArthur is one of the pleas&ntest and courteous weilders of the scales of Justice that has ever sat upon the Wellington Bench. There is a great deal of human nature in his make up, and he uses eauitv and common-sense in his judgments rather than the bloodless legal formula He admonishes the unruly in fatherly terms, yet can scathingly denounce the chronic loafer and

cadger — and give him a month with hard labour. Dr. McArthur — the man who looks like Sir Joseph Ward — w as a schoolmaster before he studied foi the law — English master, vi fact, at the Auckland College and Grammar School — and, on securing his LL.D., he hung out his shingle in Auckland For many years he combined the duties of Coroner with his private practice in the Queen City of the North. About two years ago he was appointed a stipendiary magistrate, and lias gone up and down the colony evei since dispensing justice and mak'ng an enviable reoutation. * * * Mr C J. Burnup, the young Englishman, whom we will see in Wellington presently with Loi d Haw ke''s cricket team, is one of the amateur champions of England. In cricket, last season he scored over the coveted 2000 runs and in Association football durmg the previous winter he was the "don" of the Corinthian Club, and won his international cap. When at Cambridge University, C. J. B. was a busy bee in athletics, and though small-built, he is a demon for 1 work. His fame as a cricketer was later in coming than at football He went to Cambridge in 1895, with Dractically no reputation, but in 1896 he began a series of triumphs which have carried him into the first flight. He> has toured Holland and America with amateur teams, playing under P. F. Warner's captaincy in the United States, as well as at present in New Zealand. In 1900, Burnup made 200 aeainst Lancashire and during last season he was in erreat run-gettmg form He pla,ys for Kent. ♦ ♦ # Mr BumuD toured South Africa some years ago' with a Corinthian team of footballers. Whilst in the Transvaal, the team visited President Kruger, the hour of the reception being 7 a.m. "Oom Paul" was "nice and friendly, but was absolutely ignorant of the game of 'kicks,' as he called it " After the game was explained to him, the President was asked to kick-off at one of the matches. "Oh, no " he replied, "I have much more important business than that. I cannot understand why young men should come all this distance to kick a football about." Subsequently, thei team also met Orange Free State President Steyn, who enterained them at tea, and presided over a complimentary dinner. Mr. Steyn had time and inclination to go to the match ♦ * ♦ "Old Dave" — David Normaii Wilkinson, who passed away last week, was the envied of ever" small boy m Oriental Bay "I wish he was my grandfather'" was the unspoken thought of every boy who loitered outside the Wilkinson greenhouse during the season when the grapes w ere ripe. For he had the finest vines in the city, and annually did a good trade with regular customers in the sale of the luscious clusters. Up to the very last though he had entered into the nineties of his years, the old man tended the vines, and chivvied the would-be poaching small boys He came out to Wellington in one of those historic "first ships" in 1841, .nd spent all the long remainder of his vea,r>s hereabouts. • • « Alert Alec. Burns, of the Press Association, has onoe more retired to the seclusion, of Cable Ba-v (Wakapuaka), and his place in tow n is filled bv the burly and ereniail George Humphries. These representatives of the Press Association a,re two of the best-known and most-oopular pressmen in the colony They have the unique experience of dividing the year, half of which is spent in the city, and half at "Waka." The mysterious work of filling in skeleton cablegrams for the benefit of newspaper readers is carried out bv "George" and 'Alec" oTer there, and the "waits" are filled in with the relaxations of gardening fhhing, or boating

Mr. Charles Cuming, who* was mainecl last week to petite Nurse Hunt, until recently of the Wellington Hospital staff, is a well-known and popular pies&man For some time lie ran the "Dairyman," and subsequently joined the staff of the "New Zealand Mail," and had charge of the agricultural and dairying pages of that weekly. Then he was put upon city reporting for the ' Times," and when the Manawatu train facilities offered greater scope for the city papers, Mr. Ouming was appointed Palmerston representative of the "Times." He has done good work in the Manawatu and Rangitikei country for the morning paper, and has made a large circle of acquaintances in the fairming community. The genial Charles is a regular feature at all the agricultural and pastoral shows of the southern portion of this island. * * * Mr. George Pound, who passed away last week, was best known among the people of South Wellington, and the printers of the' city. It was not the little lame compositor's fault that Newtow n does not ~ssass a flourishing newspaper. Some years ago he spent much time and enthusiasm in starting a paper, but his efforts came to naught, and his business did not flourish. Whilst running his printery in Newtown, G. P. was frequently called upon by the police to act as a juryman on inquests at both the Hospital end the Mount View Asylum. On one occasion, at the latter institution a newspaper man, under editorial instructions to view the corpses of lunatics, was entering the morgue, when he was "blocked" by the Coroner (Mr. Ashcroft). The pressman protested, but the Coroner would not give way. "Never mind," whispered Juryman Pound to the pressman, "I'm with you. I'll have a good look at the body, and tell you if there are any marks of violence on it l " When the jury came back, G. P. reported, "All serene !" * * * The Wellington Industrial Association has lost a very able secretary in the resignation of Mr C. D. Morpeth. During seven years he has been shaping the destiny of the Association, and whilst he has been building up the W.1. A., there i& no doubt that the W.I. A. has helped to build up C. D. M. At the same time, he is one of the rising young business men of the city, and has done a great deal in helping himself to attain the sure position he now holds. Mr. Morpeth attained success in the football and athletic field before he had risen above the ruck of office men. He planted his foot first upon the ladder of success by the capable way in which he managed the executive affairs of the Wellington Industrial Exhibition, just after he had taken ut> the duties of the W.I.A. He is one of the most hardworking of our younger generation of city men, and has fairly won success. Among other duties, C. D. M. is seoreitary of the Railway Officers' Association of New Zealand. * • » Miss Muriel Pnngle, who has won the gold medal of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, is a Wellington girl, who has come very much] to the front in musical circles during recent years. She is the worthy daughter of a father who is a keen business man a clever photographer, and an artistac singer. Miss Pringle has also dome so much credit to her musical instructor (Mr. Robert Parker) that- he has peirmitted her to play the accompaniments to her father's songs in public, and her father has complimeinted her still higher by permitting Muriel to accompany him musically. As a gold medallist, the young 1 musician' — for she is still very much in her teens—will be still more in demand as a pianist. It is no small achievement for a girl to secure 143 out of a possible 150 marks in a practical examination against the amateur pianists of the colony.

Secretaiy Frank Isitt, of Prohibition fame, has two great admirers in Newtown They are brethren, of the cloth, the Revs. George Bond and B. L. Salter. Mr. Bond won the name of "The Fighting Parson" during his ministry at Waasanui, thanks to his enthusiasm, in the work of sending contingents to South Africa. He is proud of the fact that Frank Isitt and George Bond were college chums. "Why," said he, the other day, "when we were at college, thirty years ago, we students used to f>redict great things of Frank Isitt — .and ook a.t him now, a candidate for twelve constituencies!" Salterns first memory of Mr. Isitt also goes back a long while, too, for some twenty-five years ago he succeeded the Rev. Frank in the pastorate of Balcluthia. * * * Miss Alice St. Clair Ingles, of Waipawa. Hawke's Bay is a young lady with an unusual hobby. Her hobby is New Zealand soldiers, and particularly those of the First Contingent. She took infinite pains to collect the whole of the photographs of the men in the "First." and has reproduced them in book form, with a short biographical sketch of each. Mis® Ingles has a remarkable knowledge of each of these men,, and takes every opportunity of meeting them personally. At their recent annual dinner, the lady arranged that every member should have a book and a bouquet. Miss Ingles follows her military hobby closely. She has an autograph album, containing the signed letters of all the notable soldiers who fought in Africa, including Lord Roberts, Generals French and BadenPowell. * • « General Wauchope, the unfortunate officer killed at Magersfontein, was a cousin of Miss Ingles's and many of her relatives have been Army men. She sent out many "comforts" to New Zealand, troops, in. South Africa, and has a most intimate knowledge of their doings. Recenitl^ while in Auckland, Miss Ingles heard that a memorial plate in memory of "Jack" Oonnell, the first Aucklander killed in the war, was set up in the Mount Eden School. She specially journeyed out to see it. The memorial set out that Connell was killed at Jasfontein. Miss Ingles wasi able to tell the headmaster that this was incorreot. and the name of the engagement (New Zealand H'll) has been inserted. In her recent short visit to Wellington, Miss Ingles has called on all the available men of the "First," and has won their esteem b^ the charm of iher manner, and her deep interest in them. » • « Henry Jordan is an original kind of individual — a sort of mixture of Sam Weller and Mark Tapley, with, a spice of the Artful Dodger thrown in. He is considered to have committed one burglary a month in Melbourne during the past year, and is 1 at present "resting." He was quite an artist at his adopted profession. One of his ruses was never to leave the premises he had robbed until he had got something to eat. At Mr. Agar Wynne's, having secured a large swag of valuables, he laid the cloth on the dining-room table, set out some chicken, cut glass, and a bottle of wine, and, having wound un a good meal bv silently drinking hisr own health, went happily away. At Dr. Wheeler's, he packed up a choice collection of valuables, and then retired to the kitchen to recuperate after his arduous labours'. * * * He lighted the fire, boiled the kettle for a cup of tea, and, judging by the look of the table afterwards, thoroughly enioyed himself. He was out in the backyard blacking his boots, and whistling a tune, when Dr. Wheeler happened to look out of the upstairs window. "What are you doing there?" called the doctor. "Going for a run " replied the burglar and at once he bolted &i expressi speed, with only one boot polished.

Dr. Henry J. McLean who lias iu&t succeeded Dr. Fell as the lodge doctor for the Royal Antipodean Lodge of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, is a Timaru boy, and the son of a doctor. "When Dr. Fell first became doctor to the Antipodeans, "Harry" McLean was attending the Timaru Public School. From, school he went to the bank, and he was a bank clerk for several years in Wellington before he became a medical 6tudent. He was a tower of strength in the forward ranks of the, Wellington Football Club for several years. Then, Mr McLean, budding banker, disappeared from the Empire City for several years — and came back to us some three yearte ago as Dr. McLean, and is. nowbuilding up a prosperous practice. • • • Another clever member of the Timaru family of the McLeans is the principal of the Girls' High School of Wellington. Miss McLean like her brother (Dr. Henry McLean), obtained her primary education at the Timaru Public School. One of the coincidences of her life was that when a girl she was taught bv Miss Hamilton, then second mistress of the Main School. After a period of not many years— for Miss McLean is still as young a woman as she looks — she succeeded Mis® Hamilton as principal of the Wellington Girls' High School. Another achievement of hers was that she became principal of the school at which she obtained part of her training— the Girls' High School, Timaru. • * * The Pahnerston politicians seem to have played the game low down on the late member for Palmerston N., judging by the following "nasty jar" which appeared in the "Standard" —"As our representative did not receive the customary invitation to the social given to Mr. W. T. Wood, M.H.R.. last night, we are unable to report the proceedings." Newsoaper men and politicians are "kittle cattle? 1 to. deal with and both have a big chance with either pen or tongue to "get back" on the fellow who misses any points m the game of life. It must have hurt the Manajwaituites to find that what Mr. Seddon said on Mr. Wood was not reported in Mr. Pirani's up-to-date paperSecond in popularity only to the Principal of WeUinrton College, with the students of that institution, is Mr. A. Heine, who had charge of the College throughout the whole of this year, whilst Mr. J. P. Firth has been extending hisi education by an extended tour of the Old World. It is no small task to follow in management Buch ami able organiser as Mr. Firth, yet, all the reports presented at last week's breiakingup went to show that, under the actangprincipalship of Mr. Heine, not only tihe standard of efficiency, but tlie record attendances of students, had been maintained. This dual success has largely been accomplished by the splendid es-prit-de-oorps which prevails in the teaching staff of the college. All the members are gentlemen, and "behave always as suoh" towards each other and towards the studenjts. • » • Mr. Heine, though of German parentage, is not related to tihe great poet whose name he bears. The pronunciation of the name puzzles some folks, who cannot find a half-way expression between "Heen" and "Hynay." The latter is the proper mode of "saying it". Mr. Heine is a Nelson boy, and his father was a Lutheran pastor, in a district near Sleepy Hollow. It was away back in 1882, when Mr. Mackay {now a farmer in Taranaki) was princi-

pal, that Mr. Home first joined the college staff. He held his position until 1887, when he lesigned to take up work on the staff of the Canterbury University. In the following "ear, however, he was back at Wellington College once more, and there he has been ever since. The teaching of languages is has metier and lie is a master who wins the respect and the legard of his students. Mr. Heine prefers the stud^ to the cricket field, and would rather read a book than "score a try." but, all the same, he keenly appreciates the achievements of students of the college in athletics and in sports. During the past fortnight, the cableman has had much to say, and has said it often, about the Countess of Dudley and her attack of the kingly trouble — appendicitis. "Who is the Countess?" many Wellingtonians have asked, "and why all this cable fuss?" Some folks thought her Ladyship was of colonial value because the King; had expressed concern about the state of her health. But, her real importance arises out of the fact^that the Earl of Dudley, her husband, is the newly-appointed Viceroy of Ireland. The Dudley family is one of the oldest in the British peerage, andi also one of the wealthiest, for the estates are_ situated some eievht mile® from Birmingham, on the borderland of Staffordshire and Worcestershire, and form no small portion of the wealthproducing Black Country. As the Viscount of Ednam, the present Earl, who succeeded to the peerage in 1885, travelled a great deal in the colonies In fact, he was on tour when his father died. The Viscount was then in his nineteenth year, and chose to travel rather than co from Eton to a University. • • » The Countess of Dudley, who was married in 1891 was Miss Rachel Gurney. grand-niecs of a famous couple — Samuol Gurney, of the great banking house, and a philanthropist, and his equally great sister, Elizabeth Fry. At the time of hex marriage, the beautiful Miss Gurney was regarded as the adopted daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, and it was from their London residence that she was married. The Duchess took a great interest in the dwellers in the East End of London, and Miss Gurney often accompanied her into the slums, and at times 1 contributed songs at East End concerts. Since her marriage she has frequently sung at charity concerts. The Countess is a beautiful woman, and is highly accomplished. She speaks French, German, and Italian, plays the piano, mandolin, and banjo, and has a fine contralto voice.

Although it would appear that the day of the usefulness of the Conciliation Board is dead — in Wellington, at least — there seems to be some hankering after positions on that Board among Labourites. Mr. Andrew Collins's name appears most frequently in reports of meetings of unions as a candidate for reelection.. Next in frequency is the name of Mr. A. H. Cooper. The latter gentleman is a native of Chnstchuroh, and he has had some six or seven years' residence in the Empire City, and those years have been full of experience in trades unionism. He has been, and still is, the very active secretary of the Wellington Trades Council, and a prominent official in his own union, the Bootmakers'. Mr. Cooper is also a prominent official in the Federation of Operative Bootmakers of the colony, and is president of the Cooks' and Waiters' Union. By the way, we notice that neither Mr. Allan Orr, the many-times secretary of Labour bodies, nor Mr. WmJooies (of one of the Seamen's Unions) will accept nomination for seats on the Board. » » ♦ Lieutenant Hobbs, who recently won the Zeaiandia Rifles' champion belt for shootine:, is an enthusiastic volunteer, a keen officer, and devoted to rifle shooting. Whenever the guns are out, and the targets are up, then he is on parade. Mr. Hobbs is a "gum-digger" by profession, and gained not a little of his dental experience in Philadelphia. He is a native of Auckland, and, before coming South was regarded as one of the very coolest sh ts on the aoldfields. Curious that, while Mr. HobW "hangs" on his shots until your flesh creeps, he has won several rapid-firing competitions. He took part in the: last Trentham Rifle Championship meeting, and it is apparent, from the way in which he won his corps' belt, that he has got his eye in for the next Trentham meeting. ♦ ♦ • After a lengthy occupancy of the head of the table, extending over some six or ei"nt> years, Mr. R. C. Kirk has had to stand down from the chairmanship of the District Hospital Board. The new chairman is Councillor John P. Luke, who was elected last week, after something of a conflict with the "country party," which stood by the old chairman. Mr. Kirk was the father of the Otaki Cottas;e Hospital — that institution in the dharee of which Dr. Mason (now Chief Health Officer) won the attention of many people — and the ex-mayor of Petone has taken especial pride in the Otaki institution. Mr. Luke has done good work on the City Council, and there is no reason why the new chairman should not be as enterprising as the old.