All Sorts Of People

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 134, 24 January 1903, Page 3

All Sorts Of People

THOUGH the local bodies discarded Mr. George Webb as a Benevolent Trusted, and, therefore, lost the seiiTicesl of a valuable man for the public, the Hospital Trustees had the good sense last week to re-elect that gentleman as their chairman. During the past term Mr. Webb was very faithful in the carrying out of his duties, both in presiding ewer public sittings and committe© meetings, and in giving peisom&l attention, to the detail work of the management of the big institution. Mr. Webb has an important year in front of ham. as the Trustees will see the immediate beginning of the erection of the Nurses' Home and the Hospital for Incurables. Who was the proudest man in town last week? The Rev. J. K. Elliott, of the Kent' Terrace Church. Why ? Because lus son. Dr. J. S. E., had just been appointed assistant to Dr. Ew art by the Wellington Hospital Trustees, and, therefore, father and son would again come together. The father has been watching from afar the rapid progress of the 1 son, first as a ?ti aent then as a walker of the hospitals at Home, next as an adventurous medical officer m the Transvaal campaign, and, latest of all as officer in charge of the Chichester Infirmaiv The pastor ol the Kent Terrace Church has the reputation of being the most energetic v sjtor among "his am folk" of all the pa«tois o Wellington When his som, tb" Doctor, arrives, the latter will haze to put up w ith a lot of afternoon tear— or the visiting record will go to some <> 1 ' cr pastor Mr. Frank Stevens, who, the other day, was the lucky competitor out of lbu applicants for the office of secretary to the Fremantle Harbour Trust is a young man, vet he probably would not be lecogmsed by many of his old Wellington friends if he weie to walk along the Quay to-morrow. A Wellington boy, the son of one of the best-known men in the city — Mr. F. Stevens, the retired chief clerk of our Lands Department — Frank Stevens first made his mark as a yooing reporter on the "Evening Press," the "Post's" rival of a decade ago. He gaive uu 1 "* journalisim to become secretary to Mr. C. Y. O'Conor when that pc'fted civil servant was allowed by our Government to leave the colony to take the post of engineer-in-chief in Westralia Mr Stevens steadiiv improved his position in, the land of sin, sand, sorrow, and sweat, and has now dropped into a snug berth worth £400 a year whilst st'll in cnil\ thirties of his years * • » Which reminds the Latce that the chequered career of the "Evening Press" served to bring some good men into prominence. The two> Earles, who are now omit'he "Post" staff, began their journalistic life on the "Press. Mr. Luxford, who is now on Mi. Gilruth's staff as expert, shorthand writer and typist was also a newsgatherer for the "Pieiss." The Roydhouses had no small hand m its make - up, and Mr. J. A. Wilkinson, whose death was recorded last week, was also or the staff. The brilliant Edward Wakofield (an ex-M.H.R for Gerakhne) was the foremost of its editors, and the chair was also occupied by the poet Christie, and by Mr. Stratford, who is now a magistrate. And, there were others on the "Press" whom memory fails to recall.

Satuiday's cables to)d ub that Sir E N. C. Braddom, with whose name the modem political history of Tasmania has been so closely identified, was very ill. Since the formation of the. Commoouealth of: Australia, Sir Edward has been chiefly noted for a proposition W'luoh became known as the "Braddoai Blot" He would like to have the thing erased. The alphabetical Braddon, who is qiutei a young knight, though a very old main, is a brother of Emma Braddon, the very popular sen&ar tioinaJ novelist. * * * We aie halving a crowd of strangers in town these days, and the colony is being simply ovei-run with tourists from Australia and other parts of oven sea terntones, \ide daily piess personal para. Among those in town last week, was a quartet of Ba.nanalan.ders — and all lawyers at thait — Messrs. Lionel Lukm, T. O'Sullivan, W. McNab, and C. Morris. Mr. Lukm is a son of the editor of the "Evening 1 Post," and, not only has a good practice in Brisbane, but he has already played a prominent part mi political life over there. It came as a shook to most people the other day to learn that the Reiy. Farther Ainswarfch had been laid aiside in a private hospital owing to an attack of typhoid feveir. The burly, geniail, ever-pleasant priest is known from Island Bay to Petone, and it was onJy the other day that we were congratulating him upon being given charge of the newly-created Newtown parish. Footballers, cricketeirs, past and present boys of St. Pat's College, and every admirer of a strong man in the community will unite in expressing the hope that Father Ainsworth may have' &> speedy recovejry. As we write, we hear there is a doubt whether the patient's malady is typhoid, afteir all. Let us hope it may be something less malign and more quickly curable. At a- -- rate, he will receive every attention in Mrs. Best's excellent private hospital. * » * Mr. Albert Cohen, most popular of pressmen, is having a delightful time in touring the colony with Lord Hawke's cricket team, on behailf of his paper, the Dunedin "Star " There is always much keenness shown by Mr. Cohen in his lournalistio work. Whether represents ing the "Star" in the Gallery at the House, or on tour, he is always "getting on the good things." His latest achievement was one which surprised experienced Captain Warner on the ran down by train from Napier last Wednesday. Albert interviewed the skipper of tihe Fnehshmen on the train, taking a shorthand note in a very ]o~glev carriage. it * ir At Kaitoke, Mr. W'arner expressed the hope that the "Star" man would send him a copy of the paper containing the interview — "just to see that it was 0.X., you know." After hiding himself in the dining-room car for three-quarters of an houi, during the remaining part of the mn down the valley, the pressman came out with a column of clearwntten MS. "Read that over, and see if it is correct," siaid Albert to the skipper. Mr. Warner's remark after o-oing through it was that England and America did not possess all the smart newspaper men after all By the way, Mr. Cohen brought that bright twelve-year-old boy of his up to see the Napier and Wellington oricket matches. This is the lad who has had a remarkable school career, taking the mental arithmetic prizes in all the standards through which he has passed This is the lad, too, who proved himself the son of hi® father to a circus' man what time the latter was "on the door" at a, show m the Edinburgh of the South. "Come to the circus?" said young Cohen to a schoolmate. The latter was w lLling. At the door the son of the pressman essayed to go in on the

most approved newsman's style. 'Hold on, young 'un l " said tine doorkeeper, "w here's youi pass?" "Haven't got one," was the lad's reply. "Can't go in'" said the showman. "My father is Mr. Albert Cohen, .sub-editor of the 'Star'" said the boy, and when the showman "collapsed," the youngster followed up his stroke with, "Can I go in now ?" "You bet!"" said the circus man, "pass right in, son of Albert Cohen '" * * * Mr. Vernon Raymond, the young Wellmgtonian, who produces billiard balls from nowhere, and makes them disappear into the same place in the time-honoured way, will find himself gia/tiheaing money in a professional capar city om the "boards" if he is not careful. When Dante, the deceptionist., was around here, thei voiuthful Vernon went to see him, andl contracted the conjuring fever, and it has been developing on him ever since. Like every other boy who reads Clarke Russell or Captain Marryatti, Vernon wanted to' go and kill pirates, and find hidden gold, so he went to sea in a "wind jammer," and got as much of it a& he could stand in a six-momths' cruise. He was satisfied thereafter that, the sighing sea is not all that youthful fancy paints it. * * # His father felt that he ought to have enough of the divine afflatus to take to music as a livelihood, but Vernon, pathetically declares that he has no "ear " and so he has been engaged in the "bike" business in the day and in the illusion profession during his spare time. Wherever there is a. school concert, or drawing-room entertainment 1 , or sard em party, there will Raymond and his. brothers be found gathered together, with their little bags of tricks. Mr. Raymond has already a large stock of tricks stored up against the time when he will fling has ohallenee to the world as the greatest New Zealand magician. * * # During a recent Wairarapa trip, the Raymond brothers gave a most successful series of concert®, the deceptionist contributing his finished sleight-of-hand performance 1 his brother H. D. a club swinging exhibition, and another brother (W. T.) pouring out his 1 soul in song. Vernon possesses two of the requisites necessary to the successful conjurer — he is am adept at "patter," and does not laok the confidence rarely wanting in a New Zealander. He expects to be billed in two-feet letters yet, and, should fortune favour him, believes the first bill might appear within a veair from date. * • » The most thankful man m Wellington last Saturday morning was Mr. George Dean, lessee of the Choral Hail. He was met outside the hall by a policeman, who 1 emarked that he (G. D.) %vas having ai peck of troubles that morning. "Tell me the worst right away'" siaod the vaudevillean. "Why, a burglar has been through your show'" was the re>ply. "Can he have taken much? He has broken all the looks'" "Let's go and see!" said George, who suddenly remembered something which mad© him feel very empty in the pockets. He led the way at a great pace to the office, and found things generally in a state of broken glass, locks, etc. Making for the treasury chest — an inconspicuous box — George tried it, got a hammer, broke the lock, lifted two bags out, jingled the contents under Robert's ear, and exclaimed — "Thank God '" * * ♦ That was when George Dean's happiness began, for there were forty lovely pounds in those bags, the takings of two competition nights; — Tuesday and Friday. And Saturday was the day tihe ghost walked, when some twenty people "hned up" for their dividends, and there were other expenses to meet. Imagine George's position if the burglar had not overlooked those forty pounds of suede!

Cabled last Saturday "Cardinal Parocehi, the Pope's right-hand man, is dead." And yet, the Grand Old Mam of the Catholic Church goes right on piling up the longest-ocoUpancy-of-St.-Peter's-ehair record. Younger men have grown old and died off, but Pope Leo XIII. reigns as though possessed! of perpetual youth for, despite his ninety-two years, his brain is clear amid 'his eye is bright. Pope Leo was proclaimed as St. Peter's successor in February of 1878. Cardinal Parocchi (just dead) was looked upon as most probably the next Po^ei. ♦ * » The Congregational churches of Wellington are giving their pastors a spell about now. The Rev. J. R. Glasson, of the Terrace Church, left for tihe South last week, and the Rev. Newman Hall, of Courtenay Place Church, who has just completed his first year in the colony, left this week for Dunedin. Last Sunday, the Rev. B. L. Thomas occupied tihe pulpit a.t Palmerston North, whilst that veterani, the Rev. Sidney Raker, who has charge of the church in the hub of the Mamawaitu, was briefly acting as locum tenens for Mr. Glasson at tihe Terrace. Nest week, the Congregational ministers of this Island will be making a descent on tihe South, to attend the annual meeting of their Union, which takes place in Dunedin during the seoomd week in February. • • • The Oamaru "Mail" has had a good deal of Mr. A. H. Maude's copy to contemd with for many months past. The "Mail," which is owned and edited by Legislative Counoilloir George Jones, is an ardenit advocate of no-license, and it is' its advocacy of Prohibition! whiuh brought Mr. Maude into its columns in opposition. After many months of replying with footnotes and editorials, the "Mall" has ait' last grown weary of the fight. In answer to a letter of Mr. Maude's, bearing date the 10th inctant, the editor concludes — "We trust thait Mr. Maude will have enough respect for himsielf and consideration for us and our readers to let this matter now sink into oblivion." This is more tactful than sending the challenge "Come into the gamden, Maude'" * * * Mr. Anstey is a, new Labour member for East Bourke, in the Victorian Parliament. There is nothing trite or commonplace about him. He is original to his finger tips. Here is a sample of his oratorical style — "The Treah surer had descended to the cesspool of slander, but to the dirt and filth of slander other men could descend to meet him on common ground. With feeble hands and raucous voice Mr. Shields had called upon God with foul blasphemy to strike all men dead who h2d opinions different to has own. This was something new." "This is a maiden effort," observed an hon. member. "Yes," replied Mr. Aastey, with vioLently- wagging head, "and I am going to make more maiden efforts before I am done with this House." * * » Proceeding' Mr. Anstey delivered a harangue about the "symbolisiation of the oracle of the bottle," and talked about giving a> Minister "a Micky Nathan for his Larry Foley." "Wait till I get my notes," continued Mr. Anstey, as he fumblled in his pockets, and drew forth a pair of pince-nez. "Hold on, Mr. Reporter," he continued, "it's all right; give us timei for a fresh start. It is all riirht. The Jews had one scape-goat, and one goat is good enough for this Government.. Yes, Mr. Speaker, one Government, one goat." "Who is the goat now!" asked someone. "There is a bit of a, goat beginning to kick," resumed the hon. member. "I don't know whether I'm the horns of the hind leg of the goat, but I'm going to have a buck." In conclusion, Mr. Ansitey observed that for the first effort he thought he had "done very well."

A rose by any othei name may smeLl aB sweet, but the Minister ot Defence flunks that the white-elephant building known as Mount Cook Gaol will ha\e a better taste on the tongue if called the Alexandra Mihtaiy Depot in futuie. Anyway, that is the order of the day What has the Queen done that she should deserve this indignity 9 The Alexandra, University would have been a much more elevating title foT the ,sate, if not for the building Why should such a valuable site be given over to a barracks? If would have been the proper thing to have "retrenched" Mount Cook, and sent it over to the Education Department. Alexandra Military Denot, indeed 1 • • • We are well seived with medical men in New Zealand, there being just about sevein hundred of them in the colony at time of writing. That givee each doctor about 1140 patients to live upon. In Wellington there are seven-ty-nine medicos, and they have about five hundred natients each to keep un their smart horses and gigs. And, this is a vary healthy country. Dentists, who a.re getting more work to do with eveiry year of the colony's age, are w ith us to the extent of about one for every 2000 of the population, so that it is little wander the "gum-diggers" are always busy when a suffering mortal wants a tooth out.. There are forty-two of them in Wellington, so that there is one for something over every 1000 of the Empire City's population. » • » A lady of moie than passin^ interest is at present journeying through the South Island tow ards Wellington. This is an educated daughter of India, bearing the somewhat strange name of Manaramabai the daughter of a lemarkable woman, Pundita Ramabai. The mother of our visitor, some years ago established a mission for taking care of and training the many young widows and orphan girls in a district near Poona. Pundita Ramaba/s mission, is primarily of a Christian conversion nature, but also has industrial a,nd medical departments. About £10,000 per annum is expended on the mission, the financial support coming from America, Great Britain, and India » » • Raniabai's daughter, Manaramabai, is touring the colony, after coming from Australia, in the interests of the mission. She. has been specially trained and educated to help her mother in the great and enterprising work undertaken. Manaramabai is an English scholar, having been educated in America. Miss Abrams, one of the Pundita's staff ait the Mukti Home, at Kedgaum, for youne girls rescued from the famine, accompanies Manaramabai during her travels, and both ladies give addresses upon mission work in India, Ramabai's daughter being a gifted speaker. • • • The "Gazette" has announced the promotion of Lieutenant John Redmond to the captaincy of the Wanganui Rifles. The big and ruddy soldie who is a Wellington boy by birth and upbringing, is one of the' keenest volunteers on the northern West Coast. He is wellknown to riflemen all over the colony, and spent his holidays last year at Trenithani where he put in a; lot of work as a range officer, and increased the scope of his popularity by the cheerful way in which he carried out his duties. His nromotion is well deserved, and Captain Redmond will nxakei a. presentable as well as an. able officer m command. Captadn Redmond is a son of that well-known and popular member of the Ministerial messenger corps known as " Premier Seddon's Watchdogs," and his younger brother is a very popular ex-civil servant, who u> now r following: hi 6 natural bent as a staff sergeant-major in the Defence Force. • • • Mr. Andrew Collins still has that bee buzzing in his ear which tells him. that the cause of the latter-day lack in interest in Trades Council affairs is due to the presence of the press. And, Mr. Cole, who always has a Nay for "Andrew 'si Aye, told the Council, with equal emphasis, last week, that it was not the press, but. the weakness of the spirit of the delegates which accounted for the falling off in the attendance at the Council's meetings. "Oust the' reptile press!" shouted Mr. Collins, "and the delegates will come back." "Let us have men with the courage of their opinions," retorted Mr. Cole, "and we will have a. strong Cauncil again. The press is all right, the delegates are afraid of getting their opinions! m print." A debate upon the presence of pressmen at the Council meetings has become the "big gooseberry" item of the one-time Parliament of Labour's orderpaper on off night®. • * Mr. C. R. Beattie, who, for the past three and a-half years has been the secretary of the National Dairy Association, has just resigned that position. When Mr Beattie returned from his trip to England, a few weeks ago the Lance indicated that he had brought

back something better than a secretaryship from the Old World Hei has taken his ooat oft, and w hat was then up his sleeve is now "out." He has defended to become Seattle the Butter-mam, instead of continuing as the secretary e\ en of an important concern like the N.I). A. But, he is not taking business chances "on his. own," for he has. joined forces with Mi. J. T. Lane;. Whether the new film's style will be Beattie and Lang, or Lang and Beattie, or Lane, Beaittie, and Co., has not yet been announced. • • * Mr Lang, who has joined forces with Beattie the Butter-man, is ais, well known in Wellington as in. the Mana.watu distinct and that is saying a, great deal. For, the lengthy Lang has been the manager of Messrs. J E. Nathan and Co. 's dairying business from the very beginning of its butter business, and Palmerston North has been his headquarters. He is very popular, and is known to* eivery man in a wide oounbrvside who has an ounce of butter-fat to sell. Prior to starting in to helping the Nathan Company to build up its big butter business, Mr. Lan"- waisi one of the first dairy eixperts which our enterprising Agricultural Department imported from abroad for the training of the farmer to make a pound of butterfat, errow where formerly only an ounce had been produced. Mr. Lang will stall reside in Palmerston, and Mr. Beattie will be quartered in Wellington. • • • Even a Labour leader can take a lest. Among recent, recuperators iti New Zealand was Mr. J. C. Watson, leader of the Labour Party in the Federal Parliament.. Mr. Watson has been a greater factor in. Commonwealth politics than even. George Reid, for the latter has no following worthy of the name, whilst thei Labour Party has 1 been m the happy position of "pudding." being able to bring victory or defeat to Premier Barton. The "pudding" has leaned hard against the' Opposition so far, and occasionally has given it some nasty "bumps." It is generally acknowledged that Mr. Waitson has beem an able leader, haiving done very fair and faithful duty to Australia durine the trying time of the framing of the Federal tariff. • • • Neiw Zealanders ought to be particularly interested in Mr. Watson, because he is: a Maorilander by education and training, thoughl born in Valparaiso, in Chili

and is of English-Scotch parentage. He came to Oamiara when a lad, amd it was in the "Mail" office of the seaport of North Otago that he became a printer's devil, and afterwards developed into a good printer — for he- is, or was, a "camp." Sixteen years ago he took his "stick and rule" to Sydney, and became am active trades unionist., eventually 1 ©aching the chair of the Trades and Labour Council. • ♦ Whilst president of that Council, he was nominated for and won, the Young seaib in the New South Wales Parliament which he held until the creation 01 the Commonwealth, when he won the same seat (which is fedarally known as the Bland) m the Federal House of Representatives. Mr. Watson came over to New Zealand, with his wife, to spend the Christmas and New Year season with his married sister, who lives near Qa.ma.ru. Afterwards the unobtrusive Labour leader quietly toured this colony before returning to the Land of Heat and Labour. A large crowd of ladies was greatly mr terested in the maimage of Mr. David Milligan and Miss May Durrant, at the Kent. Terrace. Church, last week. For the bride is well-known, and is as rwetty as a picture, and Mr. Milligan, as becomes one of his craft, is noted as one of the best-gromed men about town. He came to Wellington some eight or ten years' aieo. from Oamaru, and has gradually made a. name and reputation to be envied. Mr. Milligan has travelled a exeat deal since comin," to Wellington and has delivered several interesting lectures upon his travels, thus himself to be a man of observation as well as of taste. * * * The Master Butchers' Society of Wellington had an election of officers last week and several well-known names appear on thei list, of those honoured with office and responsibilities. The new president (Mr. W. J. Garrett) us wellknown wherever in the province a herd of cattle is yarded or a mob of sheep penned. He is as keen a buyer in the country as he isi a retailer in the. city. Mr. E. Barber, the newly-elected vicepresident, is better known as 1 "Ted " or "Teddy," and has been a Wellingtonian from his boyhood v.p. He knows the footballers and cricketers of Wellington as well as he knows the points' of a beefy beast, and is* enthusiastic in everything he undertakes. If needs be,

he can prove a very Sandow in sending up the pmce of mea.t, though) he can temper his strength with much pity for thie poor public. * * * The secretary of the Master Butchers' Society is Mr. A. Duncan, and he is in business opposite the northern end of the Basin Reserve. Life is not so strenuous with A. Duncan as it is with The Barber, the secretary's only excitetment outside of the condition of the meat market being a taste for violin playing. His house resounds with the tweaking and the squeaking of stringed instruments, as two of his sons play the instrument unon which" the father leans, and a. third nurses a double-bass. The oomnntteeimen of the Society are such well-known men of meat as Messrs. S Philps, James Rod, E. W. Wilton BT. Johnston, a.ud F. It. Bust. The laet>named butcher has won fame in two circles. It was but a, little while ago that he was a very energetic, if not aggressive secretary of the Operative Butchers' Union a week or two a<*o he was the envy of the Wellington) master butchers on am organisinr tour in Ota^o. and now he is an active officer of the society hei at one' time so heartily contended against.