All Sorts of People

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 151, 23 May 1903, Page 3

All Sorts of People

THE Hon. Wm. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Works, is one of the most modest of our public men. In Ins goings to and fro upon the face of the country he helps govern, his course is not marked by the "empties'' of the banquetter. So quietly has the carpenter of Timaru pursued his course as a Cabinet Minister, thai; we are prepared to assert that not one person :n ten, if the question was. put to passersby on Lambton Ouay, would believe that Mr. Hall-Jones had held his portfolio for over seven years* Yet, it is a fact. He joined Premier Seddon's Cabinet on the 20th February, 1896, succeeding Mr. Seddon as Minister of Public Works. Mr. Hail- Jones comes well up the list of record-holders, too, and, next to Mr. Seddon, has held a portfolio for a longer period than any other member of the present Administration. The public is apt to forget these things — hence this paragraph and congratulations to Minister Hall-Jones. ♦ • * The cablegrams stated the other day that the Earl of Onslow had been tipped to succeed the late Right Hon. 8,. W. Hanbury as the Minister for Agriculture vi the British Cabinet. New Zealanders generally, and Wellingtons ns particularly, we're greatly interested lV this bit of news. In the beginning of the nineties', Lord Onslow , who was then on the right side of his fourtieth year, served a term as Governor of our colony. A far-seeing man, and full of political ambition he saw that the man to get on in public life in England should have a closer and more intimate kno\. ledge of the colonies than the members of Parliament posseesed ai decade ago. So, for a season, he dropped out of sight of Westminster, and aw T ay out of hearing of "Big Ben." » * * In New Zealand he gamed an intimate knowledge of our affairs and of our people. He and his Countess weie particularity interested m the Maoris, and made many excursions into parts of Maori] and not usually visited bv aristocrats c tourists. During then stay out here, a son was born to the Earl and Countess, and they named him Huia a compliment to the native race which the Maoris highly esteem. As i host, Lord Onslow was one of the bes*-, and he gathered around his table men of every shade of opinion — all men who were worth meeting, and who had anything to say which was worth listening The Labour Party was a new force ;n; n New Zealand in the days of the Onslow regime, and the Governor's small dinner parties frequently included a prominent representative of the New Unionism movement His Lordship after serving his term as Governor of New Zealand, returned Home, and settled down to public life in London. He became greatly interested in the progressive movement of the newlyconstituted London County Council, joined the Progressivists, and became chairman of the Council Being a member of the Salisbury Party he served the Government as. Under-Secrc-tarv for the Colonies (under Mr. Chamberlain), and has turned his experience out here to such erood account that it feems hkelv he will now achieve' his ambition and reach full Cabinet rank as a Minister in succession to that very n'nlo statesman Mr Hanburv, deceased.

It has been announced that Stipendiary Magistiate Haselden is to take charge ot C'hiistchurch city, in place of Magistrate Beetham, who retires on pension. Mr. Haseiden has been a, resident of Wellington for many years past. He practised at the Bar for some years before being "called higher." During the time he lias been on the bench Magistrate Haselden has filled the office with much dignity, and has been given many commissions by the Justice Department which have taken him aw a,v from Wellington. He has sat on not a few Commissions and has earned out his work with much expedition. Befoie going upon the Bench, Mr. Haselden was a prominent figure in Wellington political circles, and was one of the inner circle of the' Liberal and Labour League in the early days of that organisation. Since becoming a Magistrate he has, of course, ceased to identify himself with any public movements, and has carried out his magisterial duties in a manner which has met with the approval of the Bar and the public We think Christchurch will be pleased with its new magistrate. * * * Dr. McArthur, who succeeds Mr. Haselden, as Stipendiary Magistrate for Wellington,, is already a familiar figure on Lambton Quay. He is well known, to our business people, and still better known to the misdemeanants of the Empire City. He is frequently referred to as Sir Joseph Ward's double, and he not only closely resembles Sir Joseph in feature, but also in those traits which go to make a popular gentleman. Dr. McArthur has become familiar with Wellington Police Court business. As a matter of fact, he has been working on alternate days with Mr Haselden in getting rid of accumulated business these weeks past. * * * As a magistrate, the Doctor is rather fond ot delivering little homilies to the victims of drink and to kleptomaniacs. He tempers justice with mercy, he makes allowance for human fiailties, lias a large sympathy with the unfoitunate, will go to some personal inconvenience to help those who aie down on their luck, but has a very quick eye and peiception for the mi poster. Beneath the velvet glove he lets the wicked know there is a hand of non We congratulate both Wellington and Di. McArthur upon the appointment. ■r * » Members of the Committee of the Society tor the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals learned with veiy much regret at their meeting last week, tlhat the Rev. W. L. Salter was terminating his participation in the Committee's work For Mr. Salter had been an enthusiastic member of the Committee, and during the two or three years he has been in Wellington he has done much for the betterment of the condition of the dumb animals of the city. Mr. Salter's resignation is due to his having been transferred from the little Baptist Church at Berhampore to the Baptist Church at Asihburton. Wellington's loss will be Ashburton's gain both in religious and in social circles. During his stay in South Wellington, Mr. Salter has been closely identified with all movements for the social well-being of the community For somei time he earned out the duties of secretary of the Newt own Ministers' Association « • • New Zealand continues to attract the attention of the foreign investigator of social conditions in new countries. Oni latest visitor is Mr. Sven, Trier of Copenhagen, a native of the countiv which has given England her Queen Mr Trier, after several months spent m studying life and social conditions over in Australia has come to New Zealand to finish off his education in the latest tinners in what the Old World savants call "experimental legislation "

During the sittings of the Old Age Pensions Court and the Police Court, last Saturday, the investigator from Copenhagen occupied a, seaib on the bench with Magistrates McArtihur and Haselden. * * * The stranger is a Master of Arts of the leading University of Copenhagen, and is quite a young man, with the keen face of the student. After doing some service in the University, he joined t'ha State Department which looks 1 after the compensation of workmen injured by accidents, and then ha was seized with the idea of seeing for himself what the newer countries of the world were doing; in the way of social reforms. Hence Mr. Trier's visit to these climes. He intends spending several months making enquiries in this colony, and on his return to Copenhagen may be tempted to do as other returned travellers have done' — write a book upon his travels, impressions, and experiences. The investigator from Copenhagen comes fully armed with credentials from his own people at home. * » • A learned lecture upon the growth Gf cities, and a dissertation upon the educational functions of modem municipalities was given by Councillor Evans last week in the Newtown Library, in opening the second series of winter lectures. Councillor Evans took the opportunity to talk straight to those people who go out of their way to belittle their own city. He said that citizens should exalt rather than disparage the community of which they are a part., and instead of talking against their place of residence they should recognise- their duty, and take such interest in its affairs as would make it the superior of the other cities they so much admired. * * * Mr. John Duthie, the middle member for Wellington, arrived m Auckland at the end of last week, from a visit to Australia, and, during an interview w ith the local papers, he took occasion to follow the Evansoman injunction, noted above. Mr. Duthie spoke with pride of the Empire City, and, whilst saying nothing which could offend even a sensitive Auoklander, put in more than one word for Wellington. The Lance quotes thesei incidents in the hope that other Wellmgtonians either when abroad or at home will remember to exalt their own city. * *■ ♦ M. Jacques In&udi, the "doublebrained" marvel, upset the calculations of tli© mathematicians, of Dunedin lately. In the forenoon he visited the Boys' High Sohcol, and was asked to give the answ er of a sixth root problem. In an incredibly short space of time Inaudi said he had completed his task, and furnished his reply , but the questioner, who had the solution in his hand, said it was inaccurate. The figures were repeated, and, while Inaudi stuck to his gums the schoolmaster affirmed that the answer returned to him was wrong. The blackboard was oalLed into requisition, and, to the delight of the assembled scholars, their tutor had to admit that he had erred in his working of the) problem, and that the visitor was right. * • * At the Princess's Theatre, in the evening a, leading member of the legal profession,, and a B.A. to boot, submit^ ted a mathematical calculation. The answer did not satisfy the barrister, who said that he had carefully worked out the sum before submitting it. M. Inaudi asserted that he was in the right and the audience became quite excited over the difference of opinion, and watched for developments. M. Inaudi's mental work had perforce to b^ again superseded by the blackboard, but no sooner had the latter beem requisitioned than the gentleman in front of the footlights discovered a mistake in his calculationis, amd he good-natur-edly admitted hfo confusion, and heartily led off the applause which followed.

The Orchestral Society, which, held its annual meeting last week, seems to have entered upon, a renewal of the life which animated, that body some years ago. This is pleasant news to us, as we were beginning to fear that the Society had entered upon, a moribund stage. The Society has don© better than well in appointing Mr J. W. Joynt as the new president in succession to Mr. W. Gill, who had filled the dhief office for several years, and was pleased to make way for a fusion of new blood. Mr. Joynt, who is himself an excellent violinist, is well versed in the affairs of an orchestral society, for during the years he was the Head of Nelson College he was an active spirit in the musical circles of the most musical centre in the colony — for, without doubt, the people of Sleepy Hollow are a highly musical community. * * • The Wellington Society has chosen the "lucky number" of vice-presidents, and the V.Ps. are as varied in social position and personality as any seven men well could be. There is Archbishop Redwood, who, like the Society's new president, is a skilled violinist; there is Dr. Wallis, Bishop of Wellington, who is experienced in good music; thea-e are two musical gentlemen, Dr. Young and Dr. Fyffe, the latter inheriting musical tastes, is possessed of a fair tenor voice, and is the organist at St. Peter's , and there are three laymen in Messrs. W. Gill, Frank Grady, and R. C. Hamerton, whose qualifications as musicians are well-known. And the Conductor (Mr. Robert Parker), who was re-elected asi the wieider of the baton — the Lance cannot add anything to the knowledge already possessed by Welhngtonians concerning; the gentleman who has been closely identified with musical matters in the Empire City for the past quarter of a century. • * • • The celebration of the unity of Wellington and Melrose would hardly have been complete without a social function at Brooklyn. And of all the men of the suburb of the high altitude, Mr. George Smith was the one- who should play the most prominent part in extending a hearty welcome to the Mayor and Councillors of Greater Wellington on their first visit to that part of the city which is set upon a hill. This combination of desirable circumstances came about on Friday night of last week. A very enjoyable social was held at Brooklyn to celebrate the amalgamation of the city and its principle suburbs. • • • Mr. Smith was the chairman of the committee which worked up the social, and he it was who welcomed the distinguished company. Mr. Smith, who is the foreman of the Public Works Department workshops, has been all through the movement perhaps the most persistent and enthusiastic advocate of tlhe amalgamation of Melrose and the city. And it was largely to his 1 personal efforts that the proposals were ultimately carried through the Borough Council. Time and again the Melrose Council tried to shelve the matter, but Mr. Smith was on the watch, and when the Council made a defeating move he made a successful counter-move. When the Council raised a legal obstacle, he had that obstacle removed, meetting <m« legal diffioultv with another lepal solution,. So that the rejoicings' of Brooklyn were really the rejoicings of George Smith. # We do not for one moment wonder whether our distinguished visitor of last Saturday, the Bishop-elect of Auckland, ever saw "The Lady of Ostend." Certainly Dr. Neligan, who arrived by the Papanui from London, and passed on to the Queen City of the North, is no "Jonah." He has. on the other hand, had even better than good luck, and left his late parish — St. Stephen s, Westbourne Park, London — well sup-

phed with tins world's goods. We are told that his late parishioners presented Vicar Neligan with a cheque for no less than £750. This incident would indicate that in Dr. Naligan the people of Auckland have secured a Bishop who was very highly valued by the people who had had the greatest opportunities of judging his worth. The New Zealand churches need some strong men to work on their behalf, and it would seem that the Northern diocese had scoured an excellent straan of new blood. • ♦ • One of the most surprised men in Wellington towards the close of last week was ex-Dairy Commissioner Kin-se-lla, when the dairy produce section of the Chamber of Commerce made him a present of a very handsome pair of field glasses, and entertained him at a banquet. For, be it understood, Mr. Kmsella. almost from the beginning of his New Zealand career, had been fighting this very section of the community by insisting upon the separate branding of the butter factories as against the amalgamation idea of the city merchants. It shows that the honest expert is given the credit of his convictions even by the men whom he opposes. • * * Mr. KinselLa has left New Zealandhe took his departure last Saturday — amid the general regret of the city and country people who were the best able to judge of his worth. As has been previously saad, New Zealand's loss, is decidedly the gain of the Transvaal. Mr. "Kmsella told us before leaving that it was with very deep regret he was severing his connection with a land he so greatly admired, but, as a young man with a heap of ambition and a great desire to make a big name m a large country, he could not, in fairness to himself resist the opportunity held out to him when there came a call from the Transvaal "to come over and help us." » ♦ » Mr. Hermann Lewis is an enterprising gentleman, who has done well since he came to Wellington only a short time ago, and who promises to do well by Wellington if the city is asi enterprising as is Mr. Lewis. He is the only patron of our trams who buys his tickets by the block, and it is certainly peculiar to see him pass the block (£1 worth) on to the guard to have a fare clipped. But then, Mr. Lewis belongs to th© peculiar people. He it is who is building that palatial block of buildings in Gruznee-street which is called The Mansions and which is to be opened shortly for the accommodation of boarders. • • • Mr. Lewis's latest enterprise is the purchase of Bellevue Gardens from Mr. Loddier. The Bellevue Gardens are most familiar to the older residents of Wellington under the name of "McNabs." and they have been am out-of-town resort for visitors: to the Empire City these many years past. Mr. Lewis intends nob only to keep up the McNab and the Lodder reputations, but to add to the past beauties of the Bellevue Gardens as a resort for Wellingtoniansi, their friends, the city's visitors, and the colony's Pilded tourists. • • • Rumours to the effect that Mr. Fred. Pirani was leaving the Manawatu "Evening Standard" may be true r but he evidently had not left on May 12th. In an editorial, that, paper says that the idea of appointing a gentleman named to the Legislative Council is a "silly move," seeing that "as a member of Parliament he was the most piteous abject failure it is possible to conceive — not that that is a disqualification for appointment to the Legislative Council under present conditions. As a speaker he was the greatest fraud out, while he never deviated from the even tenor of his 1 way by laying claim to an original idea. What possible reason can be urged for his nomination it is difficult to tell, and why the petition has been "numerously signed" we believe it would be hard for the signatories 1 to explain, excerot that there was nothing to pay for the privilege." • • • Do you know Oliver Bainbridge, the king of tramps? No? Well, you ought to, for this "educated young Englishman," according to the Chicago "Inter-Ocean," was shipwrecked off the Tasmanian coast, after having rescued everyone around him, and found a fisherman's hut, he emigrated to New Zealand. Bainbridge is a brilliant talker His vocabulary is picturesque. He is> keyed up to a high tension all the time, and in telling tf his travels he is apparently as much interested as if he were just from some thrilling adventure when talking. This is Oliver's description of what sort of a night it was when he was wrecked ♦ * • "The night was frightful , the wind howled with devilish ferocity, lightning flashed in zig-za,cj fashion across the dark heavens, thunder boomed every few seconds, rain poured in torrents, the sea was rolling mountains high, lashing the unfortunate ship Austra-

ha when ishe struck the rocks. All too sack and scared to sleep, we were startled by the ringing of bells, and, in the wildest excitement, the stewards rushed into the cabins and yelled out, "The ship's sinking." * * * Of New Zealand he thinks some. The sort of adventures he couldn't help bumping up against, will be gathered from the following ■ — "Thoughts of other countries come a~d go, but one spot remains, the incomparable New Zealand, whose balmy airs are always blowing and wafting to me the delicious odors of the wild flowers that grow profusely everywhere. The summer seas flashing in the sun. and the sweet melody heaved from their mighty bosom haunt me at all times. It was at Otahuhu nine miles from Auckland, that I spent the day hunting, and reached Hutton's farm about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,, and while enjoying a hearty lunch Mrs. Hutton remarked that I hadn't brought her any little 'keepsake,' and suggested that. I go down on the farm and shoot a weasel, which she would have stuffed in remembrance of my visit. ' I started off, accompanied by a young friend in quest of a weasel. I shot two, and was after a third when T stumbled over a root. In falling, instead of having the presence of mind to relax my grasp, I clutched the revolver. It went off as it bumped against mv breast The bullet entered. iust grazing the. pericardium of the heart, and took a downward course, tearing the stomach. The sensation w-as fearful. My stomach felt as though it had beer drawn up mto a ball with a, grappling hook and then a red-hot poker dragged through, with) a fluttering: of_ the breast. There was a vile ringing in the ears and mv head was whirling All became rlark. I benrne insensible. T came to Inter. A number of oroplo were gathered around me All weie deathly pale* — women were crying " The inevitable girl nursed Oliver — "Her sweet face cheered me at once. She very shyly told me that she was one of the 1 students who listened to my address, and that she felt a longing to meet me, but when, sihe read of my accident a 'something' actually drew her to the hospital. She couldn't sleep or eat, she said. They were all so annoyed with her at home because she declared she liked me, and wanted to see me. A pretty girl of 18 summers had struck a chord hitherto foreign, to me. I thanked her 1 , and when she offered her kttle hand in saving good-bye I kissed it, and begged that she would come and see me again. I said I would be better, and had something to This plucky little girl now tramps with Oliver, and "instead of being hampered in my travels by her, I have been greatly aided, for she is a highly educated young woman, having received three degrees from the Royal College at London." Oliver is supposed to be planning a 'hunt for tigers in the King Country ! Sapper Cromie, of the New Zealand Submarine Miners, got married the other day. There is nothing very remarkable in this, of course, except that there are very few single men left of the First Contingent, to which he belonged. The said 1 Contingent did not know him as "Sapper" Cromie, for he held the rather exalted non-com, rank of FarTier-Major, and in any subsequent contingent might have had veterinary commissioned rank for the asking. Curious thing about the farriers belonging to New Zealand Contingents was that nearly all of them had to be invalided. Undoubtedly the work is extremely hard. • * * "Old Ned" Cromie would often be obliged to work at shoeing when everyone else was enjoying well-earned rest. Consequently, he "cracked up." He was not only universally popular with the contingent on service, but his present comrades of the corps' to whioh he now belongs think quite a lot of him. The other day they foregathered at Shelly Bay, and gave him some very nice presents. Besides his mechanical skill, "Old Ned" is distinctly clever with the pen, but he can't talk worth a cent. He is so modest that when Sergeant Greene recently made an eulogistic speech the lengthy warrior looked for cover, but, seeing none, blushed like a schoolboy, and said his mates "did him proud." • • • Bob Oliphant, till lately an ornament of the police force, has quitted the public service, and wne back to his old trade, that of a carpenter. But, the habits of years are not throw m aside in a day, and a good story is told of Robert's absent-mindedness. When on his first building job, he saw a drunken man staggering along close to the scatfolding upon which he was working. Quick as thought. Bob slipped down and collared the erring one. and he had escorted him two or three hundred yards

along the load before he remembered that he was no longer a member of the "foorcei," and had no authority for interfering. • • • Robert \\ as as fleet of foot' as a hare, and many a rapid misdemeanant owed his "cells" to the footballer in blue. Remember the genial "trap" entering for an animal" race on the Auckland Domain. Some people tried to drive liens and tame rabbits, and other farmyard hive stock. Before they had got a start, "Robert the Devil" had romped home w ith his dog, which he had trained for the purpose. * » • The late Mr Harry Henderson, who died from a kick of a vicious horse, at Marton, the other day, had been forty years a volunteer. In fact, he had the longest service in the oldest corps in New Zealand.