PERSONAL PARS.

NZ Truth, Issue 84, 26 January 1907, Page 1

PERSONAL PARS.

Mr ''Ted" Donnelly, late of the Masonic, has bought the New Zealander. .■■»■' * . ■ * Mr R. M. Gatenby, who has been m business m Wanganui for many years, is shortly to open m the Empire City. Mr Gatenby recently floated the Blue Flag Company and has secured, premises m Cuba-street for the firm's headquarters. Before leaving Wanganui he was tendered a hearty send-ofi by his numerous friends. > \ ; . General Manager Munro, , the best hated man m the Zibishun ■building,foss jfco England aftar the ballis over, and expects to get a billet on the strength of has present tin god appointment. But Munro ? s top- hat, a^d his ineffable cheek, and the way he! chews his cigar should gain him a berth at any time— even if it's only dusting tombstones m a cemetery. ■; * ■» • '. ■■ Miss Florence Gleeson has made a exeat hit as NathU-Rich m the "Squaw Man." Miss Gleeson has the female portion of the audience m tears > every night, and last Monday night / a sentimental young woman, who went home m the same tram as a "Truth" representative, persisted m crying the whole way. God bless her soft heart, anyway ; real womanly hearts are too scarce to lie scoffed at these; times. * • * Colvin, M.H.R., had a sorry'experience when toting Guvnor Plunket round the Coast on horseback. Whether his nag was overawed at the company m which it found itself, or whether it was particular what company it kept, can only be guessed, but at all events it threw Colvin, : M.H.R. , on to his napper, inflicting a gash thereon, aiid placing him m a very undignified' position.. Colvin, M.H.IjL, wouldn't bestride that rude nar- arid -he was v lifted "onto another with no serious consequences except that his breakfast, had been badly shaken up. * •' * * Had old age pensioner Simpson not tried to stop a runaway horoe 1 at ! Ross (West Coast) his eyes would have scanned a welcome letter when he reached home. It contained a draft for £100 and an intimation that he had been. left a thousand, and asking him to take boat for the Old Country. But he never read, it ; he was carried to his house a corpse, and his soul had travelled to a better, place than England, one hopes. Another instance of the danger of being an old age pensioner, which appears to "be the limit of bad luck. Simpson aeems to have been a rare plucked 'un m any case and "peace to bis ashes" is well deserved. When m a convivial nipod at Seddonville lately Governor—haw—Plunket said that the manifold attractions of the district' s-houM, aw, be made known, aw. Tourists should be attracted . thither ; "fleecing the tourist was „ profitable thing." Well, no doubt it, is, but we don't want people like plunket blazoning the fact abroad that visitors who come here will be fleeced or. must expect to be. We will presently be called a lot of brigands, or pirates, or other nice names, and all through persons like Plunket, who choose to use the epithets of a Mgjhiwayman at the colony's expense. Billy Plunket takes bloated fine care that he isn't fleeced, anyhow ; it would take an accomplished confidence man to perform that operation. ». • . • The Hon. Bob McNab was,;,almost put up by auction when he visited Cheviot and spoke some, last week. The youth and beauty of the settlement turned up to see the political scouting. McNab is a bachelor, and he isn't being allowed to forget it. i Svmes, M.H.R. , who hails from some obscure place m the North, isn't — he is married. Also, he is a facetious cuss, and m an envious tone of voice he alluded to Bob's boon of single blessedness, and told the Cheviot girls that they should hook him. Symes spoke m the plural, not singular, as though the Minister for Lands was likely to rim n harem. McNab is getting tired of heating references to wedding rings, and the next time Symes 'drags the matter m as a makeshift for a speech he ,may find a pint of beer emptied into his silk hat. [ ' • * * The Rev. R. J. Campbell, whose | branding of the Adam and. Eve yarn as a lie has caused such a flutter m religious circles, is ihe. Congregational minister who stepped into Dr. Parker's shoes at the London City Temple, the Canterbury Cathedral '-of Songresation-a-lism. Campbell is a preacher whom to hear is an . intellectual treat, but like the rest of them, he is out after the gonce every tdme. For some years he was the religious sensation m Brighton, and t-vice the church had to be prlarged to hold the con "reeat ions his magnetic presence drew to him. Then, iiist wli^n ?n expensive scheme was m hand to build a great church there, Campbell re- j ceived a "call" to Ihe City Temple. ■ ?n'' Mr. his followers lai"rnt-in- v the Piri] press of even nreart rrp-chors, v'i'o nover fail to grab tbe main chaace. :

Governor Bill Plunket visited West port, where the coal plays hide and seek, and the town took holiday, and /rarfled it's throat well m order to cheer Bill. There. was the. usual bit o r something to eat, and the customary toasts were tied round a piece of cork, but His Ex. was very brief ita responding to his 'ealth. He only made a few remarks owing; to the scarcity of- time— as if anybody was ever seen m & hurry down that way. However, he kidded the Coasters that he had written a lengthy and weighty speech for their delectation, but he couldn't, iire it off for the reason mentioned. Bill .usually 'reads his speeches, which are composed by some- ■ body 61 se, the 'private'--; secretary , '•' or the footman, or somefcedv, but William P. makes a good ■phonograph.' ' On his own 'he's the worst orator . ever. HennikerHeaton, m- his account to the "Times" of tbe great earthquake * m Jamaica, related his meeting with a young fellow -without hat cc coat, and with a handkerchief, round his . head, whom he discovered to bo Gerald Loder, ex-member for Brighton m the Imperial Parliament. The youthful politician had had a miraculous escape from death, having been writing at his club when the roof fell * and pinned him to the floor. He ' freed himself and reached the . street ncr medium of a ladder placed against the parapet of the. building. Gerald Loder's pa was a millionaire who made his pile m : the Russian- tallow and hide trade, and Gerald distinguished himself early m life by two things, becoming an M.P. at an early a°»e when most moneyed youngsters are busy painting Piccadilly red. and also managing ■ to* marry a ■ f U,ied lady. Whether Lady Louise « Y oder . was m Kiiwsyton' and experienced the ! shake-up cables have not said .to date 1■ ■ ''' : •*•''** *- : '' -•■"'• ,*?' '"' *' ' ' ; - j Captaifl .Owles, rCani&rbury ■representative for Speight and Co., of D«nedin, put up a ten minutes' fight at the Ohristehurch S.M. Court when charged with driving his dog carl at • '. other than a walking pace over the intersection of three streets. The information was laid by Peter Koss, formerly of Auckland, who parts his hair beautifully m the centre,. and has- * miniature imitation kiss curls on each side... Ross proved his case to his own satisfaction', and his evidence was corj roborated by a spectator whose red hair may one day set fire to his hat. But most people m town Know the skipper's diminutive pony, a vain, showy little .thing, who prances and appears to be going fast when it isn't. The captain swore that lie ! never crossed the. intersection at all, . and this was corroborated by oil and color merchant Lees. The informal tion wouldn't have been laid at all hadn't, the copper got real wild. He didn't summon Owles because he. had committed an offence, hut because he had dared to give him lip. When stopped by this precious peeler the captain was indignant and threatened to report Ross to the Sub-Inspector. "Will you?" said Ross, "well, now I'll just prosecute you for your cheek." Now, this. is R pretty state !of affairs to exist m the force. Ross didn't intend- to make a caee of it until the captain threatened to report him for his blasted impudence, not to say insolence. Then he threw himself all rpund the clock tower to see if he could gather evidence. The Magistrate, however, didn't believe his yarn and promptly dismissed t&e case. >■• ' • .•..'■'• The announcement of the death of' Miss Bree (aged 22 ), daughter '■ of the; late Miles Reginald Bree and Mrs. S. E. Bree, of Fitzherbert-terrace, give 3 pain and recalls memories. The late father of the deceased young lady was the only son of .the Rev., iidward. Nugent Bree, M:A., who held ' the in--1 cumbency of St. Matthew's Church', Auckland, m the sixties, aud subse- ' quently that of All Saints, Ponsonby^ Auckland, from its consecration until his death m the eighties. "Keg.," as he was always called, was a sin"•ularly handsome and winiiinft-mali-nfered young fellow, 1 gifted with a, fine light baritone voice, and he was m; great demand, . socially, m the early seventies; His really classic betmty became somewhat marred . by . a blow from a cricket-ball, on the nose while wicket-keeping m practice, back of All Saints, one Saturday afternoon, but he was still a -handsome .;>nd. de-> j bounair Bank of New Zcallnid* bejati when he wedded Louisa, lial f-cai-rie . daughter of the late Colonel. Halneavis', and a fine yoimi: \yoman °^ haTinv disposition, Avho adored ..her husband. He left ,ti:e lan!-: ond went into • business. She died comparatiiveW vounr- and Reit. manried a??. in some rears later. Death, has-b een hnrrfbJy misv m the family since the : l <?a.-' old pastor's tIM-e:- ' **. H^forc M)at re 'had lost a most dunning daurhu'r fl<erIhci) by rpn">'V'" v tion ion ir and br«»v«»ly borne. Th-rn. the wife he .had ii'.arricd when he was ta nml slit 2:' ;inv' her idoli7rd son, P>inn Dc Bn-a -Vw. bin father's . breathing . i'r> ?•':<?. (-*<•■ h:-d nreviouslv lost- an eve thrcwv ar.-'ac-rklr-n^ frt'ov.-HJ.ihp- yfn"raMo -'-v»nian. Then ■ Rer'nnld's fir«t wife ?hnn he hi" R"lf ;frid now 1m c voviv. '':..'.i"hu\\ Th^r:' '•■"'••• 'i;i'c l»C?r! nUprs, too, bu> wcite^ earuwUv. *' x« no.-*