PERSONAL PARS.

NZ Truth, Issue 110, 27 July 1907, Page 1

PERSONAL PARS.

Tom Seddon doesn't: seem to be a very strenuous successor to his latelamented, indefatigable parent. He is rarely heard— or seen— in the House. Tom is too modest, by half. • « • , Premier Ward, who for years held ' the record as the fastest chin-wag-' ger in' both Houses, has handed the biscuit to J. Austey, M.L.C., whoseverbal velocity holds new terrors for the "Hansard" staff.. ' • . . * » •....'.. James Tobin, a very old resident of Southland, Who had attained the age of 100 years, died recently. - He was an uncle of Messrs James and EdWard Tobin, successful farmers m the Hedgehope district, and well known as participants m heavy athletic contests. • • a It seems incongruous to hear "fullblooded Maori member Ngata discoursing m the Reps m cultured English, and flabbergasting the House with fiis knowledge of men* and things. Ngata is a 8.A., * a barrister and solicitor, and a member of Parliament, and yet is a comparatively youthful person. .. •' *a « " Pedlar Palmer, the English pug, has gone under foi* five years' hard fbr killing, a passenger oh an Epsom race train on April 24 last. The. killed passenger persisted m singing, and Pedlar stouched him. Judging from some singers one hears on Trentham race days, the verdict of the jury ought to have been justifiable homicide. • . • * Florence Nightingale, the first army nurse, who was born m 1820. is' still alive, and at 86 years of age is m possession of all her faculties. She was the daughter of a wealthy father, and is a member , of the.ancient and honorable order of old maids. Either the men have been ungrateful or Miss Nightingale has been fastidious. ... • * » Dick Stewart, well-known m theatrical circles as manager for J.. C. Williamson, was m Melbourne recently entertained at dinner by Mr Andrew Mack, for whom he acted as manager during his • tour m New Zealand, and was presented by Mr Mack with a "-old match-box, initialled m diamonds^ and inscribed with an appropriate expression of friendship. **• - » The death is announced, at Wanga-' nui, of Mr Daniel Hughes, formerly t.j- sergeant of the Goth Regiment, ■ and who, with "The- Royal Tigers," took part m the Waikato campaign to which the early settlers were subjected. He was wounded m the memorable fight at Rangiriri. The deceased was the "beau ideal" of a soldier— a fine, well set up man, and looked the soldier every inoh. • . • • William •Williams,- a well-known identity, known as "Bristol. Bill," died m the Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) Hospital recently,, aged 74 years. Deceased had had an adventurous career.' He was m the Imperial Navy at the Jjime of the Crimean War, andwas m a gunboat before Sevastopol. Shortly afterwards he came to Aus- 1 tralia and went to the goldfields, afterwards drifting over to New Zealand. \ ■■- • » v * Colonel Bell— "George Washington" —formerly US. ' Consul-General for . Australia, is dead m Sydney. Lawyer j and lecturer by trade, solicitor by ' accident, the namesake of "the man who never told a lie" walked not m his nominator's path. Had many narrow squeaks of being bowled out. Married a pretty Sydney girl some years ago— the second time of being "spliced"— and had sons and daughters older than Mrs Bell No. 2 over m Yankeeland. « • * Passed away at Christchurch the ' Rev. Dr. Elmslie, who was twice Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly. He was born m Aberdeenshire m '31, arrived m Maoriland m '67, and had pastoral oversight of the Wanganui Presbyterian parish l until '76. After that he shifted to ! Christchurch, and was m charge for ■' 27 years, resigning four years ago. { A man of simple, gentle manners, he ' could display great force of character when necessary, and was regarded as an intellectual giant by other ministers of his Church. • ,<* «, .The cabled intellegence that*' Mr Neil Galbraith, secretary of the N.Z.R.U., "was m attendance on Lord Northcote, the Commonwealth Governor-General at the N S.W.- . N.Z. Rugby football match, was no doubt pleasant reacting for everybody who know "Gaily." But fancy, the intelligence of the Press Association man, who, hard-up for copy, has to cable such an item. "Gaily" m - attendance was he. Looks, as if "Gal-?, ly" has been pulling the wires him- , I self. Having grasped the hand of a real live lord, he'll hardly be a-ble^ to push a quill when he gets back into his dingy office somewhere near . Ithe wharves.

McLachlan, M.H.R., is a white';,{Ot-rni-rather red) replica of the wild,'; :,", bushy-whiskered Australian aborigiA !.-•'; nai, who advertises a brancL-^'qf fo :■■'[ eucalyptus on the city hoardings. :': » • .•,-■'■ ■*•■' When Sir H. M. Stanley, G.C.8., the African explorer, made off to investigate the ethereal, - or infernal, regions, he didn't take the missus' with him, * and Lady Stanley was quietly married to Henry Curtis, F.R.C.S., recently, - at All Souls', Langham Place. • . Mi| Justice Button is "a very re* ligious gentleman. Related of him that not long ago he expressed bi9 unwillingness to 'read court depositions on a Sunday. Consequence was that Criminal Court sittings down South could hot be opened on. the date set down. a • «... Maoris of the old school are proverbially long livers. Wiremu Pdkuku, who died at Moeraki Kaik (Otago) was aged 88. He was born at '.Kaiapoi*, and became chief of the Ngaitahu tribe after . Mauhara. A tangi on an exceptionally large scale is being held this week, Mr A. W. Mount-fort, secretary ot? the Wanganui, Rugby Union, was m Wellington last week. He iniformecl "Truth" that his Union had challenged Auckland : for . the- l^hfur.ly' Shield, and when '"Truth" smiled-jfib told us that they did not expect to beat them. Neither do we?. • • ■ a. The widow of the late' Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who 'died m the Old Country, m her will leaves a sura Qi money, which- will be supplemented by her sister, for the purpose of erecting m Wellington a statue to the memory of her illustrious husband.,. A definite, scheme will #£«-»- .-._ bably be announced, shortly. ,'■;- --* •■ « • Russia- sent a secret expedition td visit the . Macquaries as far back ati 1819, and the result of the trip and other information no doubt will ka found m the archives at~St. Petersburg. Mr A. McNab, brother of ths Minister for Lands, intends looking the matter up when he visits Europe shortly: He goes on a twelve months trip, and will seek information m the most likely ouar-" * ters for publication m his brother's next book concerning early Maoris land. • . • .. • More literary changes. W. J. Guerin, sub of the "Taranaki Herald," has joined the sub-editorial staff of the "Evening'' Post.". V. O'Brien, of the "Hawera Stair," has left that journal to take a berth on the "Taranaki Herald." John Youlin Birch, of the" "N.Z. Times," is J off to Auckland next week to rejoifj his old love at Auckland. J. Y. has made himself very, popular m: Wellington, and, what is more, his value' on .the- "Times"., has nevei? been properly appreciated." Anyhow, good luck to you,, John, where'er you may be. In Nelson the people live to a great _ age, . and anybody out of a billet has to wait for somebody to die, or get out of the place. The elderly inhabitants seldom elect to die away - from home, and something of a sensation has been caused m the hop centre by the annouuement that T. H. Bannehr, for thirty years part proprietor of "Nelson Colonist." is about to weigh his anchor., and forcibly mutilate the associations of a lifetime by joining his son m Chiistohurch/ The . eider'sshake their . heads — it is hatd to transplant a tree that has matured m. congenial soil. •• ■ • Captain Jas. Gardner, who has just "gone over" at Invercargiil, was a runholder who saw stirring times m the • roaring days of Victoria He was outrider to the/ gold escort during the gold boom, afld on one occasion when an attack was made on the party, which was taking a large quantity ,of the precious metal to Melbourne. Gardnei was shot m the rip-ht hand, which was practically useless ever afterwards. Later on he w»ent m fot sheep-farming;.- and subseaupni.lv mad» Southland his home The skipper was a great sport, and was mastst of the Birchwood hounds. *- * * Martini, proprietor of the Weßknown buck-jumping show, has m«S his death by unruly horses. He *flra_s driving a waggon at Armidale N.S,, Wales, and the horse bolted, witifc the consequence ihat Martini was thrown out and fatally injured. Ha was a sauare goer, and never forsoft to .pay the nrinter, wherefore R.T.P; Barman's Grey was the foundation of his fortunes, and at the time of his demise the show was touring New South Wales with seventy horses, twelve waggons, and a tent capable of seating 4000 oeot>le Martini, profiting by* experience, latterly published with his announcements the description and branding of "Fobs," his new champion buckjumper, to warn against imitations*