GILBERT’S PARODY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 674, 28 October 1933, Page 6

GILBERT’S PARODY

LAW CLERK WHO ROSE TO FIRST LORD OF ADMIRALTY "SIR JOSEPH PORTER, K.C.B." The following interesting notes on the original of .Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B. , the central figure in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, "H.MjS. Pinafore" performed on Thursday and last night by the pupils of the Rotorua High School, are supplied by a correspondent. The opera is recognised on methods of naval administration in the latter part of the 19th century. Years ago in the early seventies,

there lived in England a man namea W. H. Smith. When a boy he served a term as an office boy to a firm of lawy;ers land literally ^'cleaned the windows and scrubbed the floor and polished up the handle of the big front door." Wlhen he became a young man he went into business for himself and commenced a stationer's business in connection with which he soon started a bookstall at the nearest" railway station. Finding this a paying business, he put up other bookstalls and boujght out others till the firm of W. H. Smith and Son was known all over the British Isles, especially where there was a railway station. Like many other successful business men, Mr. W. H. Smith won a seat in Parliament. A change of government happened and be was called to the Cabinet and given the position of First Lord of the Admiralty. Of course he knew nothing whatever about ships or the Navy 'but that is not necessary for a First Lord whose chief concern appears to be financial. About this time, Sir Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert had published "The Sorcerer" and "Trial by Jury" which were very well received and were followed soon by H.M.S. Pinafore which is really a take off or skA on the Government choice of men to fill Cabinet positions. The "Pirates of Penzance," "Patience," "Princess Ida" and other operas were wr'itten based on the same foundation. The. "Pirates," was written on the new style of examflnation for officers of the army after appoiritment by purchase was abolished. "Patience" on the Oscar Wilde cult and so on. As these matters happened years and years ago perhaps such facts may interest those who have seen the opera "H.M.S. Pinafore" performed so ably and creditably by the pupils of the Rotorua High School.