BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 41, 25 June 1881, Page 451

BRIEF MENTION

— Mr Kohn as a Jelm is not a success. — Beware ! Another kleptomaniac is about. — Our Ponsonby " Winter" has gone " Pinafore" mad, — It may afford some of the fastidious friends of Mr Gribbon pleasure to know he is not married. George Done was quite delighted at being allowed to go away as far as Wellington. — Although Tom has returned he doesn't seem much inclined to do more than dance. — The man with the new piano has refused the most pressing invitations to lend it. — It is not generally known that the fourpenny piece is to be withdrawn from circulation. — "Historical Bees" are very fashionable amongst the upper ten thousand in England at present. — Air-guns in Ponsonby are all the rage. Harry has one, so dwellers beware. — The funny man's new long-sleever has been much admired. He should wear it daily. — Signor Robinson's "Caste" company had a very successful rehearsal on Wednesday night. — Miss Leaf joins Mr Carey's company for the " Pirates of Penzance." — Carden is the most popular actor that ever went to Sydney. — Harry Sefton, De Lias's heavy man, fought all through the last Maori war. — On clit that Marshall has taken the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. If so the Aiickland engagement will go up the flue box. — Fred Maccabe has signed a twelve months' engagement for Australia, and is to open his campagne in Sydney in October. — Dr and Mrs Harvey, who were so shamefully ill-treated at the Industrial Home, are going to Te Aroha as schoolmaster and mistress of the district. — Divers lawsuits are threatened a Te Aroha auctioneer over a recent sale, at which a popular boniface entered a protest. * — Mr Hemus, who relieved Mr Martin in the Telegraph Department, is a great violinist and will be a grand acqviisitiou to the Choral Society. — After the stars of the Carden-Leigh Company, Maggie Knight is/«ci7c princeps. Maggie says she is used to hard names now, but this is a caulker. — Jemmy O'Brien has met with immense success down Soiith with the company, and has won golden ox>inions. — Our Ethel's page in the "Wife's Secret", they say, will be the last crowning link in her complete chain of enslavement. It is just " too too." — The rival "Queens" of Mount Albert were at Mrs Waterhouse's ball. Mrs G. appeared to advantage in a black satin trimmed with carmine, — Be sure to go and hear Julia Simmons sing " Lah-de-dah," before the "Pinafore" season closes. It alone is worth the^price of a circle seat. — Young men avlio lecture about "love and marriage " should be careful to take the beam out of their own eye first. — Mr Tim Lowry is about to deliver a lecture in. the Choral Hall, entitled "On the Tramp in New South Wales." — The dance given by the ladies of St Andrew's Choir, held in the Parnell Hall on Wednesday evening, was a success. — George, dear, the next time you ask your " darling Minnie" to blow your nose for you, be 1 sure there is no one near. — There is some talk of the Catholic Concert being repeated, in order to give Mr Gradwell an opportunity of reciting " Tom Bowling." — Jerry says he hopes it will rain every Saturday afternoon as it did last, black pool being" a much better game " for the boys " than football. — F. H. Lcwisson is going heavily into the grain trade. He was overheard giving an order for 1000 sacks of oats a few days ago. — The young man who mistook the dress circle of the Theatre for his bed the other night now drinks nothing but " Zoedone." — Mi-. Alderton, of the Northern Advocate, stands for Marsden in the Liberal interest at the forthcoming general election. — Messrs Lundon and Coupland are in treaty for a pair of the celebrated American trotters, and intend giving some of our horsey men a treat. — Some capital tableaux vivants were given at Mrs Glover's on Friday evening, in the presence of an admiring audience. The best were "Faith, Hope Charity," and " The Judgment of Paris." — Little Weston and Tom Owen played a game of billiards for 500 up, but in spite of all " temptation" in the shape of numerous long beers, Tom was nowhere at the finish. — The present "lion" at evening parties, dances, etc., is Mx Schroder. It is not every day our Auckland belles have the pleasure of waltzing with a gentleman 6ft. 4in. —A few clays ago, the manager of one of our leading Banks was seen performing coachmen's duties in Queen-street. Several pounds were wagered that he was the actual proprietor of the brougham. — Two Albertland settlers having deserted "Sehnapper Land" for Auckland, have started in the rag and bone business, and anticipate making a rapid fortune. — In more than one pulpit last Sunday, the voiQe of the prophet was predicting fearful woes against this city on account of the opening of tfie Free Public Library that day. — 'The employees in Messrs T. & S. Morrin's warehouse presented Sir H. Cooke with a gold chain and locket, prior to his departure for Gisborne. He was very popular. — Jim Coates returned to Auckland, from Waiwera, on Wednesday. He looks well, but his spirits are not very good, and the faculty recommend a trip down South. — *" Clanoarty "isto be got up a* the Theatre Eoyal next Faiday regardless of expense. De Lias has literally given carte blanche to mechanists, scenic artists, property men, and costumiers. — Herr Schmitt is going to introduce a grand new soprano to the Choral Society in the person of Mrs James Dacre. There were no less than 107 members at rehearsal on Tuesday evening. — A Waikato newspaper reporter has been very rough on the new chum diggers at Te Aroha. He had better be careful. At least one of them has been known to castigate severely when necessary. -^There was a small and early (very early, we believe) dance at Mrs. Masefield's on Monday evening, which passed off delightfully, and was lntioh enjoyed by those lucky enough to be present. — Herr Carl Schniitt has fully made up his mind to play in public only at the concerts given by societies with which he is connected. Celebrity hunters and promoters of charitable entertainments warned off ! • —Miss Jenny "Watt Tanner is said to be as baautif ul as ever, and not a pound lighter. She carries AonmpomQmoie gracefully than nny other women oa the stage*

— Mr Mervyn Stewart, eldest son of MrVesey Stewart, was married on Wednesday week to his first cousin, Miss Phoebe Gledstanes. The young lady's wedding presents, which were all stored in Wrigley's store, were all destroyed by fire. — Various were the conjectures as to Mr Ryan's motive in assenting to sing at the late Catholic concert. Some folk were unkind enough to say that he wanted an opportunity to paint the church — orange colour. — "Agrieola" says that two youthful and prepossessing members of St. Paul's congregation, have offered the sum of five pounds for a kiss from a lovely hello, who shall be nameless. He thinks he can arrange it by commission. ■ — There is at present living near Mongonui a Maori man over 80 years of age, who has been confined to his bed for the last three months, during which time he has tasted nothing whatever except an occasional drink of cold water. This beats Doctor Tanner. — The Alpha Cricket Club intends to resolve itself into a Football Club during the winter, and run a muck against all the other clubs in Auckland, expecting to thrash the lot — when they are not defeated themj selves. — It is suggested that if Celestials were deprived of their pigtails on landing in New Zealand Chinese immigration would cease. A poll tax is talked aboxit, but the tails would be the best things to bo taken, unless it's the polls. — The engagement and the marriage we foretold have both come off, notwithstanding the principals outraged feelings at the time we mentioned their affairs. Mr Cameron, it appears, was married some time ago, and Mr Lush brought matters to a head on Saturday. — The young actress who omitted (when leaving Auckland after Lingard's season) to pay her landlady, is advertising for an engagement in New Zealand. She had better send the money along before returning. — Steele's oration on "Love" was a wholesale"plagmrism from O. S. Fowler's "great work." Fie! Mr Steele for reading such a book, and fie still more for giving the portions you did, before a young audience. You a Sunday School teacher too. Fie ! Fie ! — Bob Gillillan's numerous friends may he glad to hear that they will shortly have the pleasure of " shaking his flipper " again, as he is about to be removed temporarily from Wellington to Auckland, to relieve Jim Coates until he shall have recovered his strength. — Madame Lotti Wilmot, who lias not been appreciated in Auckland in the manner her transcendant attractions and many beauties of character deserved, cleared out for Taranaki on Tuesday, quite forgetting to settle her advertising account with "us. Don't forget to sendaP.O.O., Lotti! — Ketten, the pianist, travels with a huge dog. Dick Thatcher, the ferocious agent, always carries a mild English goldfinch with him. All the company, their luggage, and bis own traps — the inevitable case of shells excepted — can go to Jerico until "Smudge," the goldfinch, is accommodated. — Our Ethel is coming back next week. They say she has stolon all the ozone from the chilly winds of the boisterous south, and is more beautiful than ever. Ethel gives " romps " now which are quite as fashionable as Mrs Langtry's parties are at Home. May we ask for an invite ? — In a notice of Mrs Lingard, who, by the I way, 13 anxious to obtain fame as a painter, the Nor York Mirror says : — " Had it not been for the peripatetic calling- she has followed, in company with her singular husband, for the past few years, she would to-day "have occupied a high position on our stage." — Miss Marston Leigh's father, John A. Heraud (.stage fathers always call their children after anybody but themselves), is a groat literary genius. He is the author of " The Dessert into Hill," and if he really knows anything about that place he might compile a handbook that would prove very useful to several people whom we know. — The new Orchestral Society's concert will, it is definitely fixed, take place sometime next month. One of the principal features will be a scenn from Herr Carl Schmitt's opera, •• Cazille," the libretto of which is by the famous author of Orion, Robert Home. — " Doctor" Black leaves in the Clansman for Sydney. He departs, "it may be for years, and it may be for ever." There is weeping and wailing at Beresford-street, while his fair friends at Mercury Bay are in despair. Never more shall we behold those graceful knickerbockers. Alas, alas ! — The Freethought Association intend to arrange their course of lectures so as not to clash with those of the Young Men's Christian Association. How exceedingly thoughtful and considerate ! No doubt the V.M.C.A. will show its gratitude by lending its patronage to the new society. — How is it that a popular scientific lecturer who is a retired head schoolmaster, uses bad grammar in his discourses. Such expressions as " they was" and "between you and I" strike one as rather peculiar when given utterance to by a person who but a short time ngo drew a large salary from the Board of Education as a head teacher. — Some of the northern folk are very thinskinned. The Weekly Ncus Mongonui correspondent, reporting a concert held there a few weeks ago, remarked, " some parties stayed away through conscientious scruples." The following week a deputation of ladies waited on him, demanding an explanation, as there was nothing immoral in the programme ! — The contributions by the young people to the building of the St James' Hall have fallen off considerably throughout the year, and no wonder. Their contributionsiwere contingen t on their being allowed the use of the hall for social recreation, and since they were deprived of this they naturally don't feel suilioient interest in the building to contribute to the interest of the debt. — A certain pious timber merchant and a bootmaker of Freetho nght tendency, are reported to be exceedingly jubilant over the resignation of the solicitors to our Borough Council. They are both members of that aiigust body and the first has been congratulated by his friends as having accomplished an object lie has persistently sought to attain from the time he entered the Council. — Two old men and an old Avoman were reposing together in peaceful slumber last Sunday evening in a dark corner of the wharf. It was a beautiful and touching sight, one to which the pen of Dick Feltus the champion of homeless men and women, could, alone do justice. The whole scene was rendered more attractive by the strong spirituous aroma which delicately perfumed the surrounding atmosphere. — The ex-manager of a fe'ny company was on the wharf the other day when one of the Juvenile Pinafore troupe passed by. "I say, Nipper," cried the ex-M., " are you one of the Pinafore company ?" Yes, I am, was the reply, "And -what part do you take?" demanded the questioner. "A prominent part," was the neat reply, and the youngster abruptly turned away, , leaving the ex-M. to lament over the smartness of the rising generation. —As the weather on Sunday last was not satisfactory, tlie projected drive in tSie country, which some admirers of the "Pinafore " children intended to give them, had to be abandoned, and a te.a at the Albert Hall substituted. The children are nearly all either Jews or Eoman Catholics, and so were permitted to to play about for an hour or two. — Mr George Done, for some time past a clerk in the Auckland office of the South. British Insurance Co., went away to Wellington by the Aiuwata last Friday. He will occupy a nxuch better position in the Company's office in the Empire City than he has held here, and his many friends will be glad to hear of his well-merited promotion. —Mr George Johnstone, formerly of the firm of Whitson and Sons, of the Albert Brewery, went away to Gisborne last Friday, to take possession of the brewery ther& which he has bought from the firm of which he used to be a member. Mrs Johnstone and family will proceed to GKsborne in the summer, so that one of the largest and best houses in the Albert Park will probably De in the market soon.

— We are almost always on the right scent, and this week think St. Mary's Choir will provide the bride. People are anxiously awaiting the fact to be announced. —Next week's Observer will contain the first instalment of an original story by Mr Richmond Thatcher, also a portrait of Miss Marston Leigh, the leading lady of the Carden Company. — Blackmore is shoAving up. Since the acccession of Harry to the managership, lie has quite bewildered the simple-minded residents of Coroniandel with his brilliant display of finger rings. —It seems that inadvertently Aye did "the poet " an injustice last week in crediting him with the statement that " he has a very happy knack of rendering his subject interesting by the use of pure Saxon " The opinion was that of an admirer. — The numerous friends which the little " Pinafores" have made during their brief stay here, will be right clown sorry to bid them " good-bye.' 1 Happily it won t be for long, as they are coming back to play " Les Cloches de Corncville." — The visit of Gladstone's soi-discmt nephew to a certain country hostelry created much heartburning amongst the females of the household. He spooned on one, and the others were neglected. The proprietress fervently hopes that when she is next favoured with distinguished visitors there will be enough to go round. —A ploughing match takes place at Wairoa So .ith next week. Rai%er Goldie has entered, and if he can manago the plough there as well as he ploughed into the affections of a certain Wairoa Belle be will be hard to beat. Bend Or is to form part of tne team the Kanger will work with, so some quick time ought to be made. —Another instance of the unhealthy state of the offices in connection with some of our leading banking establishmentsis is to hand. Mr Cameron, who has been working in Mr Jim Coatos' office while he has been unwell, has also fallen a victim to Hurst's guano store Was it owing to the illness that the " sly dog " confessed to being married ? Murder will out ! —On Thursday evening next No. 2 of the series of winter entertainments in connection with St Matthew's Parish will take place at St. James's Hall' consisting of amateur theatricals, in which Mdlle Maitland, Longford, and McKnn, with Messrs. Edmunds Fitzwilliams, Jones, and Alfred Sullivan will appear The pieces chosen are—" Family Jars " and "My Dress Boots." —As regards the detention of the Sydney mail, we find that Barnsley, the man in charge of Motuhilii, refused to open the mails without a postal officer wns on the island with him. It is high time that some one more competent was placed in charge of the island. It is preposterous to think that, a clerk in sound health should be obliged to go to Motuliihi and incur the clanger of catching small-pox because of the absurd ideas of a narrow minded old man. —During the fog last Monday morning there was considerable excitement on the North Shore Ferry steamer Te Arohn. Instead of reaching her usual destination, she fetched up at the end of the Quecnstrect AVharf, the captain having got out of his customary course. It is considered' by experts that the deviation in the compass was caused by the reflection of Mr C — n's face thereon. — It would be just as Avell if the persons Avho come to the Theatre to throw " Brummagem" bouquets to special little "T?innfores," every evening, refrained from grinning, signing, and gesticulating at the children. It is execrably " bad form," the youngsters don't like it, and it misleads the audience, who perhaps think these insufferable persons are friends of the troupe. — Lachlan McGowan, the actcn-, comes into independent circumstances this year in a highly praiseworthy manner. Some years ago he insured to receivo a certain sum on his attaining a certain age. Ropes wouldn't drug from our Griffiths' safe of a breast the age, and this year he attains it. At times it was like drawing eye teeth to pay the instalments, but by the aid of his admirable wife, Lockic never failed. — Peter Ileid, of the Success, according to latest news from the mining townships, is up to his eyebrows in the composition of a letter to the Observer. He bus actually purchased pen, ink, gilt edged paper) scented envelopes, blotting pud, pen-wiper, iind writing desk, for the proper accomplishment of the task. We await the advent of the missive. — There are more troubles amongst the members of All Saints' choir, and the big picnic and the nmnevons sewing meetings have not been sufficient to induce the "all sorts" people "to dwell together in perfect unity." Several say they won't go in tho choir, and all the old grievances are being iiiiearthed from their graves and paraded once more to the delight of the scandal-loving portion of the band, and to the disgust of the more sensible minority. — The man Matthewson, whose deatli by drowing in Tauranga Harbour is attributed by the police to foul play, was considered by his acquaintances to be what is known as " a shingle short." On the night of the fire at Tauranga, a large quantity of oats in one of the stores were considerably heated, although not burnt by the fire. Matthewson, according to his own state- | ment, instead of returning to his lodgings, buried himself in the warm oats, and slept there" till the morning. — Tom Wright has come back to toAvn, after doing six months of the Robinson Crusoe business ci Mercury Island, in consequence of Mr William Aitken, for whom he was managing it, having sold the island to the Messrs Wilkie. As he had no man Friday, he was rather lonely at times, especially when he ran short of tobacco. However, a man gets used to loneliness, even as eels do to skinning, and he certainly looks well after having been so " far from the populous haunts of men." — A lady correspondent is kind enough to correct one or two slight inaccuracies in " Esmond's " sketch of Mrs Sheiva. That lady, it appears, was never called " Jim" at anytime, but " Jemma;" and the inscription on the card attached to the historical bunch of of grapes by Prince Alfred, was not " for dear Jim," but "for the Gem," the fact being that the party had been looking over some acrostics of Mr Swainson's, and that H.R.H. was much struck by one on "the Gem of the South," intendsd for Miss Balneavis. — Aratapu Gossip. — Hurrah ! Avehear that Tom the Philosopher is going to get married. — Who isthe individual that refused to sing at the Belief Concert unless it was held in the Aratapu Hall. — Georgie E. is back again, but we notice that he isn't so often up the tram as he used to be. Why? — On Friday last, this place was enlivened with a really first-class dramatic entertainment by the local amateurs. A. J. W., with his carrots, looked as unique as usual : the Pinkiweasle member i^layed Ms part as none but one of Ebcaiezer's children could do ; Tom Thumb came the French noble to the life ; Obadiah Boankie had a new suit, and, as usual, forgot his tobacco ; the absence of the Infant was deplored, especially by the ladies. ■ — It is not generally knoAvn that Kttle V. is over head and ears in love with the young girl who plays the part of Josephine in the juvenile Pinafore, performance, He literally haunts the dress circle of tho Theatre, and always seems-to be in the se'senth heaven of delight when. she is on the stage. Last Saturday night, he invested in a, big bouquet, and proceeded to that portion of the dress circle nearest to the right wing for the purpose of throwing it. There were evidently too ' many people there, and he not could easily be seen by hia fair, but decidedly youthful enchanter. He therefore went to the other wing, where there were only two or three people sitting, aud on the first favourable oppor- j tunity he threw his floral collection. Then with a look ] of the most ineffable delight, he smiled sweetly, and sank back into his seat thoroughly satisfied. — Miss Maiden arrived at the turning piont ! of h«r life last Sunday when, at nine in the morning, she was married to Mr. Piyott at the Baptist Church, Wellesley-street. Mr V/ebb entangled them in the matrimonial web with his accustomed dexterity. The lady is a relative of Harry Maiden the 'bus driver and it was natural that there should be an oinni-bviss or a bus all round. The bridegroom, of course, turned round as if on a pivot, and scored the first point. The ceremony over, the "Merry Maiden," a maiden no longer, was escorted to the carried waiting outside. As she passed out of the porch a quanity of rice was thrown over her for luck. As luck would have it, some of the grains passed down My Pivott's back. He remarked that he had never been guilty of av-a-riee before, that ao w ixe had it behind, and it waa altogether against Ms grain.' 1 The spectators cheered and the party drove ofE.

—Mr James Carden and Miss Marston Leigh supported by a company especially organised in Australia for the purpose, commence a dramatic season at tlie Theatre Royal on Friday next, the opening piece being " Clancarty." The New Zealand tour commenced soon after the arrival of the stars from England by the last trip of the Norfolk and the combination have played Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington, the press of which accord both the principals and their supporters the highest possible praise. The only members of the company whose names are familiar to Auckland playgoers are Misses Maggie Knight and Ethel Adelle and Mr J. O'Brien, but Messrs. McGowan, Walsh, West, Elliott and Mrs McGowan and Miss Jenny Watt Tanner have a standing in their profession that speaks volumes for the personnel of the troupe. — Our friend Mr 'Cadger" Castleton-Cox has been at Malmrangi where he called on Charlie McMurdo, and appeared in the new character of an old soldier "late of the Ist Dragoon Guards." After con. versing for some time on military matters, he suggested the loan of a fiver " for a few days," but Mac positively refused to accommodate him, and when Cox said, "I don't mind taking a cup of tea with you, old man," replied "Oh! but'f do," and left him. Cox has now gone to Port Albert, and we wish him joy of anything he may get out of the settlers there. By the way, Mr Hopkins, of Auckland, and Mr Knollys, the Government A.DC. at AVellington, may be interested to hoar that Mr Cox claims to be a friend of theirs, and uses their names freely. As Mr Hopkins is at present in the neighbourhood of Port Albert (i.e. at Otametea.), it might pay him to p\it an end to this imposture. — During the past week, the "Pinafore" furore has continued unabated, and large houses are still the rule. On Wednesday evening, Miss Lina Kobiuson appeared as Buttercup, vice Miss Oily Pollard transmuted into a violin soloist. Comparisons are " odorous " (as Mrs Brown would say), so we wont discuss the respective merits of the two little bum-boat women, suffice to say, Lina speaks very distinctly, has a nice little voice, and pla3'S the part with much, verve and intelligence. Another new feature of the performance now, is the singing of the popular song, " Lah-de-dah," by that sweetest and prettiest of children, Julia Simmons. This song must not be confused with the foolish " La-de-dah, la-de-doo, " I'm the pet of all the ladies," which was the rage about eighteen months ago. It is, in all respects, a much more amusing ditty, and, as sung by Julia, literally brings the house down. The little lady was encored warmly on Wednesday evening, besides being the recipient of several bouquets.