PERSONAL.

Observer, Volume II, Issue 44, 16 July 1881, Page 488

PERSONAL.

—Mrs Hampson was the means of making no less than 700 converts to teetotalisin in Invercargill. "Wiffey's" "brother is going to Suva to take charge of the Bank of New Zealand at that place. — "Nab " and "Hookey " are very sweet on the new importation from Christchurch, but " Nabby " has by far the best show. — An old gentleman at the Thames named Blake is said to lie the heir to a property in London worth £140,000. — Dr. Sandcs found the residence of Governor Barnsley very comfortable, and hopes to have the pleasure of visiting him on some future occasion. — The chief officer of the Hero is immense at the " Death of Nelson." He says he docs not profess to be a singer, but likes to be obliging. — Riccardi authorises "Puck," of the Witness, to say he has no intention of joining Carey's "Pirates" Company. — A coroner's inquest has been held at the Tiki. Bill Wiggins was elected foreman, as ho was the most respectable looking — so he says himself. — What was the Earthquake business that "Forney Pitts" heard at the Thames. It is to be hoped his feelings were not moved. —Epitaph for Mr Robert Stout :— Bobbie Burns (N.B.— The temperature of this joke is considerably above boiling point). — How is it Mr Gulliver can keep his class in order so perfectly now and yet could not during the Macrae regime ? — Mr Compton indignantly repudiates the idea of wearing a Yankee hat. He goes in for protection, and swears no man shall roof him but Fenton. — Barnsley has been styled " Governor of Motuihi," and. is becoming quite an important personage. He is said to be "not such a bad old fellow, when you know him." — Albin Villeval, the little French printer, advertises in a local paper that he is not the " cleverest teacher of French, in Auckland." No, Albin, you are are not. — Newton Pairs had better take care. We owe him a turn for the underhand way m which he has been trying to injure the Observer, and we know all about those raffle tickets. Nuii sed. — Willie Dixon thoroughly enjoyed his Ausstralian trip (and so he should, seeing that he has brought back a handsome bride with him), not excepting the week's stay at Moutihi. — The New York Mirror says that Emily Melville has been offered a guarantee of £4000 for a season of comic opera in Australia, with herself and light first-class opera-bouft'e artistes as support. — Mrs Walter Hill having determined on leaving Christchurch, her friends in that city intended to tender her a complimentary benefit, but the theatre could not be obtained. She is to be presented with, a substantial testimonial instead. — Tom Wright has taken a fresh departure, having gone to help Chummy Martin to survey the Great Barrier. Tom will strike a bonanza yet. He has had the most varied experiences, and exporontia does it (sometimes misspelt docct). — Amongst the passengers to Wellington by the Te Anau were Johnnj' Sheehan, looking like a highly coloured meersohaum, Mr Wickens, and Mr H. Rawe Smith. "Wickens will be back in a few days, but Smith has shaken the Auckland dust off his feet for ever. He leaves a few damaged hearts behind. — Mr R. H. Stevenson, the local manager of the Union Insurance Company, returned from Melbourne via the South. He went to the Victorian metropolis to defend the case brought against his company by the owners of the barque Clara Hargraves, and was successful in his defence. — It is understood that Mr John Smith is about to enter into partnership with the Rev. Ananias Iscariot Branie, and will assist him in editing the Free Liar. Nothing but Mr[ Smith's forciblej and elegant vocabulary is needed to make the " religious " journal a component port of every respectable family's cesspool. — Gossips about town hint that a marriage is on the cards (though not of course absolutely certain) between the Hon. John Sh — h — n and Miss H — lm — s, sister to Mr V n, the cab proprietor, who erstwhile " bossed " the Cosmopolitan Hotel. V nis naturally rather proud of the connection, and talks a good deal about " my fnture brother-in-law." — The story that is going the rounds of the Colonial Press anent Tom Bussell making £750,000 by lucky speculations in Turkish bonds should be accepted cum grano salis. A correspondent says he has good reasons for believing that there is no truth in the rumour at all. Mr Russell's luckiest hit was at the Thames, where he made £100,000 from the Caledonian. — The stout timid little man who, while in a great flutter of excitement, put his remarkably large boot through the glass of the lantern which he borrowed, on Sunday night, has, we are happy to say, almost recovered. He will, no doubt, be pleased to learn that at least one of the great crowd of onlookers, who watched him from the wharf, had a consoling word for him. A charming young lady remarked, " What aclumsy clodhopper, and what awful feet he must have !" — Captain McGee was terribly "sold" last Friday. He saw Dr Philson coming, and, anticipating permission to " up anchor," started every available person on the job. He was partially correct, for the doctor said he was satisfied the vessel was quite " clean," but, upon Captain McGee giving orders to get up steam, the doctor said such a thing must hot be done on any account before the Government were communicated with. The captain will understand next time the roundabout way commonplace matters are managed in this Colony, and be more cautious. — Captain Casey, who died on Thursday last, deserved the gratitude of a large number of the settlers north of Auckland, whom he placed within steam communication with this city, long before they could have hoped to be, had it not been for his enterprise. His death, was indirectly attributable to an accident which happened on board one of his steamers. Some time ago a derrick carried away and fell upon the wife of a settler, who obtained damages to the amount of £50 or £60. Captain Casey, though always ready to give liberally to charitable or religious objects, strongly objected to losing money. He blamed the captain of the steamer for the accident, so he dismissed him and determined to take charge of the vessel himself until he had recouped his loss. The work was not nearly so hard as that he had been accustomed to do in his younger days, but it was too much for a man of his years. The consequence was the illness which resulted in his death. He leaves four daughters and one son to mourn the loss of a most kind and indulgent father.