PEOPLE WE MEET.

No. VIII. - PROFESSOR G. P. HAUSMANN, CONJURER AND ILLUSIONIST.

(Decorated by Lord Glasgow.) [Specially Wjutten l'ou The Otaoo Witness.] Professor George Percy Hausmann, the wellknown clever conjurer and illusionist, who has just returned to Australia from an extended Maoriland tour, was born in Christchurch (M.L.) September 27, 18G9, and received his education in Wellington. After seeing Heller conjuring and Professor Hazelmere he made conjuring a hobby, and, like Carl Hertz, used to amuse his chums at school, when, playing with a coin one i]&i, "His teacher called him before the class yni) asked him to give up the coin. He held it out to hex on his finger tips, but on reaching foi it the teacher found tho coin had vanished. (Hausmann also vanished!) The following day he was "trying the changes" with an orange, when he was again called out. Hurriedly wrapping tho orange in a sheet of paper, he stepped up and gave it to his teacher, who, on unwrapping the paper, to the amusement of the whole class, turned out an apple. Georgq Hausniaun* EcUtfuiug fi;ora a pleasure

trip with his people to America, entered the profession in ISBI as assistant to Professor Anderson \-:o,-i of the wotld-fo minis old master of that rame and the Wizard of the North) on Ilia first MitortlJiid tour, ut the conclusion of winch he put m six years ac the brewing trade, finishing up ly owning the brewery. Selling out, he re-entered the piotsssion at the Theatre Royal, Wellington, with John L. Hall mid Co., playing James. in ... "Hand and Glove." Cluusen „ ... " ltip Van Winkle." Joo „ .. "' Queen's Evidence." In 18S3 Piofessor Hausmann went to Invercargul and et.:rted with hib own show on a corujjlete tom of Maoriland, making his first appearance as a coiijurer cv Slo&no's The.-.tre. Attei a somr-ivh»it leu : ;l'iy tour, which, both arti&ticrtlly and litir<iifi*iily, >ks highly trace* l-*-ful, he returned tc Invereargili, x.nd took on rollei- skating, and being a crack, fiist skater — he learnt the art in Aineucit, tho home cf r:;iler skating— lit succeeded in putting up a record, doing lhe five miles in llaxiti 25seo, foi which k& was presented with a gold star medal. Thi-s secured him a three months' engagement as manager of lhe Palmerston Noith Skating Kink. A tap to Sydney followed, via the Bay of Islands, wheie, with his tricks, he paralysed the Natives who came to tho boat's sidfc selling fruit. Purchasing a kit of peaches frooi an old Maori, he cut one open, when a florin fell fiom the broken peach. A few more were cut, witu the sani<i result. The professor offered to buy the wholo of the Maori's fruit, but the Avify Native "wasn't having some," and sat down to extract two shilling pieces from his peaches; with tho. result .'thai he- cut op alMiis fruit, but found, " nary a florin." Rising to hid feet, he executed a war dance, exclaiming "Kahawei! Pakeha Tipol" and fled from tho small crowd that had assembled. This led to Professor Hausmann giving an entertainment on the trip across to Sydney. On arrival Professor Hausmann secured the managership of the Masonic Hall Skating Rink, North Shore, for the best part of six months, during which time ho challenged W Gnrhn, the Australian champion skater, to a mutch on two wheel skates for tho championship of Maoriland and Australia and a £'20 purse. Griftiu declined, leaving Hausmann champion m default. Professor Hausniann returned to Maonland in 18U0, and became lessee of ihe Masterton Theatre Royal (now a grocery establishment) on August 25, buying out the then lessee, Mr Geo. Coker, an old pro. While at tha Royal. : he booked all tho principal touring companies, combined in the winter with roller skating.

The Town Hair; Gladstone, Wairarapa, was opened in '91 by Professor G-. P. Hausmann's Palace of Mysteries. Elere again the Maoris gave him a wide berth. Mr/ Hausmann solcl-out his interest in the Hasterton Theatre . Royal to J. Barnard, the then lessee of Greytown Palace Theatre, and at the end of 1891 went on tour with Wizard of the North Anderson. Another trip to Sydney in 1892, and Professor Hausmann returned to Maorilaud with the Windsor Tragedy Waxworks Exhibition, which, after travelling the Wellington, Wairarapa, and Hawke's Bay districts with same, ho sold out in Woodville to Horace St. George, now m M.L. with his Elite Quartette of Comedians. M'Lean's Young Australian Burlesque and Comedy Company was the next show he was associated with, business managing the whole of the Wellingtou-Hawke's Bay tour. With M'Lean's Company were Miss Violet Murray ("Bubs"), the strong man of tho company, the youngest Mercutio on the colonial stage, which character was, perhaps, her best. She vando a splendid "buy," and put her in her own attire and she was lost. Miss Murray v few months back married tho clever young actor and journalist, Mr Hal de Caro. Others in M'Lean's Company were Misses D'Elroy and Lynne (then playing undei their right names of Breakwell and Waller), who are now such favourites on tho colonial vaudeville stage; Miss Bella Adair, who played ltomeo to Miss Ikeakwell's Juliet; and Arthur B. O. D. Olyn (bi other of Neva Carr Glya and Mrs Walter Baker). In 1894 Professor Hausmann again took on his own show, opening Carnival Week at Hastings where he sold one of hi 3 dutes to 'loin Pollard for £15. Polkid's Opera Company drew £85! Closing a tour of Hawke's Bay, Professor .Halismann joined tha Gourlay- Stokes Company for their North Island tour, opening at Thomas's Hall, Wellington December 26, 1894, for six nights. Roll call: Amy. and William Gourky (now in 'Sydney), who did a good bnrlesquo on music hall artists entitled "Their First Appearance"; Miss H. Randall (now singing at the Wellington, M.L., Wednesday Pops.); Morton Prior (whoso right name was Smith); Professor G. P. Hausmann; Axel Newton, pianis*; | and William Stokes, business manager. During their stay in Wellington, Professor Hausmann , Amy and William Gourlay, and Axel Newton appeared, by invitation, before Loicl and "Lady Glasgow and Government j House society at the vice-regal establishment, i One incident during Professor Hausmann s turn caused not a little amusement. A small boy was required to assist in carrying out one of the conjurer's tricks, and one of Ins f;Xcellency's sons offered. Oo tha professor pointing a revolver at the little fellow, he becanio frightened, and began to cry- Professor Hausmann managed to quieten the boy, telling him he should 'not I>Q afraid of firearms, but euoulO. love the smell of powder, and one of these days he would become a. brave soldier. 1 his i pleased the little earl, who cried out; ' Yes, like, papa!" which brought a hearty round of apBefo'ra leaving Wellington Lord Glasgow decorated Professor Hausrriann with a spjen-didlv-fiuished bronze medallion inscribed- io Professor G. P. Hausmann, in recognition of his skill as a conjurer, from Lord Glasgow ; December 24, 1898." This U an honour highly valued by Professor Ilausmann, to which tew conjurers, not only m the colonies, but w the whole world, can Uy claim. In 1895 Mr Ilausniann left loi Sydney, where ho OT»amse'l the Australia Merrymakers who opened their Maorilanci tour at the Criterion Theatre, Wellington, July 13, 1893 Roll call. Valeria Ellesoxere, Daisy Montgomery, .May Cullen Beatrice Moss, Blanche Leslie, Phoebo Levy, Harry M'Candsdale, Chas Horton Bob Bell, Frank Lynch, Jas. A. Walsh Walter Smith, and Percy Shannon (the throaty tonor") A tour ot Wellington, Clmstchurch, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, and Manawatu districts followed. While at Palrnerston North Professor LLtnsmann had a narrow escape of losing bi3 life. Everyone who reads the Witness will remember the burning of the P.N. Theatre Koy.il, ou which occasion Tom Pollard, whose opera company was then running there, had a heavy loss Professor Hausmatm was assisting to save some of the company's wardrobe, and while in one of the dressing rooms a large case fell against the door, thus blocking his escape. As the flames were rapidly approaching the quarter in which he was penned the professor began to look for means of exit. After vainly cafhng loudly for assistance and exerting all strength to open the door, he attacked a small window, which, after breaking, he minaged to get through with a tight squeeze, severely cutting himself with the jagged pieces of the broken pane. He had a narrow escape, for within five minutes the room was enveloped in I-i 1896 he imported fcho fir«st exlubii.on Rontgen X rays apparatus, which he exhibited before Lord and La'lv Glasgow nt Government House, Wellington, aad after hhmvin? same at Palmerston and Wilhnpum Exhibmon toured the colony. Next imported the- first kinematograph ia"M.L.j ami L. J. ("IMWy'l Lohr,

" the whitest manager I ever met," says thh professor, signed him on to exhibit the 'graphe with Charles Go.ific-y's Vaudeville Co. "The company," sajs Professor Hausmann, ." was more like a plivsure party than a travelling company of workers. While on the Maonlancf tour wo lost a most valued member ot the troupe— Little Dixie, without doubt the finest? orchestral drummer ever seen or heard in the* colonies. We buried him at Napier, and I i never shail forget Miss Ada Baker's singing of , ! that beautiful hymn, ' The sweet byc-and-bye/ over his grave. There was not a dry eye in the assemblage at the grave. Every mcmi lu>i tui-ned out to pay their last respects to our i brother pro. Everything possible to assist his | recovery whs floae by Manager Lohr and Ma I C'jarles Godfrey; and poor Mrs Chas. Godfrey j (who, God reat her soul! has since passed the waj cf all flesh; acted more than a mother for poor llixie during his illness. When," says ii J :ofeaoor Ilausmann, " I mentioned that every member of Mr Godfrey's company attended the funeral 1 should have said all except Miss , which was noted with disgust by the other members; but that is her trouble — not mine." While at Palmerston Clm. Godfrey's Company appeared at both theatres the one night, to packed houses. Cabs were used to convey, each member to the second theatre at the conclusion of his turn at No. 1. "Mr Godfrey's company is, I think," says Mr Hausmann, " tho first to attempt this and successfully, carry it out in Maoriiand." Leaving the Godfrey Company, Professor Hausmann went on an extensive touv of Maoriland with the kinematograph and X rays apparatus. The Vitograph and Biograph were followed by Professor Hausmann's Lumigraph Company, which included Miss Hilly Itidiardson and Mr Albert 'Ti minings, with which he has only recently closed an extensive and successful tour of Maoriland. His latest illusion entitled ''Gone," which is a real smart invention of its kind, promises, when completed, -to eclipse anything of tho sort previously seen in the colonies. Although he has three times escaped being burnt alive and once nearly had his head taken off in a railway train— he lost half an ear — he is still very much alive, and intends to let tha Sydney theatre-goers know the same very shortly. Clever conjurer and a thorough gentleman, may the success which has attended ' him in the past follow him in tho future.— Yours truly, 813. Poverty Point, June 14.