TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11562, 20 April 1903, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

No better i*%a could k be Tho Late given of the nature a*jd Dr. Grace, characteristic* of the kite Dr. Morgan S. Grace, whose d.ath occurred: yesterday at WeHingtflß. tban that incidentally conveyed in hi* ottb - "Sketch of the New Zealand War," published threa years ago. • According to his own statement, t?te book was not intended to have any merit except spontaneity. "I have consulted no authorities, read no flttpatche*," the author explained, and th* very lack of elaboration and research gave more opportunity for his own _.nisl spirit. to display itself. Tho book was written entirely from a vivid recollection of what Dr. Grace had «*n and heard, aad on* of its main objects was tho expression of that generous admiration for the Maori which its author formed from his experience* during tha war. Dr. Grace was bora '*" Queen's County, Ireland, in 1837. According to his own account, he was "tho delicate son of a highly intellectual mother; physically the poorest specimen of a large family." For the sake of his health, ho was sent at an early age into tlie country, where tho ragged village urcliins reminded him continually of his superiority of ancestry, and on the neorci that "blood is blood." pushed the weak child to the fore in every quarcel. The name maxim was invariably repeated, when he emerged, badly handled, $ from fhe Kciimraago, to peptuade him to " go in again." In this way tiie lad developed courage, a quality which ho never lacked iv later lifa, Although, with characteristic mod-sly, lie consistently denied its possession. In June, 1860, Captain Grace arrived in Auckland in m.dicnl charße of troops, fearful of being tbouKlit a prig, and painfully conscious of being considered a dandy, y Tlie Maori War was then in progress, and a brother medical officer, who was then paying court to a very charming girl, was in at beiug ordered to tho front. "Blood is blood," Gracs muttered to him* j «elf. He volunteered at once for active service, and opened up a way of escape for his companion, whose suit had not advanced so x far that he could afford temporarily to abane'en it. At the seat of war tho wounded of all corps came equally under Dr- Grace's care, and he wa» afforded the opportunity J bo coveted, of studying the British *©ld'cr *•■ j under all manner of conditions.

It was at Mate-Riko-Riko Experiences that an incident occurred at which very nearly caused the Front. Dr. Grace to be mentioned " ; in despatches for gallantry. -. After a toilsome march, he was on duty' one morning with the advance guard, and, f a* no attack was expected, the men had stacked their arms, and were Ijing- J * on * i^

smoking, and grumbling, soldieT-wise. at the absurdity of the whole war. All of i Middm the Maoris'were amongst them, j-rtftjcalating aßd flourishing their tomahawks in ferocious; f-tyle. Panic-r.trickon _, r the suddenness of the attack, the men •rushed to their unloaded arm., and fled with them. Several had been wounded: c-no of tbern, badly injured, implored Dr. Grace with a piteous eye to protect him. "Great God! What was 1 to do?" comments the doctor. "If I remained 1 would be toma-la-wk-d- De-crt the wounded man I could cot. Suddenly 1 had an inspiration. I jumped up from the side of the stricken soldier, fired on?, barrel of my revolver at the nearest Maori, and yelled out, Tiprtrary to the rej-uc!' The effect, was injtantarwou?. The retreating soldiers turned on the moment, and in answer to the exhortation, 'Give tbrm tlie "point of the laronet, hoys!' yelled 'Tippcrary!' as with jne voii'e, and the place was cleared of Jjaoris ahnwt imnv-diately." The Chief Jlfdical (Mlker introduced Dr. Grace, te tlie General for notice in despatches, but the recommendation could not go further, aa guv account of the alfair must nec«s«-rily fcave revealed tho fact that tlitre had bt-eu no onmb-.'.ant officer present to rally the. men. which van a breach of discipline. Dr. Grace admits that on this occasion, "I was all dislrs-vdle/1 my hands ami clothes stained in blood.'' The confession even iajcaocri fnat, in the greatness of the panic, ha had \\;en obliged to .top some of the retreating men with his pistol, ami force them to .-any off tho wounded. But in the Doctor's account of the affair these circumstances arc by the way. He ia more concerned in explaining most absolutely, by i variety of unimportant reasons, exactly tvhy not the haft credit was due to him for his behaviour. In fact, when the General, by way of encouragement, promised him that he should accompany the next assaulting party on an especially serious affair, and be mentioned in despatches if he came out of it all right, Lis emotions, he ttates, were by no means those of pleasure. On leaving her Majesty's service. Dr. Grace was appointed to make an inspection of the Army Medical Department of the Colonial Forces, in which capacity he met with many other thrilling adventure. 1 ;. He waa unsuccessful to the end, however, in persuading hiintelf that he hael courage. The book sho-s-s many other traits of character. 'T scorn a lio in any form," the author states in his introduction, "not merely on account of its intrinsic faultiness (for I have known dozens of fine fellows in all walks of life lie on occasion without circumstance) but because, if I told a lie, I would have to own up at once and take the consequence, lest my adversary should think I waa afraid of him."

The future of gipsydom in Taming England is gravely threatened. the Romany life in summer time Gipsy, may be all that poets and painters have dreamed, or Mr Watts-Duntoti declared to us. But the lown offem an escape from many hardships tha, are an integral part cf the nomad's winter. With November, the caravans forget their wandering, and "grouped wiih picturesque irregularity, transform backyards and patches of waste ground, otherwise during six months of the year as blank and dreary as London's half-hidden und uncaredfor open spaces can be, into interesting and artistic scenes." There are at least eight colonies of van-dwellers in Battemea alone, so says a recent writer, who proceeds to show the various civilising' energies by which tho van-dwclkra find themselves surrounded during their stationary months. Tbe attack begins with a "Welcome home," when old and young celebrate the return to town by " a meat tea followed by adelresscs and sacred music." Mission te_vi.es and Sunday schools are held, with a special view to the "Travellers"—there is a "Mission to van-dwellers" in active work —while the children naturally come also under Board School authority during the week. A prize for the neatest and cleanest caravan home, is to be another incentive to propriety. As yet the Romany prefers his summer haunts. ''Nothing that London could give compensated the gipsy for the open common with its savoury delicacies of mushrooms and hedgehogs so easily attained. The men were now obliged to go as far as Wimbledon to bring back a bag or' prickly balls"; but, for all that, hedgebog is frequently procured, for roasting in these ''Londra" yards, amongst a world of outsiders who have no appreciation of this special food. Society on wheels has its patricians and plebeians, its upright and religious, its idle and undeserving, but few will admit pleasure in leaving tho spongy woods to seek the shelter of a forest of bricks and mortar, or cotiut that lifo could ba worth having if spent without a van. "My mother never slept in a house m her life," boosted one dark-complexioned lady, "and it is not many who could say that.'' Still, tho men generally do well in winter quarters, the costermonger'a barrow being the favourite resource amongst the restless, roving tribe; and the children make sharp scholars. A taming process is certainly begun. "Gipsy lore and Board School learning, hereditary instincts, and acquired conventionalities, primitive diet, and the quickly procured tinned provisions —how long can these and many other diverse ami contending elements exist together?"