All Sorts Of People

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 79, 4 January 1902, Page 3

All Sorts Of People

LTKUTENANT Gu\ Powles of the Fourth Contmgeu' who leturued to his home 111 Wellington just too late to eat his Christmas nudding on Christmas Da\ hat, seen some of the storms andstie&s of cann- filing dunng the last eighteen months A Lance man discovered the leturned soldier looking somewhat pale, but fairly heaity in spite of his very seveie attack of enteric. Surrounded by evidences of his loyaJt\ , in the shape of pictures of great soldiers of the King, not forgetting a khaki picture of Colonel Robin, Mi Powles is one who would rather speak of the doings of those men than anything he himself has accomplished • * ♦ He commenced his soldiering career as a sergeant in Newtown Park, and bv his ability soon became squadron sergeantmajor. When the guns began to shoot, he, being looked unon as a particularly useful kind of soldier, was made regimental sergeant-major a position that many remarkably able civilians would find it hard to fill. He was destined for higher grade however, and somewhat late in the da,v he was given has commission, ante dated — and ante paid Some people are under the impression that the aedle Boer travels around with blood in his eye. and murder at his heart but Mr. Powles disputes the idea. He says Ja.n Burgher is as fair as he is "s'h'm." -and, personalh a erood fellow to meet- — as a nrisoner, for instance • ♦ * In his opinion Colonel Davies understands men better than aaiy officer who went to the front from New Zealand, and he thinks that the composite regiment, of which that gallant officer is to take charge, should bless its luck The stupid and ignorant Boers, in their pigneadedness, alw ays know exacth what the British are going to do before they do it, which is inconsiderate of them, and they catch a few yeomen each day, just to keep up supplies No captured yeoman has been brutally murdered up to the present as far as he knows, but really a soldier cannot be deemed to be an authority when the newspapers are in the same line of business • » • Where then stupidity legally does appear is in the fact that hundreds ot them do not believe that Pretoria is a British town. They have no discipline and that, is, perhaps, why they believe all their offieeis tell them as per Thomas Atkins The British officer is the best of chap?- — in hospital, but frequently he cannot find the necessary drill-book passage in the field, and so, like the man in Tennyson's poem, he has ' blundered " England is the country wheie sick officers go. and where everyone is disnosed to allow for the colonies every virtue and fighting quality Also (and a colonial speaks 1 ), England is the loveb'est country m the world, and an English summer quite the finest thing in tonics aftei campaigning and entea-ic. Mr. Powles cannot understand why anyone who at one time lived in Kngland left it He was asked vvhv he himself tore himself avvav 'Ah, well, you see New Zealand is mv home, and it's the finest home in the world " An Englishman must not be accused of disloyalty if he says the same.

Mr. C B. Monson, the well-known barrister, who contested the Otaki seat at the last general election, is back from the other sade of the world Theie is a happ\ twinkle in his eve and a midsummer holiday look about the whole man that speaks of solid enjoyment achieved We bore down upon, ajid had an interesting chat with, Mi Monson the other day, and found that he had travelled with both eves wide open He went Home by way of Suez, m Novembei 1900 to conduct a Maori a,opeal case before the Privy Council, and as he landed on his return in Auckland on Christmas Day he was a,wav rather more than thirteen months Seven out of the tea months* he was in the United Kingdom he spent in London, and from there lie made a couple of trips to Belgium. The other three months Mr. Monson devoted to Scotland — he hails from Aberdeenshire — and spent the time very pleasantly in shooting, siight-seeing, and visiting. It was just twenty-five years since he had last seen the Old Country. 'What struck me particularly," remarked Mr. MofisGii, ' was the entile absence of indication that the nation feels the war. There is an universal cheerfulness which affords a, sham contrast w ith the matter-of-fact temperament of the Continent. Theatres and all places of entertainment are crowded night after night, and the parks and public gardens day after day, and business is apparently unaffected. These facts aire noted with surprise bv visitors, especially thope from the Continent, whose impressions are derived almost entirely from the foreign press " • * * In this connection, a German gentleman, who had recently come to London, told Mr M orison that until he saw how \erv little England was aiFected by the war he did not realise what a lelatively small affair it was, nor that "Merrie England" was something more than a name National festivals such as Henfl ev — quite as brilliant in 1901 as in former years — showed how liehtlv the life of the people is touched, though a.nv opportunity for patriotic demonstration affords ample testimony of the nation's earnestness • * * Mr M orison was pleased to note that the colonies, and particularly New Zealand, are highly popular m England, on account of their active participation in the war. While in London, he went into barristers' chambers, and gave particular attention to English practice in company law He returned to New Zealand by way of the States and what struck him most in his passage through the land of w ooden nutmegs, was Uncle Sam's wonderful power of organisation "You get a, yen striking illustration of it," says Mr Morison ''the moment yon enter the New York Central Railway Station All the trains are numbered, and each one is placarded with notices telling \ou where it is bound for and the time of departure There is no fuss, won- or confusion and a blind man mieht find his w r a,v about It is all done bv organisation and this =arne powei of organisation is the key-note of the Americans' commercial success " • ♦ • Unlike some other travel lei «. the AVellmgton barrister found the Ameiicans sympathetic towards Britain in the pie>sent war. One of them put it to him m this way "You musn't nay attention to what you see in the political papers. The anti-British writing that you find theie is all done for a well-understood purpose — to catch votes. Putting it on the very lowest ground, we cannot afford to allow r any other nation, but Britain to be dominant. You speak like us think like us, act like us, and live like us and if any other people but yourselves got on top — why sirree it w ould be doo«id unpleasant for u<! you bet "

Mr. W. J. Bardslev. the newly-ap-pointed secretary and treasurer of the Timaru Harbour Board is a very wellknown Wellingtonian, who will be missed His advance in his profession of accountant will be his friends' compensation for their loss. It says something for the capabilities of the thoroughgoing business man that he was selected on lus merits out of thirty-three applicants to fill his present position Messrs. Scoullar and Chisholm have had the benefit of his expert services for fourteen years, and for the last four of that term he has been in charge of that firm's business in Wellington V «- * The employees of Messrs. Scoullar and C lusholm sent him off with all sorts of good wishes, and a shaving case complete while the Ohiro Sunday school, of w hich he was superintendent, gave him a silver inkstand As president of the Wellington Sunday School Union, Mr. Bardslev has identified himself with the good work of that institution, and his withdrawal from Wellington will be a loss that will be keenly felt. Mr. Bardslev is fortunate in having written expressions of confidence from many firms of hieh reputation, each of which, together with has numerous friends, regret his severance with this community, and express the hope that he will^ have continued success in his new position * » • Privates S. J. Steele. A. Richards and H. Parry, the three members of th*» Victorian Fifth Contingent, who were sentenced to death in South Africa in July last for alleged mutinous conduct, have arrived in Australia. Private Stoele said — "We are not taking any more active service under Imnerial officers, but we will go anywhere with our own officers. We are still loyal, and would volunteer for active service for our country again, but only under our own officers The English officers don't know how to treat us. One of them said that Australians could sit on a burking horse, but they couldn't ride, while the English troops could ride, but couldn't sit on a bucking-horse That's the sort of officers we have been under." * * • ' Clem" Moore, the man, who shot a Thames publican, and then suicided, for some years before he went to his "long homo" (he was 6ft 6in) was looked upon as an eccentric. He lived for many years in the Hauraki mining district, and, believing that every man's hand \ra,s against him, became a "hatter." He was m the aimed constabulary in 1873 under Captain (now Colonel) Newell Moore left the rifle for the pick, and the roofs of Clem's drives are out of reach of any latter-day miner. He had varying success, and, of course, like all miners of the roaring old Thames days ho made mints of monev — and lost it * * * Once a miner, always a miner, and Moore dabbled unsuccessfully, and lived his "hatter's" life in a tumble-down wharo Bv some process of reasoning, he attributed this downfall to Howard, now a publican, but at one time also a miner Tho peculiar bitterness of men who live apart from their fellows was more extraoidinarv in Moore, since he had been renowned for his high social qualities, and his open-handed hospitality * • • Federal Oppositionist Reid is a humourist His flashes of wit enliven the rather dull doings of a tariff-bitten Commonwealth. Mr. Kingston, who gained notoriety and everlasting fame as framer of the tariff, also works hard to capture the fleeting jokelet. The mighty Chamber was discussing; eggs a week or two ago. "New South Wales cannot supply herself with the matutinal innocent ege: to the extent of her requirements. She has to import eggs from the Celestial Empire," said the tariff-framer. "Yes," readily retorted Mr. Reid, and provoked roars of laucrhtpi "that shows we don't sweat our hpm."

Premier Seddon has been, allowed the credit for the recent increase in New Zealand's birth statistics, and now he has assumed, the responsibility of weather - maker to a droughtstricken country. During his recent tour between Christchuroh and Blenheim, a farmer, in reply to a quary from "Pick," said that he had nothing to complain of except that rain was very badly needed. 'Oh, I'll arrange for a downpour, laughed the Premier. Sure enouerh. next day "down came the ram " Mr. Seddon sent along a telegram of the "I told you so" order, and now the rain-begging letter will nerha.ps form a, part of the Premier'^ daily correspondence. Captain Edwin's opinion on the usurpation of his prerogative has not vet been ascertained. There is general satisfaction, says the Observer," amongst the labour bodies of the colony at the appointment of Mr. J. Mackay. chief clerk of the Labour Department, to the position of Deputy Inspector for the colony. This position is only one step subordinate to that filled by Mr. E. Tregear, head of the Department. Mr. Mackay has been associated with the Labour Department since its inception, and by his tact and capacity has assisted materially in its satisfactory administration. • • • Mrs. Griffen, of the Railway Hotel, Nightcaps has had an unique experience She has just received a handsome service of plate because she paid her creditors. They were not really her creditors, and only morally was she bound to discharge the liabilities. Her husband became bankrupt, and died without discharging his liabilities, and the widow has iust recently paid up the last shilling of his debts. If it was a usual thine: for creditors to award services of olate to debtors what a very laree-sized boom it would give the silver tea-pot industry' The latest story of Madame Sarah Bernhardt is quite aggressively authentic. Madame, during her recent visit to America, unfortunately wounded her knee with a rusty naii. The accident made it necessary for her to remain at her hotel for some days. To her came a note from an enterprising showman asking her, in case it was necessary to amputate the limb, to give him the first refusal ! He made a fabulous offer, and added that to overcome any qualms of modesty he would have the great tragedienne's leg draped ' • • • The New State Governors of Victoria and Queensland are both 'milingtary men." Evidently, the Army is in favour at the Colonial Office just now whenever fresh »*o-consuls are needed. Sir George Clarke, who is now comfortably settled at Government House, Melbourne, is a brisk, white-haired, soldierly man, of fifty-four, with a singularly pleasing voice and courteous manner. He is quite an European authority in several military branches, has written mathematical and military treatises of note, and has greatly distinguished himself in Egypt, and the Soudan. His hobbies are music and painting which be shares with his wife and only daugh- ' ter Miss Clarke is a talented violinist, and has a fine voice, which has been trained under the celebrated Marchesi * # • Majoi -General Sir Herbert C'hermside. who succeeds Lord Lamington as Governor of Queensland, has been for some time in command of the Curragh district in Ireland. He is fifty-one years old, and began his military career at the age of eighteen. He has se»i. service in the Russo-Turkish War and in Egypt and the Soudan. In the South African War, he for some time, commanded the Third Division, and later the 14th Brigade. From 18h4 to 1886 he acted as Governor-Genera >f, * the Red Sea littoral. " i.

It heredity is worth anything, Queen Alexandra ma,y well hope for long life • •"Her mother lived to be eighty-one, while hei father. King Christian IX , is now well on m his eighty-fourth veai Hvs Majesty has two younger brothers, who are aged seventy-seven and seventvax respectively, while on October 9th his older 'iistej , the Dow aget -Duchess of -Anhalt, enteied on lier nine+v-nr'-t year. • • * Mr. Williamson, the: gentleman who is responsible for most of tJie operatic stars on colonial totir, is an exceptionally generous man. Recently, the leading tenor of St Patrick's Choir, Sydney, was too ill to attend. Everyone kno^.v* "what that means to a modern church — small congregations and ditto collecttions. Mr. Williamson, who had iust imported an Amerioan tenor (Mr .* Neil McKay), sent him along to do duty before he h^d availed himself of Ms services. He refused compensation, and lie is not even asking for a "cut" in the increased collection. Seems that Percy Dix is not the only artist who is labouring to brine church and stage more closely together. • # • Captain Ru&soll, of Hawke'sßa.i and the Opposition, delights in telling little anecdotes about himself He recently presented the prizes at a college "breaking up," and related that eleven years ago, when he was performing a like office at the Wanganui College, he 1 asked his son what sort of a speech he had made "Oh, not too bad," said the youngster, "but too long — too long." Mr. Pierpont Moi gan the millionaire, is telling the following stor^ in San Francisco. He says he was approached in London by the representative of a great daily, to whom he sent word that his time was worth £10 a minute. He received an answer that the newspaper man would take two minutes on Mr. Morgan's own terms. "My curiosity was aroused," continues Mr. Morgan, "and I gave orders to admit him. He gave me £20, and talked for two minutes. When he rose, I asked him why he had been so anxious to see me. He quietly answered tihat he had bet £100 he could get to see me in his newsspaper capacity." Asked if he had kept the £20, Mr. Morgan said that he had, and had earned it with much satisfaction. The journalist who made that £80 made it, as -all have made it in connection with the financier — not from him hut through him from somebody else. • • • Mr. J. A. Millar, M.H.R. for Dunedin, and our own Willie Field, M.H.R. for Otaki, seem to be in active rivalry for the distinction of befriending the volunteers. And both members appear to have confided their case to the local war correspondent. First of all, the news was flashed forth from Dunedin at press rates that the Defence Minister had yielded to "the importunate representations" of Mr. Millar, and restored tlie volunteers' privilege of free railway passes when travelling to and from shooting competitions. Then, appeared a modest paragraph in the Wellington' "Times" this week saying that "the efforts of Mr. Field were mainly responsible for securing these passes this year." After Willie had spoken, Mr. Seddon confessed to seeing the matter "in anew light." Now, which was the oracle that worked the transformation J. A. Millars "importunate representations." or W. H. Field's "new Heht ?" A solid phalanx of shootinc volunteers stand at attention waiting: for a reply Who is the friend — Codlin or Short ?

Mr. W. H Balhngei, who, along with Brother Arthui, has kept m the front rank of New Zealand marksmen longer than any of their contemporaries, seems to be in great shooting form just now. In the Wellington Rifle Club Association's annual meet, last week, he came out top ao-giegate by six points, winning one match straight out, and being second in another Nobody m Wellington would be an the least httle bit summed if either of the Balhnger dead-shots romped home again this year with that New Zealand champion belt which the-\ ha\o had so many loans of already Let us see. it was in 1879, wasn't it, that W. H. Ballmger leaped into fame and stago-erod the \eterans by winning the champion belt as a callow , beardless youth of nineteen. He won it again after a lap'e of sixteen years at Tientiham in 1895, tying on that occasion with his younger brother Arthui. The trophies he has won would make up a good-sized show of themselves. Suffice it to say that he topped the aggregate scores at the WoodvOle meeting twice, and twice also the aereregate scores at the Greytown meeting • ♦ * TV shooting record of Arthur BaJlmger, the younger brother, is equally brilliant. He won the New Zealand Champion Belt in 1893, and again in 1897 and if he had won outright instead of tyine "Brother Bill" for it in 1895 it would now be his personal proport-' . He has been highest aggregate scorer at the Greytown meetings three or four different times, and his collection of trophies is also a goodly one » • • A tribute of praise, by the way. is due to that zealous shootist, Mr. Trevethick, for the success which attended the first prize-firing of the newly-formed WellinPton Rifle Club Association of which he is the energetic secretary. It was a bit of a venture, for the volunteers declined to join hands with the rifle clubs in the matter, though why does not seem clear. Only forty entries were anticipated ,but sixty were received and the affair passed off without the slightest hitoh. Bravo, Trevethick»

Mi James Gibb, a Cambridge athlete, has immortalised himself. He is the inventor of the classic game of 'Ping-pong." He and a few "chums" started the game one evening to amuse themselves, desiring some pastime more vigorous than bridge, and not so tiring mentaJly as whist. The first rackets were the lids of cigar-boxes, and the first balls were champagne corks. From cigar-box hds to battledores, and from cork to indiarubber balls, was an easy and inevitable step. Then. Mr. Gibb •-ent to America for celluloid balls, which combine strength and extreme lightness ♦ * ♦ And from such small beginnings came what 51 The "Ping-pong" craze, fever, onidemie The innocent, child-like pastime, that has resulted in more vouncr people being ''brought together" than a.ny device a match-making mamma could possibly invent. Now, the said mammas have put in. their halfcrowns for swords of honour for celebrated and highly-advertised warriors with. Maf ekmg hats, but up to now they have not subscribed a solid gold "Pingpong" table, diamond-incrusted rackets, and the like for the Mr. Gibb to whom they owe — who phall say how many marriages Mr. Gibb is responsible in the aggregate for thousands of years of cheerful and harmless — very — excitement If lie is not knighted of distinguished somehow, mammas who owe him so much are guilty of a very grave deieliotion of duty. "Ping-Pong!" Mr. Hornsby M.H.R., although a staunch Government supporter, is "playing up" on the subject of public works expenditure. Here is a Merry Christmas sample from the "Leader" : — "It is useless for the Premier or any one else to expect the country settler to believe that tlie huge expenditure talked about has been caused through the construction of roads and bridges. The expenditure has been almost entirely in other directions, and men and women who have waited patiently for evem the semblance of a road have been sickened and disgusted with the slipshod, aimless, expensive, ridiculous administration of the department in whose charge was the work of opening up the country with road«- and bridges."