All Sorts Of People

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 400, 29 February 1908, Page 4

All Sorts Of People

MR. Dudley Inskipp, A I.M M , M.I.M E., has be&n moving around Wellington for the last week or two, keeping 'both eais open, and looking inquisitively upon, the Dominion through his pmce-nez. The chances are that no one has taken a great deal of notice of this gentleman He doesn't advertise himself, and the man who takes his way around tow n under a slouch hat with an extia allowance of verandah on it, a pair of khaki trousers, and a Norfolk coat, doesn't excite much attention • • * But Dudley Inskipp is what the newspaper man would call good copy. He's on a big trek just now from Central Africa to London, via the Argentine, and, having allowed himself a month over and above the time lequrred for the journey, he is spending it in reckoning up our advanced legislation, climate, business enterprises, etc Dudley Inskipp is a mining engineer, in the employ of the famous Chartered Company in South Africa, but he travels the whole of that portion of the dark red continent from the Cape of Good Hope to the Zambesi, and tells stories of exciting adventures during troublous years o\ er there. • • • He is an inspecting engineei, who leports on the prospects of new ventures, and the progress of established fields. His knowledge of the African fields runs well back into their history. Dudley Inskipp hasn't got much sympathy with Chinese labour in the mines over there. Neither has he got much confidence m the Kaffirs or Zulus. Their regard for the white man in his opinion is the regard of a race who would like to shift the whites over the ledge into the sea Travelling m the African interior over stretches of say two hundred miles or more is an unpleasant experience. Dudley Inskipp has been down several times with fever from exposure and the state of his environment. The naggers revel in dirt, and when standng on an eminence overlooking a plain the white man can invariably tell the colour of an approaching traveller. The nigger is always accompanied by a cloud of common house and other flies, which revel in his atmosphere Said flies may break away to nose curiously around the white man, but they return eventually to their "native" air. Mr. Inskipp is a man of Kent, but he graduated in his mining degree and experience m the Cornish mines. There is a big scheme afoot probably for opening up the mineral Argentine, but this distiguished traveller hopes to get back and have a look at New Zealand at the end of the year. It interests him, and the big Waihi field attracts every instinct in his nature On© thong which does not impress him, and that is the dictatorial attitude of labour. His opinion is that Home capital for small ventures or prospective mining works will be frightened out of the Dominion. He is a shrewd observer, and to hear him discuss our labour laws one might suppose he had known New Zealand for years. He goes on to the Argentine by the Corinthic. • • • An inventive genius named A. H. Byron, of this city, has been writing to the papers complaining that the War Office had taken no notice of an offer he made to them of what he calls a new war machine. He pathetically remarks that he has been experimenting (presumably in the harbour) with a boat containing an explosive of his own invention which is five times more powerful than gun cotton or cordite. "My invention," he grimly adds, "would destroy the whole of the armies on the earth within, six months." The sooner the War Office buys this enthusiastic slaughterer and his bloodthirsty invention, the better. A gentleman who is in the habit of gambolling round the harbour in, a boat containing an explosive of such power would be safer 16,000 miles away. Our own powder magazine is a fool to him. • « • Appears to be something wrong about the relative positions of the clerical dignitaTies who are to take part in the Te Oranga Home inquiry. The Royal Commissioner is a Bishop, and the Education Department will be represented by a Pope. Surely these two personages should change places. At first sight it seems that the Pope must necessarily over-awe any Bishop he pleads before. Either that, or there's nothing in a name, after all."

"Sol" Ziman (soft "Z," please) has i. oped in. the Rhodes scholarship for the year, and no scholastic hearts are breaking because of it. As a matter of fact, rivals have no animus against "Sol " for he is one of those popular chaps -n hose popularity is based on the ability to do things and to remain unafflicted with "swelled head." Mr. Ziman, although an Auckland nominee, is a Wellington boy (cheers) His great talents germinated at the Clyde Quay School, and were warmed into ful' flower in Auckland. • • • Probably Cecil Rhodes intended that just such men as "Sol" and the otheT New Zealanders who have gathered in the coveted Oxford scholarships should gam them, although it is sometimes a little problematical whether the sons of wealthy parents should be allowed to compete. However, whilst Sol's father is not knocking at the door of penury by any means, "Sol's" chance of seeing Oxford without the aid of a Rhodes' scholarship was nil. It will be remembered, of course, that the son of "Australia's noblest son," (ex-Premie.r Barton, now a High Court judge), is a Rhodes boy, but, as scholardom did not arise and scream about such candidature, the mere press has iio cause to emit noises. • • • To revert to "Sol," who is a keen athlete and a nace chap, besides being a marvellous learner, he made himself popular up at Waihi when he went thither to take up a utilitarian pick and a grubby shovel in OTder to gain muscular knowledge of the bowels of Mother Earth. There used to be some idea in this Dominion that a Rhodes man who went to Oxford was in some degree looked down on by budding dukes and those sort of folk. The real truth is that there is not in this country or in any other country a more democratic community than this same scholastic Oxford. • a ■ You see, these poor dukes and earls and sons of millionaires and such cannot help being what they are, and they all have "nous" enough and are sufficiently "Oxonian" to be quite decent. Let not the navvy's son, who is working like sixteen men and a don-key-engine to annex a Rhodes scholarship believe that an Oxford man puts on more "side" than the member of a nNew Zealand Road Board or a ter-

porary clerk with a volunteer commission. "Sol," for instance, is quite safe. • • • One oiher point. It seems to us that the countries which supply Rhodes scholars to. Oxford do not benefit individually uy these scholars who may become bTilliant men. As a matter of fact New Zealand does not offer a wide enough field to a man who specialises and becomes eminent. At the first sign of eminence some other country holds up a bag of dollars, and the eminent one naturally enough clears out. The Lance will not give a list of unusual New Zeaianders who have been mopped up by other countries, although a very long one could be made out. • • • A fine figure of a man is Major BurUnson, in sole, complete, and irrefutable charge of the school cadets in camp at the Hutt Park. The Lance has spoken of him before, but levives him only to remark that it would be difficult to find something the gallant schoolmaster doesn^t know something about. It's quite a tre-at- to hear hum give militaxy orders — he might easily give lessons to any military man in Wellington. Nobody ever doubts that he, being oil the ground, is the "boss," although he is quite unostentatious. • • • The Major is quite a remarkable person for detail. He runs a little Government of his own wherever he happens to be — strangers salute him naturally, and men in plain, clothes come to attention without knowing why. He is kmd, is the master of the Wereroa Farm School, and rules not with a rod of iron. The boys consider it a distinction to be told to do something by the Major. It was set out w, a doily paper some time ago that Dr. McArthur, S.M.. said that Major Burlin6on had more influence over boys than any magistrat-e in New Zealand. • • • One doesn't look for humour in a dry-as-dust Sspreme Court calendar, but the heading of the veTy first case on last week's divorce cause list at Auckland provokes a smile. Otto Haderup is suing his wife, Flora Matilda, for divorce. Flora Matilda, presumably, made what her husband considered a moral slip, and Otto Haderup for divorce. Even the grave court crier grins at the ready-made pun.

It will come as a shock to the colonial admirers of the late Mel. B. Spurr, over whose witticisms they were curling up with laughter two or three years ago, to learn that his widow and daughter are m distressed circumstances m London. Mrs. Spurr herself is the authority for the statement. She wiote to the "Era," a leading dra^ matic paper, on 15th December, that she and her daughter were then practically destitute, and in danger of going "an the parish." Apparently there is money in Mel. B.s estate, but Mrs. Spurr is blocked by legal difficulties from getting the benefit of it. Therefore she makes to the dramatic profession an appeal for help in such terms that it could only have been dragged from her by sheer necessity. No doubt the mummers in London would see that Mrs. Spurr tided over the Chustmas season satisfactorily, but it is piobable that something will also be dene f1 om the colonies • • « Genial Father Ainswo<rth, for the last tew years the R.C. paush priest of Newtown, has taken himself and his grand piano to Hokitika. Everybody barring the "Coast" people will be sorry, for the large, ruddy father with the long hat, the spectacles, and the cigarette' has few enemies. By the way, he is a "Coast" boy, and he is only going home anyhow. He has known Hokitika well, and he knows the Presbytery, which isn't much of a Presbytery, well too. The "Coast" people regretted very much the death ot Dean Martini, but they say that it was a pity the Presbytery didn't die too : it is od and feeble enough. Then;, it is a question, whether the new priest will be able to get that grand piano into it. • • • A few years ago Father Ainisworth visited Home for the first time, and the Irish yarns he picked up then, bedad were all right — they are so. Hard luck, though, that a burglar should break into his place at Newtown and lift £30 worth of his chattels. Perhaps the burglar was filled with a great and lofty purpose, and knew the Churcli's objection to priests possessing "pecuhm." And Father Ainsworth has been fare welled by his Newtown friends — and there were tears. We refuse to believe the assertion of a fresh-faced young friend, who assures us that the drought broke up so thoroughly in St. Anne's that mops and buckets were necessary. Mr. E. B. B. Moss, who once was member in the House for the golden Ohinemuri, and whose wicket fell to the heavy-weight, Hugh Poland, said in effect, as he left the House, "I'm full up!" The clever legal satirist from the goldfields, however, seems to have been persuaded to come out into the calcium once more, and. apart from colour, one has to believe that politics come to no harm at the hands of Mr Moss. He will, perhaps, have to use a great deal of finesse to beat Frank Lawry for the ParneJl seat, for Frank has become a religion to Panijel/Lltes, and nobody knows what he would do if he hadn't politics to look after. • • • Mr. Moss was for many years im legal practice on the Upper Thames gold' fields, and one of his peculiarities was, and is, that he never w r O'uld take a mean advantage of anybody. He is clean-handed and big-hearted. As a matter of solemn fact, E. G. B. Moss is several cuts above the average politician in. culture, character, and other things that usually enter into the make-up of a gentleman. The Lance cannot resist the temptation to say once more that Mr. Moss when on the Upper Thames was usiially seen, cairryig a Maori kit oveT his shoulder on. the end of a stick, that he usually w^ie no w r aistooat, and that one co'uild see the huge"M r ' he. wore at the. base of his shirt front a long way off. The srenial lawyer, although a good deal more than twenty-one years of age, is still a bachelor. • • • John Liddell Kelly, the liddell journalist with the liddell cigarette-holder and other small things, drifted back to "God's Own," not so long ago, after having seen a large piece of Britain; for the Government and himself. John was for long the editor of the local "Times," and seems to have been, esteemed for Ins literary work wherever he has been. For instance, John, for a season held the reins of the Auckland "Observer," mother to the Lance, and so he cannot help going down to history a^ an achiever. • * • John L. is a poet of parts, and peculiarly uneven in his work_ and his choice of subjects. He is almost Byronic sometimes, and some of his unpublished work is classical. John controls a fine flow of satire, is powerful with his pen on page 1, and feeble on page 6, a proof that he is a true poet. It is rather saddening in regard to Mr. Kelly that newspaper proprietors on his return from the trip Home did not rush him with large billets, for there are few better journalists than the same John m these isles.

He seems to be fixed up at last, however, with a sub-editorial job on the Auckland "Graphic," and no doubt the Kellyisms that are not pushed out by the pictures will be good stuff — foi John really can wiifce. • <• • We knew it. We heard it m the murmur of the stiearn. The horses weighed it, the plasfeiers prayed it. and the bands played it — "Artie Fullford is going to be a menibei of Paihamentl" Fi om the time Artie played a latthng game at football to the proud day when he took his place oai the Bench of Justices he has been determined to get on. Mr. Fullford, who has decided to beat all-comers for the Suburbs seat, has been, quite a success, is, although young, a large property owner, wears a large moustache, a small cigar, wide trousers, and is five feet one inch in height, or more. Hj is an. impassioned oiator, and although in his efforts to explain himself he frequently amuses those who ought to know better, he has a fund of common sense that many men with a large, stout, expensive, gilt-edged education lack. • • • We knew at the time that little Artie stood for the Licensing Bench that he intended becoming a member of Parliament some day, just as Messrs. Huudmarsh, Fletcher, Brannigan, Boltom, O'Regan, Shirtcliffe, Young, and others have decided privately to represent the people in the House in, the rear future. The symptoms are usually ummistakeable but, of course, the best of diagnosticians (good w ord that) will make mistakes. Anyhow, li Artie Fullford has determined to b&oome Prime Minister, there's jio help for it. But what is Sir Joseph going to do, ajiyhow? The Queen of Sheba journeyed from the south to behold the greatness and wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. It isn't recorded that Solomon knew a note of music. He is never once reported to have sung a song of ajiy kind, and he couldn't have composed a poi song if he had beei stood on his head till his nose bled butter-milk Alfred Hill (our Alfred the Great II.) is the greater than Solomon, musically speakmg. The Eastern ancient king was in the habit of having the harpsichord played to him by a minstrel. Alfred scores off his own bat, so to sjieak.

As for the Queen of She>ba — she isn't in it as a visitor. The Voice or the Century has come fiom the Nojth to hear Alfred's music wisdom, and has biought her husband with heir. And now they aie both of them sitting at the feet of this Gamaliel or Hillet of the musical world and learning Maom songs. Kenneiley Rumfoid has mastered the Poi Song, and soon he'll be slogging into the Tangi. Madame Ola,ra Butt has had a Maori song specially written for her. Speaking of Maori music — the old incantations and weiird songs of the natnes that weie their •own songs before the coming of the whaleis, or the soldiers, or the missionaues — Alfred has made a profound study of them at endless pains and labour. Some day the world w ill be the wealthier for his labouis i.n this direction. Alfred has got certain little snatches of song copied faithfully down from dying natives of a dying race- — the old race The natives of the present day have Anglicised their music and song with bits filtered from the Englishman's sea phraseology, or the miilitary, or the Chuirch. ' But Alfred .Hill's precious stock hits back farther than that It should be valuable as a heritage of Ne.w Zealand, and maybe in time to come the Government will authorise the publication, 01 his work in this direction as the American Government has authorised the conservation of the music of the American Indian, rather than let it be lost for ever. Tt should be well worth it • • • Miss Jordan, who, for two and a half years, kept the flag flying over the post-o-ffice at Waikanae, has been brought into Wellington, and is now attached to the head office. So much has appeared m th daily papers. But the papers didn't go on to say that when the news of Miss Jordan's removal from Waikanae was announced >n that township the drought broke up riiddenly in the district. It did, though, and tears did it. Real, hot, scalding farmers' tears. Never had such sobbing and sighing been heard in Waikanae before. • • • As a matter of fact a resident of Waakanae has been heard to say that correspondence doesn't seem the same in Waikanae since their genial postmistress left for the Empire City. Nor is that all. Not only did Miss Jordan carry out all the complex and onerous

duties of post-mistiess to the entue satisfaction of statioaiowneir and sta-tio>n-hand, but she is credited with having been most cautious and obliging, and it is regarded as a calamity in the distnct that Waikanae shoiiild sustain suc-h a loss. In socia.l circles Miss Jordan was ever to the fore, and has won golden opinions from all. And Wellington has gained all this No nondei the authorities a.re building a new Post Office. ♦ • • Mi . Tom Wilford, uho was elected chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board on, Tuesday last, should fill the bill very nicely as far as his keen business acumen and general aptitude' go It is of course, very fitting that an,out-and-out Wellmgtonian should fill' the office, and, whilst opinions may be fairly divided on the question of his position with legard to the Patent Slip negotiations and his piofessional lelationship to the Union S.S. Company, everyone admits that no other possible barrier arose between Mr. Wilford and the acceptance of the chairmans-hip It is true that as member for the Suburbs seat in the House, and also in his professional capacity m- Wellington., "Tom" has many engrossing demands upon his time. That has even been suggested as a possible reason why he w ill find the position of chairman on the Harbour Board hard to fill. But everyone who knows T. M. Wilford knows that he is a glutton for work, and that he revels best in an atmosphere of strenuous energy that would incapacitate many a less energetic mam. During the last session of Parliament Mr. Wilford was responsible for much good work in the House, a-nd has come to be regarded now as a strong and rising man.. • • • His geniality and versatility have made him popula-r, and so far as ability to fill the chair on the Board is concerned, perhaps no more able man could be chosen. The policy of the Board for the next four years has been, laid down., and the work lies straight ahead. So. Mr. Wilford's term of office should be one of great progression and successful expansion m the Board's affairs