ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 722, 2 May 1914, Page 4

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE

rumour in the political mist is that' Mr. Sk-errett will stand for Wellington North in oppoisition to Mr. Herdman. That -would be an interesting contest, and Mr. Skerrett's personal popularity is so wide., his professional reputation so solid, that Mr. Herdman would find him a most formidable antagonist. There is no more popular man in Wellington than Mr. Skeri;ett. He is so tactful, and withal so straight, so uncompromisingly antihumbug, and yet so frankly genial, that people take to him as the weary stomach stakes to paraffin or as the young lover "takes to moonlight. < * * * * ; Henry Holland occupies a position of some singularity. He is the first man that has ever been sentenced to a term of, imprisonment while he was a candidate for the mayoralty of an important British capital. Time turns the old days to derision. * * * * The meeting addressed by "Professor" Mills at Taumarunui a few days ago showed pretty - conclusively- what .they, think of Red Fedism in the King Country. . After striving vainly to get a . hearing, the "Professor" had to give, up when he was counted* out. A man should have a hearing when he hires his hall; but the little fellow. from America only got a taste o£ the medicine his own sympathisers gave Mr. Fisher. So things. are equalised a bit. * *. * * r ' "Pofessor" Mills now states that he is returning to America because of a "complete physical breakdown." Apparently he can't get rest and proper medical treatment in this benighted country.. But a few days ago the reason given was that he must be oh hand in the Stated to superintend the publication of hia, hook. Now which is it? Or what is it? * , * * * Sir Gerald Strickland, Governor of New South Wales, will be earning the corftempt of the unco' eruid if he doesn't watch himself. The other 1 day somebody asked him . what a wowser it. He replied in the words of Mr. Scaddan—' 'A person who objects to seeing three of openwork stocking, but does not object to see people working under-waged. The wofrser is Mrs. Grundy's husband." The last was original, Sir Gerald's own ; and this, you know, Really Won't Dol * * * * New- Zealand's bush poet, Jack Vin- " cent, says he has now fathomed the idea of the old-age pensions system as administered.. "You apply "for your pension at 64," says Jack., "and you get it when you're 82, if you go to church on Sundays and promise to be good. If you are paralysed in the meantime, the-p let you off from church." # * * • * . In a New York election, so far back as 1908, Mr. William Frederick Stiles out off the beard of Mr. E.„ O'Sullivan, a prominent lawyer. O'Sullivan sued for damages, valuing his beard at £12,500, and the case is still before the courts. It will prove an expensive beard to Mr. Stiles, however the final decision goes, • *. *. * * W. C. Field, a new American humourist now appearing, in Australia, is silent. This must be a great improvement. ' v * * * _ Sir Joseph Ward, who got back ,from his quick trip to Sydney last week, looks keener and fitter than he has looked for months past. * * * * English suffragettes get off very easily even when they serve their sentences. Miss Richardson, who hacked the Velasquez Venus, and did £10,000 or £15,000 wonth of harm to a picture that waa •bought for £45,000, only gets six months' imprisonment. The burglar who causes damage and loss to the value of £10 may easily get five, years. # *. .*. * _"The British peers,", says the Grey River" "Argus," "are undoubtedly very popular personally, and even the most extreme Radical would in his heart of hearts like to be created a peer." From which' it would seem that even West Coasters dearly love a lord. And if the extreme Radicals oould get 'peerages it would be very quaint and interesting. Mr. "Paddy" Webb as Lord Mountglorious—wouldn't that be fine? Or - Mr. Semple as Baron Blither P * » * * The Governor of Tasmania has been defying the democracy and imposing conditions on Ministers. Ministers naturally object, and Parliament almost unanimously protested. The only member who voted against the protest was Sir Elliot Lewis. Sir Elliot—who was

just Neil Lewis, .pntil he happened to be knighted —is a great upholder of tinsel and tinkle, and does not consider democracy respectable. That is why the democrats have bumped him. • * * * * Scotland, the flying man, is talking of establishing ah aviation school in Christchurch. He has on order a new aeroplane that will accommodate a passenger. Here, then, is joy v The flat ones of Christchurch will be able to enjoy a little' flutter above the plate. ■ * * - * -kIt is fashionable to assume that no •woman was ever the equal of man in the great arts. For which reason a statement made by . Swinburne concerning Sappho, is interesting. -He wrote: "Judging ev6n from the mutilated fragments fallen within our reach from the broken altar of her sacrifice of song. I have always agreed with all Grecian tradition in thinking Sappho to be beyond all question and comparison the very greatest poet that ever lived. Aeschylus is the greatest poet who ever was also a prophet; Shakespeare is the greatest dramatist who ever was also a poet; but Sappho, is simply, nothing less —as she is, certainly-nothing more—than the greatest poet who eyer was at all." '* ■ » ' * George Westinghouse, of Westing-house-brake fame, died at 68 the other day. He left, in individual wealth and holdings, over £10,000. He' started with nothing but his head. . * * .* * The aeroplanes give additional proof that accepted ideas'.of the timidity of women need to. be revised. All over the world where fellows fly, it is proved that women are, on the wholej keener on the game _than men are. Successful aviators are literally besieged by women who want to fly. And the women who do fly show splendid nerve' and give no trouble. 'The only trouble is the aviators are always more neryous than uisual when they have a Woman aboard. Lady Dudley, wife of the ex-Governor-General of Australia,, is one of the latest women to loop the loop. ' ' * * * * Mr. Lefelie Revnolds. who is paying a. visit to Wellington this week, ib succeeding very well in his engineering contract of providing Wairoa. Hawke's Bay, with a harbour. The Wairoans are people of much faith and some grit.' When they called Leslie in you could walk dry-shod along the shingle spit

which stretched across the mouth of the so-called harbour. But by building a breakwater to train the mouth of the river, there is now a depth of water from 11 .feet to 14 feet. Wairoa is beginning to think of . the days when it will rival Wellington.. * * * - * By the bye, Mr. Reynolds is in ' a dilemma. He doesn't know whether he has burst into such sudden and effulgent fame 'that newly-born Reynolds's are being: called after him, but the fact remains that there are to his knowledge half-a-dozen other Leslie Reynoldses extant in the Dominion. And one of these namesakes - of his was recently appointed civil engineer to a certain North. Island county. Anyway, Wellington's Leslie -Reynolds says he is only responsible for two of the name, himself and son and heir. * * * * Mr. Reynolds spins a couple of yarns reflecting the native humour of an. Irishman he had working with him when out roughing it in the wilds on some survey. They were pestered by the mosquitoes, and one* evening the irishman came to him and said: "D'you know, Mr. Reynolds, th' best wav to get th' mosquitoes out of yer tint?" "No, Ford, how do you manage it?" asked Leslie. "Well, oi jest open tli' doors of me tint as woide as th' gates of Hades, and oi repate, 'Outside, ye varmin!' and that's how oi got rid of thim." Again, Mr. Reynolds, in company with Mr. John Strauchon, late Surveyor-General, and others, was in camp at Waikawa. A gale" was playing havoc with" their tents, ripping tnem and flattening them to the- ground. The tent of the aforesaid Son of Erin was one of-those that collapsed. Its occup'ant was left lying between his blankets exposed to the wet, cold blast. As he lay there in the damp and chilly wind, he _ called out, "Th 5 wind has been that obligin' it has left me outside me tint." * * At_ Napier the other day, Mr. Black, married Miss Brown. We don't know, but a blend .of brown and black seems to produce chocolate. * * *. * Mr. J. Grattan Grey, formerly of the, "New Zealand Hansard'' staff, is still vigorously pushing his editorial .pen. at Lismore, New South Wales. Mr- and Mrs. _ Grattan Grey's bright, chatty, and well-illustrated work, "With Uncle Sam and .His Family," is in active demand in the Old Country, and from the Melbourne "Advocate" we learn that the

London publishing firm of Francis Griffiths, Tlie Strand, , has made an offer for the publication of another work by Mr. and Mrs. Grey, entitled, "England Through Australiaii 'Spectacles," of which Or colonial,edition lias already been published. * * « * " Where is Miss Marie Corelli?" the Birmingham "Daily Mail" asked recently, and Miss Corelli was easily drawn,.: Sh© retorted .tartly that she was standincr aside till the procession' of stupend- _ ous geniuses had gone: by,' and she let. out a sneering word at "Mr. Joseph "<Jonrad, Mr. Chesterton, Mr. William De Morgan, and Mr. Bernard Shaw. . If Miss Corelli really thinks that she is even remotely comparable to any of these, she is a strange woman indeed. **1 * * . The newest woman now affects enthusiasm! for philosophy. She Worries Professor Henri Bergson terribly. His lectures are rushed by pretty women, so ' that very often serious students cannot find piaces. one of these gushed-to him recently, "I do not know how to thank you. You have made me think/' "Madame," said he, "pray accept my sincerest apologies." * * * * ; Everybody's golden opinion of General Godley has by this time been fully confirmed. The General is every inch a soldier of the. best modern type. He is as firm as he is modest, as gentle aB he *is strong. He has wide tolerance and remarkable tact; and can sympathise . with opinions he is, in conflict with. - . Thus, whilef enthusiastic in his work, he is still able to meet anti-militarists an a broad ground of reasonableness. He is the strongest buttress of the defence movement, and his subordinates cannot ao better than copy his qualities. * * *. . * The Government loves to have places ■ named to its liking. The -first thing Mr. - Massey did when he took over the Ministerial residence was to change the name of the house. A place up in thj electorate of the Minister for Railways * has -been named Herriesville. Presently no we. shall have Alleirvale, Fraserburg, Rhodeston, Pomarepompora, Merdmanhirst, and Fisheroo. Well why shouldn't, the honourable, gentlemen amuse themselve in that way if thev want to? *** ' * Christchurch "Sun" refers to the > Princess of Thura and Taxis as "A Bogus Princess." Why? The lady was Publicly and legally married to Prince "Victor .some years ago, and has nev6r been divorced. . But perhaps it's.humour. So difhcult to te] 1 what isn't humour in Christchurch. . * ; * * • . AH the world has been interested for years in the wonderful blind deaf-mute, xlelen Keller, who, by sheer genius .and' dUigent application, ■ has educated her- ' self to so high a degree of excellence, an ,r .has subsequently distinguished herself m the world of letters. Now comes , * s deemed just possible 'that* Miss Keller will be soon able to hear. A short time ago she was the guest of Mr. Edison iii America, "vrhen he became deeply interested in her- He is considering an invention which is to convert sound waves into electrical vibrations; and-it is suggested as possible that, though the agency of this, device, the gifted Miss Keller may be yet able - to hear. - •* * * .Helen Keller is a . marvellous woman. She has lived since infancy in a dark ' and silent world. . She cannot express herself in speech. But sh? is brilliantly . educated, and she has written books and articles of great charm.. She loves life and people. She is' happy, contented, gay. Born a .few years earlier in time, she could have been nothing but a j° rn^)r ' e imbecile; but science savedand succoured her. In a world of men and women whom she -can neither hear rijbr see she has done brave work for humanity and lived a busy, life of quiet Rappiness. - • * ( * * * Under the 'heading "Suicide of a Woman,' a press cable from Wanganui appeared in Monday morning's paper * reporting that "Mrs. Ida, Greville. Smith, a widow, died on Sunday as"the result of • taking poison/' The name is not' common, and Mrs. Ida Greville Smith is probably the widow of Mr. S. Greville Smith, who was sub-editor of the "New Zealand Times" some eight or nine ago. After leaving Wellington, Mr. Greville. Smith became editor and part proprietor of one of the newspapers at Te Aroha, where he continued to live up till his death, about 18 months or two years ago. He was a very popular press- ' man, a ready and well-informed writer, ' and a most companionable man. Mr. and Mrs. Greville Smith vsre devotedly attached to each other, but had no family. Mrs. Greville Smith was a daughter of the late Mr. Brookfield, for many years Crown Prosecutor of Auckland and one of the leading members of the Bar there. As Miss Ida Brookfield she was one of the belles_ of Auckland in davs g<me by and an' accomplished young lady. She had been in delicate health for many years. past, and her husband's death must have been a terrible blow to her.

, Anthony Wilding, a few years ago a ' young New Zealander with no striking distinctions, has found in. his tennis racket the secret of his remarkable success and the open sesame to the creme de la creme of society. He has reoently been ' playing at Cannes, in the Riviera, where, early in the year to thaw. A Melbourne 1 wealthy Londoners and others go down girl, who saw him there, writes out this about him: — "Wilding is a very personable young man, and, with his tall, athletic figure> carefully clothed iri the last word of cut and style from Bond-street, is a replica of the true type, of English young-man-about-to\vn. He is as prominent in the social lists as on the tennis courts, and knows 'everybody.' One day I saw him with the elegant-looking Duchess of Marlborough .(a Vanderbilt, you know) and her two sons, the Marquis of Blandford and Lord Ivor Soencer- - Churchill. On a suriny morning he was promenading with the Baroness Kort (a pretty woman in chalk white, cloth, and, wearing gorgeous black furs) and Comte Martin. Evervbodv likes his breezy^ overseas personality." '. * * * * W. Phillips Barrett, born in Christchurch, is winning a big reputation in the Old World as a designer and bookplate engraver. Of him, the Sydney "Bulletin" remarks that he went Fogwards . many years ago, and started designing book-plates, as well as.engraving them". Now he is looked upon as the leading man in_ that -line. His work is remarkable) for its delicacy of design and its marvellously beautiful execution. A French expert considers that it is equal to that of Albert Durer, which is certainly savins something. Barrett designed the Coronation Prayer Book for Edward Seven, and did ditto for George Five. Also, he has designed and engraved book-plates for . Queen . Mary, Queen Alexandra, Queen Maud of Nor-" way.' and the Prince of Wales: besides receiving commissions from many paler lights in the social world and from auite a multitude of novelists and literary blokes generally. * # , * ■ * Queen Mary, it is ' reported, shows signs of taking after her mother, the Duchess of Teck, • and tends to decided embonpoint unless her diet is most carefully ' studied. At the most sumptuous banquets Her Majestv passes potatoes, soup and sweets of all kinds, and . by careful exercise ■ keeps her weight from going beyond the never diminished eleven srtone. . * *.'*'* Nowadays, since the arrival in the Commonwealth of General Sir lan Hamilton and Mr. Harry Lauder, observes Melbourne writer, every other p&rson in the, community .seems to be of Scottish descent, or- to possess a surprising knowledge of the language of the Scots. A distinct burr has been, noticeable, in the musical notes of the motor horns in the city during the" past "few days, and ■ the roosters are beginning to crow in the Scotch language in the suburbs. At • the football matches the barrackers will be yelling, "Doon yon . scoohdrel, S-ab! Gie that loon yin in the lug!" And at the oyster saloon we will be assured that it is "a braw bricht inioht fu da staka da oyst." '