All Sorts to People

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 847, 29 September 1916, Page 4

All Sorts to People

IN the death of Mr. Andrew. Agnew. j|- Stuart Menteath, who passed away on Monday morning, Wellington- loses a. high-principled citizen and the legal profession a member of cultured mind „and wide and tolerant views. He was-born in Edinburgh, educated chiefly on the Continent, and as a young man started life in New Zealand as manager of the National Bank at Blenheim. In 1880 he went Home to resume his la** studies (interrupted by ill-health), and after being called to the Bar lie returned to' New Zealand and started to practice his profession on the West -Coast.

In 1884 he entered Parliament as member for Inangahua. and in 1887 was returned for Te Aro (Wellington). In 1890 he retired from politics to- devote riimself more closely to his profession, and since then has been a leader at the Bar in Wellington and a citizen of wide activities. He belonged to the Masons and Druids, has been, president of the v French Club, acted for some time as French Consul, took a healthy interest in sport, and of late years was prominent in the formation and usefulness of the Moderate League. The tribute paid to Mr. Menteath's memory by Bench and Bar at the Supreme Court on Tuesday (the Chief Justice speaking for the Bench and ,Mr. C. P. Skerrett for the Bar) was well merited and in no sense strained. The* deceased gentleman was twice--married, and is survived by his second wife (nee Miss Allen) and two daughters and. a son. . Lieut. Menteath, who fell while gallantly fighting at Gallipoli, was a son of the first marriage.

Mr. R. McCalhim, M.P. for Wairati rand Marlborough's hope and pride, re-

turned to Wellington early this week .from Rotorua where he kept on getting into hot water with cheerful alacrity until he felt he had-, loaded up with enough- sulphur to carry him over till next session. Since leaving Rotorua, the MacCullum Mohr has been whipping, the cat over the discovery that he might have saved the money he spent on baths: It is no consolation for. him to .find out now that M.'sP. can, obtain a permit far free baths at Rotorua. He thinks this must he a, wise dispensation on the part of Parliament derived from the feeling that politicians stand in need of periodical purification.

While picking his steps warily between the sulphur baths and the other pitfalls, Mr. McCallum fell in with the Hon. George Jones. M.L.C. (also under- .. going purification and renewal), and together- they visited the Rotorua Convalescent Home, a beneficent provision for returned soldiers, for his share in Which the Hon: G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs) deserves many a pat on the back. It is built on a hill--top site at the back of the Maori village of Qhinemutu, and Colonel New ell (the officer in charge) has everything in apple-pie order and maintains exemplary discipline. There is fine accommodation for-100 patients, but only 40 are ' at present in residence.

•Mr. McCallum was glad to be present on Saturday at the birthday rejoicings of Mr. S. T. Brent (founder of Brent's), who has been running his establishment for 45 years, and is regarded as the Father—if not the" Grandfather—r-of Rotorua. He was 82 ,on Saturday, and is as cheerful as a cricket and as nimble as a sparrow, attributes'which Mr. McCallum ascribes-to the fact that Grandpapa Brent chose a Blenheim lady (Miss Jefferies) many years ago for. ' his bride and help-mate, i

Hinted that Lord' Haldane threatens to make some interesting disclosures as the result of charges of pj?o-German leanings levelled against him. He intended .holding his peace until the end of the war, but a little flare-tip between him and the Duke of Buccleuch lias hastened things somewhat.., It is said

that when the- public hears the inside story of what happened in. the last two years before. -,tHe war;-- what Lord Haldane saw and heard in Germany and what lie toJd the British Cabinet when he came back, they will not call him a traitor:

Australia's ex-High Commissioner, "Georgic Porgie" Reid. lias a rare gift of -repartee. One of the besi illustrations of its quickness relates to his'last election fight in Sydney. A gang' of hecklers were doing their level best to wreck his meeting. One of them rose at the back of the hall and screamed:

'-•Bah. you are. two-faced." Sir George slowly fixed ,his well-worn' monocle, in his eye and gazed at the man reflectively. Then he said quietly and impressively : "Tt is easy to see this gentleman hasn't two faces, or he would not have, come with the one he is wearing to-night." Just imagine the roars this sally produced. ' ■ i ■

The; sons of Mr. and Mrs. H. Sttinell, of Feilding, are "doing their bit" in the Avar with a spirit that cannot .be too highly extolled. " There are four of them of military age, and they are all in ac-

tire service at the front; the onlv one left at home, is a Jittle lad of 12. r We : . present a picture of '"the four soldier.'-''• lads in .this issue. They happened to . meet ''somewhere in.,Franee" x not.long y ago. and celebrated the occasion by getting '.snap-shotted. One went: away' as ~ Q.iYkS. of the New. Zealand Main Body, another is in. the. New 'Zealand Medical Corps,' and a third is with the . New Zealand Field Artillery, while the fourth is a sapper in" the Australian Engineers. These lads are all nephews of Mr. C. W. Brodie, of Oriental Bay, who - has a fifth nephew (Frank Reeves) now ' in camp with the 18th Reinforcements - at Featherston. -

'There is no slacking or sliirking in the Stunnell and Brodie stock. G. "W. Brodie himself is a veteran of our Maori wars. When Titokowaru ..was playing up "between Wanganui and New Plymouth in the sixties arid volunteers were wanted for the front, G. "W. Brodie enlisted at the age of 21 in Buck's Wellington Rifles, and. served in Taranaki. He/ took part in the action at Te Ngutu o te. Manu ("The Beak of the Bird") at which Majors Von Tenipsky and Buck fell. The 48th. ariniver-