LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6966, 15 March 1884, Page 9 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

" Let me have audience for a word or two." —Sliahspere. HANLiN" was agreeably surprised at the number and enthusiasm of his Auckland admirersHe was scarcely prepared to find that so much interest was taken in him at this part of the world a3 was shown on his arrival here by the mail boat. It was the same at Honolulu. The journals there displayed unwonted enterprise on the occasion. An Lt extra," consisting of about a hundred lines, was issued announcing his arrival, and giving a few particulars respecting his Australian tour. Such a feat is unparalleled in the history of journalism in the Sandwich Islands !

The champion sculler is a frank-looking manly young fellow. He is of medium size and well built, but there is little in his appearance to indicate the extraordinary strength of muscle which he possesses. He is very pleasant spoken and has a winning smile. I fancy that in Sydney he will be all the rage among the ladies, but a3 he has already a wife, he is not likely to lose his heart among the beauties of New South Wales. He has a remarkably high forehead, which is surmounted by a cluster of dark chestnut curls. His brown eyes beam with intelligence, aDd his complexion is fresh and clear. There is nothing of the "professional" about him. He "look 3 a well-to-do young English gentlemen.

Hanlan thus explains how he came to be an oarsman :—" My mother died when I was two years old, and to the care of my two elder sisters I owe whatever there is that is good in me. Not long after mother's death father removed to Toronto Island, a short distance from the city, where he bought and ran a Binallish summer hotel. This residence in childhood explains my being an oarsman to-day, for, being out off from the mainland by quite a stretch of water, boats were our constant means of conveyance and communication. I could paddle about in one very handily before I was five years old, and from five to fifteen I was constantly rowing sprint races with the island and city boys. I soon became known among the boys as the best rower for my age in the lot. It was through their belief in me that I was induced to enter for my first public race in a regatta held at Toronto in the summer of 1572 " Since then Hanlan has figured in nearly all the great races which have been rowed, and his success has been phenomenal.

His method of training for a race is interesting. " When preparing for a race," he says, "I rise at 6 45 a.m., and take a brisk walk of an hour before breakfast. The latter consists of mutton chops or steak, medium cooked, with dry toast and tea without milk or sugar. After breakfast I sit around for an hour reading or writing, and then start for an hour and a half walk. At eleven I get into my boat and pull for an hour, going seven miles, more or less, as I may happen to feel. Then comes a bath and a rub down, and then a sit around till dinner at one. At this meal I eat roast beef or mutton, with stale bread and very little in the way of vegetables, and in the way of drinkables either a glass of Bass's ale or of milk. From two till four I walk at an easy gait, then a rest till 5.30, and then a five or six mile row. After this a bath, and tea at six. This is always a light meal with me, consisting of eggs or a bit of broiled chicken, with dry toast and tea, Supper over I read for a while, and then stroll around quietly until 9.30 ; chat over the day, and then to bed." The harp hangs silent on Tara's wall. In other words, the piano is heard no more in the Rising Sun. Mr. Goldie objects to music in a public-house. He holds that when heard there it lures bat to destroy, like the songs of the sirens of old. It matters not to him that the player in this case is a promising musician simply practising for h«r own benefit. He will have none of it. If this is the sort of thing which the publicans are to expect from their new masters, their lot during the next twelve months is not likely to be a particularly happy one. It Beeins to me to be a piece of petty tyranny. The temperance people have got the publicans under their "heel, and they mean to crush them. It looks like it, at least, if Mr. Goldie is carrying out their views. I wonder what he would say if Jones were to object to his daughter thumping her piano to the annoyance of passers by in the street. I fancy Mr. Goldie would tell him to mind his i own business. And has not a publican's daughter aB good a right to thump the piano I »s the daughter of the chp' of a liceming I committee ? To exercise power in the vay

that Mr. Goldie would exercise it is certain to lead to a reaction. It is contrary to the spirit of fair play, and whatever is contrary to the spirit of fair play is sure in the long run to defeat its own object.

A -WARNING TO PUBLICANS. At a meeting of the licensing committee for City South, Mr. Scoldie in the chair, an application was made for the transfer of the license of the Orpheus to Mr. Boniface, who had been in possession for some time. Superintendent Pompson said he had no objection to the proposed transfer. Mr. Scoldie said he was surprised to hear that the police had no objections to raise. Were they aware of the character of the house 1 Superintendent Pompson replied that the police had no fault to find with the character of the house. Mr. Scoldie was still more surprised to learn that. He doubted if tho police were doing their duty. Had not complaints been made ? Superintendent Pompson said none, so far as he knew, had been made. Mr. Scoldie thought that in that case the Superintendent did not know much. Scores of people had complained about music being played in the house for the purpose of attracting young men who otherwise would attend prayer meetings at the Y.M.C.A. Mr. Attorney, who appeared for Mr. Boniface, said the respected chairman was evidently mistaken. Mr. Scoldie, the respected chairman, retorted that he was never mistaken. Several persons had complained to him about it. Mr. Attorney said his client was blessed— or otherwise —with a little boy who was extremely fond of music. [Here Mr. Boniface was seen to embrace a hopeful urchin who sat beside him eating lollies.] Some weeks ago his grandmother had made a present to the youngster of a tin whistle, which the lad was in the habit of playing in the backyard sometimes. However, if the committee objected to the boy playing on his tin whistle, Mr. Boniface would send the lad and the instrument into the country. He wished to do nothing that was contrary to the wishes of the committee, for whom he (Mr. Attorney) need hr.rdly say Mr. Boniface entertained profound respect. Mr. Scoldie said the application asked for would be granted, but Mr. Boniface would require to conduct his house with greater circumspection. The committee would grant him a license to sell drink, but if he made use of any means to attract customers, or if these complaints were continued, his license would be forfeited. Mr. Boniface thanked the committee, and retired.

The Rev. Mr. Nelson greatly relieved the mind 3 of his congregation last Sunday evening by the promptitude with which he acted on the occasion of the ringing of the firebeils. When the conflagration in Ponsonby was observed, the tirebell in Princes-street was rung with tremendous vigour, and its harsh ■alarming sound caused what has come to he termed a " sensation" in St. Paul's Church. The incumbent was in the middle of one of the Collects, but he immediately stopped, raised his hand, and in a loud voice requested all present to keep their seats, adding that he would send out and ascertain the locale of the fire. This was done, and its whereabouts announced, after which tho service proceeded. At St. Matthew's Church, on its being announced that the fire was " in Ponsonby," a large number of persons quitted the building, and one lady went into hysterics.

Mr. S. R. Groom, the English barrister, who was in Auckland for several months a year or two ago, and who has done more globetrotting in his time than most men, is now in London, and is delivering a series of lectures on New Zealand and Australia in the suburbs of the metropolis.

We have not heard the last of St. Thomas's. Steps, I believe, are about to be taken to test the legality of the claim by which those now in possession hold the church. The dispute is one of long standing, and it is about time that it was finally and amicably settled.

My remarks the other wee'i about the unprotected state of the tramway obstruction in Hobson and Pitt streets have had their effect. Lamps are now lit at night to warn the public of the obstruction, and to guard against accidents. The absence of crossings, however, is still a fruitful source of inconvenience. During the recent wet weather this want was greatly felt, and there was much grumbling at the thoughtlessness of those responsible, in not providing them.

A romantic story is told of Miss Genevieve Ward, the celebrated actress who is now in Melbourne, and who is expected to perform in Auckland before closing her colonial tour. Many years ago Miss Ward, then a young and beautiful woman, met in Italy a Count de Guerbal, a Russian nobleman. He fell in love with and married her. But the Count belonged to the Greek Church. The contract was incomplete in Russia until it had been solemnised according to the rites of that Church. Taking advantage of this, in order to make another and wealthier match, the young man repudiated the civil contract, whereupon the lady proceeded to Russia with her mother. By her exertions she gained an interview with the Czar. She obtained his special ukase, and forced the Count to marry her according to the rites of the Greek Church, immediately after this she left him for ever. Tho Countess shortly after this turned her attention to the lyric stage. She studied with the best masters of the day, the chief of these being Rossini. She made her debut in Italy, aud shortly after endorsed the favourable verdict her efforts had gained there by the golden opinions won in Paris and London. A serious catastrophe was, however, pending. Travelling in America, whilst on her way to fulfil an engagement in Cuba, she lost her voice. Overwork, a hot climate, and great fatigue had had their revenge. To many this misfortuue would have been a death-blow. The allconquering will of the woman confronted the difficulty. From the lyric stage, which had crowned her with laurels, she turned to the histrionic. She became a tragedienne, an actress of intense power, second to none, even including the late Miss Cushman.

I have given several instances of servantgalism in these columns at various times, but all of them are eclipsed by the following which my confrere John Peerybingle gives among his chatty papers. The first day that the new girl was at her place, she happened to be laying the table when a ring came at the door. The new girl went on with her work, and when there was a second ring, the master of the house came into the room and said, indignantly: "Bridget, do you not hear that you are wanted at the front door ?" "Arrah! Is it me ?" replied Bridget, with a grin. " Shure you're fooling with me." "Go to the door this instant and answer the bell." Bridget went, and returned a moment or two afterwards with a broader grin upon her face. "There, masther," said Bridget; " didn't I tell you so ? It's you, not me, he wants,"

Apropos of the Church of England Home Mission meeting which is to be held on Thursday next, a goood story has reached my ears of one of the Home Mission clergy. The rev. gentleman was endeavouring to work up a district which had been much neglected in spiritual matters, and one Sunday after a long, weary ride he arrived at a settlement where there were a number of miners. He went to the hall in which the service was to be held and found no congregation, so he began to go from hut to hut beating up the flock. He came to a certain baker's shop where he found a dozen or more miners and the proprietor. He stated his errand and invited those present to come to the service. Said the baker, " Oh we are Freethinkers here." "So am I," said the parson, "If you mean thereby that cvery'man should think for himself, but not if you mean that you throw off the restraints of the Christian Faith, and do just what you like." "That is what I do mean," said the baker, " but I tell you what, we will send our shillings and that will do just as well as if we go ourselves. We know you only want the collection." "Let any man ojer me a shilling," said the parson, "and I will show him what I will do with it." "Ah," replied the baker "you parsons are all a set of cowards." The parson said, very quietly "It is recorded of Bishop Selwyn, that he once knocked a man down for speaking disrespectfully of the church. You just take your coat off and come out here and if I don't teach you thac the Church of England parsons ara not cowards, ?.nd dip you in that creek my name is not BUnk Black." The dipgern cheered, but the baker looked at the broad shoulders of the calm-loo'dng bush parson and did not seem willing to try a round with him. "Comeon," said the parson, "These men are your friends, but I will put myself in their bands;l know they will see fair play." iSut the baker did not care for the offer. " Well," said the parson, " I must go to

service now." And off he started followed by every one of the diggers. He gave out there would be no collection, as he had been told that he only came for their shillings. The next time he went, the hall was crowded, still he would have no collection. This went on for a few months, and when the parson left the district the congregation sent a cheque for a good sum to him, and promised that, in future, they would subscribe a certain sum every year towards the stipend of a visiting clergyman. ; ,

Now that land has been reclaimed on'each side of the wharf as far as the waterman's steps, it is not sufficient to station a police-', man between the Waitemata and Thames Hotels to watch drunken men. They come' round by the back streets to the watermen's steps and insist upon going along the wharf.-; I see that a man was nearly killed early on Thursday morning, by falling over the wharf on to the deck of a vessel. If he had fallen into the sea he would certainly have been: drowned. The other night a man got down by the watermen's house and would persist in going along the wharf, under the impres-; sion that he was going up Grey-street.' A' Waterman got hold of him, turned him, , and - set him np Queen-street; but in a ; fe\V' moments ho came back, saying that he was bound to go up Grey-street. In all proba-, bility, if he had been allowed to go along the: wharf, he would have gone into the water;. Should not the Harbour Board consider: whether a chain should not be erected on the posts that now extend along the wharf ?, ."

The Mayor's excursion party to the South'. Wairoa FalU, and the adventures which befel the members of it, have been the sub-,, ject of a good deal of social gossip. '.-.So far as the Mayor was concerned, his arrange-, merits were simply perfect, but he had o.vidently not taken the " clerk of the weather" into his confidence. Some good stories are floating about in connection with the affair.. Hero is one. When the party started from the Wairoa Public Hall for the Falls,. the thoughtful Castles placed a few bottles in. kits, for transport on the pommel of the saddle—some of the kits containing whisky; and others p.b., while one or two were consecrated to lemonade and gingerale for the relief of the temperance party. A; City. Councillor, who is a good judge of whisky; picked up one of the kits, which he thought contained that article, and carried it>off in triumph. He carefully shepherded his .prize right up to the falls, and on sitting down to. lunch, found to his disgust, that instead of whisky, he had carried for seven miles some ginger ale intended for Mr. Goldie. To say that he gave expression to some sultry eipressions, goes without saying—in fact 99 per cent, was pure sulphur. If Mr. G. 'Fraser '• paases in his checks" before the time. it will be owiDg to the "pot shots" of inveterate punsters. He had just struggled successfully across the last Hunua range,, when the jokers chorussed "the Tiritiri ;man has secured another Triumph!" Mercotio.