LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

" Let me have audience for a word or two." —ShaJcgpere. When it was first stated that Gasparini had disappeared, it was surmised by many here, who had firm faith in the ability of Detective Walker, that that active officer had "spirited" him away to get htm on board a French man-of-war at Melbourne, before the Sydney lawyers got at him with writs of habeas corpus and other machinery of that kind. It looked very like a clever detective's ruse. But it would have been very wrong if Mr. Walker had taken any such course. It is quite clear that we shall have to resist having even a small influx of criminals from New Caledonia. If we have not power at present to ship them off in the hands of the French authorities, we must obtain such power, and it would be well to know at once what we have to meet in the way of legal manoeuvring.

But it is now certain that nothing lias taken place like "spiriting away." Gasparini, it is now said, has spirited" himself away. It was stated that l>3fote the convict and his keeper left Wellington, the French Consul-General offered to provide assistance, so that Gawparini might be constantly watched ami be continually under observation. Detective Walker must now bitterly regret having declined the offer. When one thinks of it, it must bs enormously irksome for one man to watch another for several days and nights. It is indeed an impossible task. I beg to observe that I make that observation solely from reflection. I never myself was watched in that way, or had to watch any of my fellow-creatures. I should think that French convicts would be rather a sore subject with Detective Walker in the future. The latest wire is to the effect that it has been made certain from a complete overhaul of the ship that Gas pari n.i has committed suicide. Ido not see how absolute certainty has been reached that In; was not concealed in the ship and smuggled on shore since she got to Sydney. One is almost inclined to hope so, for the sake of the poor wretch.

Mr. Reischek is not a fortunate naturalist. He has much scientific knowledge of the birds of New Zealand, and his acquaintance with their habits and modes of life, and everything connected with them, is far and away beyond that of any other man. But he has not the knack of working all things together for his advantage, He wants some of that kind of now which Sir Walter Buller possesses. Besides, he ha.s fallen upon evil days, when money is scarce in the Treasury, and men are hardening their hearts against all sorts of claims. If lie had known exactly how to look after number one, along with his scientific knowledge, he would have been able to have got the Government to give him something handsome, and to have paid his passage to Europe, where he is to lecture on New Zealand. Mr. Reischek may expatiate about the beauties of this colony, but he will not be able to say very much in a complimentary way about our public men, and their disposition to encourage scientific research.

The case of Mrs. Davidson, who was dragged from her own house by a detective, and lodged rn a cell at the police station, while there was nothing amounting to evidence against her of any crime or offence, seems likely to be thoroughly seen into. She will have, at all events, this consolation that no other woman in her situation is likely to be treated in the same way. It is difficult to get legal redress for anything the police may do, but at the same time it may be well to wart, constables and detectives to be careful about their actions. One correspondent wrote that to be thrust into a police cell by a constable after being searched in the usual way would be certain death to a member of his family, and that he would shoot down any detective who attempted such a thing. I could not think, as a law-abiding citizen, of countenancing such threats as these, but even a detective must remember that there are limits to endurance, and that he might be very severely handled without exactly being shot down.

Mr. Verrall, the newly-elected member for Ashley, has had some warm correspondence with Mr. Sperrey, Property Tax Commissioner, and now wants to make it a caution for him. The correspondence is to be printed, and a number of people here will be interested in comparing epistles, to find whether they or Mr. Verrall have been the most severely snubbed. I have seen letters from the Property Tax Department which are marvels of sharp retort and calm mockery, but had no other quality to recommend them. Probably Mr. Sperrey, when he dictated the sharp epistles to Mr. Verrall, did not expect that the person he was snubbing would ever get into Parliament.

A correspondent sends me the following extracts from a Grammar School boy's examination paper. The master, he says, thought them so original that he has locked up the paper to show to future generations:

— "What is the statute of Mortmain?— The statute of Mortmain was said to be mortu manu in a dead hold ; for the grass grew long in the streets, because there was no one to tramp it down, and dead bodies were thrown in waste places and into ditches; and the fields were left unbilled, for a famine was about to come." " Who was Owen Glen dower" ?—Owen Glendower was a Welshman. He was exiled to France for his crimes, and landed in England with a large army, and encamped at JBlackheath ; he was defeated by the king's forces at Scvenoaks, and died in Suffolk."

The gentleman who performs the arduous and thankless duties of solicitor to the chief creditor of the Ellerslio Land Syndicate would appear to have quite lost control of himself at Wednesday's meeting. If one were asked to specify Air. Colemaivs mental characteristics, he would probably say caution, reserve, deliberateness, amiability, and suavity. And yet this very gentleman, who is looked upon in the profession as the very exemplification of the snaviter in modo, runs a tilt against the Pressdoes the Don Quixote business—the windmill being, on this occasion, the Herald reporter. When he made that extraordinary remark, "The Herald report will be quite correct, Mr. Aickin, when you have settled it with the reporter," or words to that effect, he said not only a very rude, but a very foolish thing. The very least Mr. Coleman can do is to make the amende honorable at once for the unprovoked and gratuitous insult offered to the Press.

Touching the design for this seal for the University College. It seems that, after much distracting thought and anxious care, the College Council, together with a Professorial Board, adopted a design supposed to be not only {esthetic, but also symbolical of New Zealand natural history, in a mild sort of way. Hence the native trees and the three kiwis; although i do not myself see anything especially ajst.hetical or poetical in a trio of kiwis poking about for worms. However, this was the design approved and accepted, and duly entrusted to the care and good offices of Bishop Cowie on his departure for London.

Now, up to this point, everything went smoothly and pleasantly. But the trouble came in when the paramount question of the motto was brought up for consideration in London. The College Council had fixed upon Mcliora xtquor ("I follow better things"), and I may observe, en pa-want, that it is encouraging to learn that such was their intention, as there was any amount of room for " better things." But it now transpires that Bishop Cowie, after a serious and most exhaustive discussion on the point with Sir Dillon Bell, has decided, with the consent of that distinguished Knight, to change the motto to, lwjenie et labore (" By genius and toil"). Whether the Bishop and the Knight intended this as a delicate compliment to the members of the University College Council, as recognising their phenomenal genius and arduous labours, ido not know. Anyhow, they have been checkmated by Bishop and Knight in one move, and it appears they don't like it.

The Golden Chariot people are now away, bag and baggage. There are all sorts of stories current about how they used to proceed. It is reported that they made good use of their time before they commenced their public demonstrations, and that some of the most startling cases of cure performed at the chariot were arranged for beforehand. However this may be, I believe it is a fact that Dr. and Madame Dutlot made .£">000 in the seven weeks they were in Auckland. Mehcutjo.