LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11650, 11 May 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

'•Let mo Lave audience for a word or two."

—Shakcsnere. The tidings of the massacre of the Rev. Jas. Chalmers and party in New Guinea will be received with regret in Auckland, where Mr. Chalmers was so well known. tii. -was a man, in his own way. not inferior to David Livingstone. Jas. Chalmers, like so many of Scotland's sons, came to the ministry through the school, being a schoolmaster at one lime. He was brought up in a congregation of the U.P. Church in Inveray, a Highland charge. It was but fitting the other night at St. Andrew's Church soiree, that another Presbyterian minister of the same U.P. Church (the Rev. Alex. Whyte, of Hawke's Ray), should pay an eloquent tribute to Jas. Chalmers' memory, in learning words which riveted the attention of the listeners, and which were uttered amid a silence which could be felt. Many of those present will re-echo his closing voids, that " Chalmers falling as another Stephen, they could only say, of those Xew Guinea natives. "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." It was my lot to know .lame-; Chalmers, "a Scotchman of the Scotch.'' On the last occasion on which I conversed with him ho was very hopeful of his work, and wis looking far into the future to lung years of usefulness. It is well that we do no! know what is behind the veil of the future, else life would not heworth living. Fur it is true to-day as it ever was —

The years of man arc (lie looms of God, let

down from the place of the sun. Wherein we are ever weaving:, till the mystic

well m done. Weaving blin I'.v. hut weaving: surely, each for himself his fate; We may not see how the richt side looks, we

can only wea\e and wait. So James Chalmers went on doing his duty, preferring, like Bliss, to " walk in the dark with Cod, than be alone in the light," and in that frame of mind in which he could sav—

As Thou In; found me ready to Thy call. Which stationed me to watch the onter wall, Am! quitting hopes and joys that once were

mine. To pace with patient step this narrow line. Oh! may it be that, coming soon or late. Thou still shall find Thy soldier at the sate.

The massacre of Chalmers brings me back in memory to the day when I met. on Constitution Hill, Bishop Patteson the gentle and the courteous —-as he went on his last voyage to the Islands to meet a martyr's Jeath. - He also went without a presentiment of what was in store for him. and would also have s.'id. in the words of the Nazarene, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." "

The friendly societies, as Bobbie Burns says of the women, are "kittle cattle." For some time past they have been " snuffing up the east wind.'' because the Royal Reception Committee did not consult them more particularly than they have done in the reception. This appears to have brought Mr. Holmes, the Executive Commissioner, to his hearings, and on Thursday evening he met them. and. after putting it on with "a bucket and broom," dragged in my deceased friend, Tom Brieken. by the head and shoulders, into the business. With " tears in hi* voice," as the French say, he landed on them— Not understood: Oh. God! that men would see a little clearer. Or judge less harshly where they cannot

sea: Oh, God! that men would draw a little

nearer To one another, and they'd be nearer Thee, And understood!

While Mr. Holmes remained with thern, "tr'-insr sweet counsel," the whole business resolved itself into a mutual admiration Bocietv. Mr. Holmes certainly hod been "Not*understood," but now all was clear! On his side he knew better what was meant by " the aristocracy of labour." But when Air. Holmes turned his back the friendly societies ceased to feel the influence and glamour of the courtly and debonnaire Executive Commissioner" and they passed a resolution to the effect that they would not take part in the Royal reception unless the Reception Committee provided platform accommodation for all who appeared in realia ! I fancy the Reception Committee doing this, and our seeing the friendly societies perched up on a platform, looking like " Patience on a monument, smiling at Grief." If Mr. Holmes will accept my advice, he will take shelter tinder the umbrella of collective responsibility, and "Wait Till the Clouds Roll By." Meanwhile, truth compels me to record that he is "Not Understood"at least by friendly societies. They appear to require an amount of courting and coquetting which would drive the average Auckland girl silly.

An amusing incident occurred at the Auckland Howling Green on Saturday Mr. Coleman, the president, not content with ■welcoming the Rsmuera and Newmarket men. became suddenly dramatic, and said he would conclude his speech with two lines from Kin- Richard Seddon, act 8. scene 1, which he"trusted would not, be considered inappropriate — Hark' the shrill trumpet sounds! To horse!

My soufV in arm-, and eager for the fray. Mr C Bauson, in responding for his club, at 'the finish, when defeated, said if the Auckland Chin thought that they had got the on'- poet in bowling circles, they were verv much mistaken. Remuera had also cultivate.! the Muse, and he could only say on that green— We came down determined to win. but have You're ton good for us. as we've found to our tost! Thee quotations onlv show that poets are born, not made, but next season the poets will have further opportunities of becoming possessed with the Divine Aiuatus, and of obtaining fresh inspiration. The Minor poets will have to rise very early in the morning to get to windward of the Pee Laureate of the Auckland Club. Mr. Coleman said, in reviewing the scores, that the visiting clubs being oifshoots of the Old Mother, it Was in the eternal fitness of things; that th" Mother Club should spank the children, rather than that the children should spank the mother. Mr. Wright, president of the Newmarket Club, turned this off very neatly. •n his reolv. bv saving that the reason his club was defeated, was that their feeling of filial piety deterred them from spanking their mother !

Tie other dav a Maori, from tire East Coast passed through Auckland en route for the'w'hareherehere .it -Mount Eden, having got three months 'urd for "langidge." I', appear' that he counted on being at Lotorua as one of the Government's guests to receive Royalty. He feels so incensed at being now left out or the function that lie asserts he will appeal to the Hon. • Hern;. Carroll to give him a show to be there even if he has to go back to " chokey to finish the balance of his sentence.