LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13235, 21 July 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

me have audience for a word or two." „ / Sliakespere.

;''. " ' The Auckland Shakesperc Society is roughly handled in this month's issue of a Dunedin journal " devoted to literature, art, science, and, music." The society's readv ' ing of "Macbeth'" grievously disappointed Ms the gentleman with the foreign name whose '•' Icarian flights in criticism contribute to the public stock of harmless pleasure, for, -' -whether he praises or blames, his jeux ? ' d'osprit, as Boswell said of Sir John Hawkins' biography of Johnson, "exhibit a \'i farrago, of which a considerable portion is ;i.: • not devoid of entertainment." He is good enough to give the performers a few valu|S': able hints on the correct pronunciation of their mother tongue, which I hope they ap- ,, predate at their proper worth. Thus "ignorant" should not be pronounced " ignorant," nor " nature" " nacher," ■ nor , •"'*': should the noble Macbeth pronounce " to- ' -ward" as a dissyllable, or "1" as "pi." The critic winds up with the : interesting ?' expression of his private opinion that " tihakespero is well worth perusal." Might I venture to suggest to him that he should >~ endeavour to practice what he preaches? He might then; learn that he is mistaken in believing that Shakespere ever wrote anything about a twice-told tale "vexing the dullest ear of a drowsy man," which is his version of a quotation that every schoolboy knows by heart. -; - -'- f "Mr Macfailane, chairman of the Chamber'of Commerce, said they were all aware of the services that Sir Joseph Ward had rendered to the colony during his recent tour, and it was only right that he should be accorded a fitting reception on his return '■- '■'.'• to the colony."Herald. Oh let the muse my halting pen inspire - ' To sins in strains touched by th', heavenly How "far remote from country and from j ' Where'er the gods ordained his feet to roanvSed on the heaving billows of the main/ ;■ ' . Whiledreadful pangs enthral his tttdverins : Or Bwmfy borne, from early morn till night, In trains appalling by their rapid flight- ■. His heart xmtravelled turned with yearning ' ' StillTurncd to dear Zealahdia's rocky shore '. ' In ancient Rome he urged a cheaper post. . And dined, hundred at his. country :' NertSe him hastening to the distant North, if, . And homage; pay to snow-white Age and ; ■ Worth ' » . ' •*':■ \ o w in the darling throng of fashion gay, Where by the Thames Society holds its sway. ?■■■'■■ He moves with conscious pride and heart Attired in Windsor robes, among the great, The central figure of a glittering ring, . . Addressed by knights and nobles, and the ' His meteor flight he and his court pursue !'' Until New York at last appears in view. Here he invites to lunch the mighty men Who wield with skill the editorial pen. ■. Whose words the fate of nations make or In three-deck leaders or a three-line par. '/ But Wee'the choice repast had been got &*>;■■>:■■' through '■>''■ ■■'■;'■■ '.■■■"'■■'■''■ :".'■'■■■"•". When off again our noblo hero flew. -,- - Behold him. now in Council deep. tho,brief. With great America's distinguished chief. . ' What weighty matters.do their minds en'.v.,-. ':.■'•" ■.. cage■■-■'. '•-■■' "- '■'--. -• ■ ■~ '• ■ .■!■■" Will yet be writ on History's classic page,- '■'' When! in the happy golden years to come, ' The States shall. .free our kauri.gum, j *" (They do that now, perchance the critic, cries, j " . But rhyme is; rhyme and so the critic lies.) ' / ■ Across the broad Pacific's tranquil, breast '■•:■. His bark now bears him to his native nest, ■ While eager crowds await him on the land i o "ive him welcome and to shake his hand- ' To hail him Chief and loud his praises sing. • ■ The King is dead, why then "Long live the King!"

"* The north of Auckland has had to put up with many wrongs, bht, the greatest is* to'come, if the North Auckland Times is ' , correct. That journal says : " Mr. W. Sec- ' combe,- of Paspalum.dilatatum fame, is an ardent sportsman and is greatly impressed with the value of our peasants from a game i • point erf view. He intends communicating " with the Auckland Acclimatisation Society with' a view of having several pairs shipped ; . to New South Wales to be liberated on his ;'i " ... estate at Central Bucca. Some of our educationalists have been talking of the sorrows of the school-child, but I have a very vivid sense of the contrast between the schooling of to-day and .' of a generation ago, as shown by,the dislike Of the present Auckland „ child to paying • at home. Once' upon a time every child ' jumped at the chance to avoid school and . magnified every petty ailment in the hope that it would be sufficient reason for escap- '"' ing the daily ordeal. Nowadays most .' • • children brefer to go to school and look • ■ quite injured if they are forbidden to do ,; ; so. I know of one popular suburban head- . master who openly and repeatedly informs V ' his scholars that he doesn't want them to .'>■ come to sit "about in wet clothes. And I < am decidedly of opinion that the schools disliked by ihe children are few and far between., Just why this is I don't know, but I'do know that it is so. Possibly the ' existing system isn't as bad as some of our reformers would have us think it. " By the way, I am told that one of the educational methods in which Auckland is defective is the kindergarten. Experts assert that without kindergartening it is quite impossible for a human being to develop : normal intelligence, which is presumably *, the reason why we are all so dull and slow who haven't had it. Anyway, the system (;.: has (he great advantage of keeping little children out of mischief and out of the ; way for a considerable part of their waking day, and this alone must commend it ■ .'. to the great majority of mothers. i ' Talking of kindergartens reminds me of a friend who theorises that in a' few years children will become so valuable that the State will not only offer a, large premium for them but accept them with grateful thanks from the parents and rear them in model nurseries, model schools, and model V colleges out in the country. And ho says that mothers will receive a pension proportionate to the number of children with which they have endowed the State. But I do not think that this will be in our time. ', ' When Mr. Myers begins to line our side- _ streets with municipal terraces I do hope vi he will not build them all to one pattern. For if there is anything calculated to make ; ' a man tired and to induce a woman to put /; large feathers in her hat it is to see all around one a deadly monotony, of architcc- - '~ ~j, tural ugliness. "Ugliness is to the mind '■':'■ ' what dirt is to the body, and I have often Svondered how many murders ugly build- ■ ings and ugly street's are responsible for. p?:#i! Kc%.> -"■: ■ • . - - • ...... .'■■ '-.-. '' •; ■■ In an. account of the Poverty Bay floods it is said:" Last night was one of the '"; ; wildest we have had in ' Gisborne for many a long day." This was evidently written ' . on the spur of the moment. . - ~ Ii is stated that a bird lias built its nest :.'-',," '■'. upon the butts of the rifle-range at Fen- ' ■ lose. Tfiis is merely only.' one more insice of the intelligence of birds in seeking ;, :'■ piuces> of safety. MtßCcno. I pk- 'places of safety. ■~' ', .•••'. MkRCUI'JO.