WHO'S WHO?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13352, 5 December 1906, Page 9

WHO'S WHO?

Slit J. G. Wajkd, the Premier of New Zealand, was born in South Melbourne, and went to school there. hen in his teens he entered the New Zealand postal service in a humble capacity.

'Mr. Rudyard Kipling uses a pin-tray with blue roses painted on it, which was sent t-, him by a five-year-old admirer. While lie is writing his stories, a little, Burmese idol sits on his pen-wiper, and « small Arab, who nods his head when touched, acts as paper weight.

Mr. Mortimer Menkes, the artist and traveller, is an excellent revolver shot. Once he got into difficulties with a number of rough railway men in America. Things were looking serious, so he gave them an exhibition of his prowess with his ■weapon, and after that they hesitated to molest him.

Mr. John Morlev, Secretary of State for India, was educated at Cheltenham. While he was at college he wrote what was intended to be a prize poem, but it was not successful. However, the headmaster told him that he was glad he had written the poem, as it showed all the elements of a, sound prose style.

The Tsar of Russia, according to an official who has spent pome years in his service, and seen His Majesty almost every day, is painstaking to a degree, and by no means slowwitted as many people suppose. Pre can master a new subject, no matter how intricate it may bp, far more vapidly than most people. The Tsar is described as having been a student of politics from boyhood.

Mr. Will Crooks, M.P., who is a native of Poplar, says that though he was not actually born in the workhouse, lie was born next door to it. In 1861 lie was earning 6d a week between school hours. His father met with a serious accident, and his mother had to keep him and. seven children. The Poplar Guardians allowed the family live loaves and 5s a week. In October. 1861, Will Crooks and his father were taken .into the workhouse,. and lie says that every incident of his life during that terrible time was burnt into his brain. Once, when Mr. Crooks was in the workhouse, his father brought him in a little suet pudding as a treat. The labour master treated the father's self-sacrllice as a, gross breach of discipline, and tin? future M.P. had to go without his pudding.