BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 1, 18 September 1880, Page 3

BRIEF MENTION

— Mr. C. O. Montrose is in town again. — The gentleman with the thirteen-cogged dice has sought "fresh fields and pastures new." — Rev. G. Brown, formerly of Onehunga, has gone to Dunedin for the benefit of his health. — Dr. Purchas is converting his house in Pitt-street into a miniature castle. — R. A. Proctor leaves Sydney for New Zealand, via Tasmania, at the end of this week. — Miss Wilton, the actress, went South last week. — C. H. Reid has bought Springhead, near Kamo, Whangarei. Price, £350. — The Episcopalians are trying to raise funds for a church at Kamo. — The Whangarei farmers hold their annual cattle show in November. — The friends of a certain Thespian are anxious to know where that £25 came from. — The pen and ink portrait of Sir George Grey, which will be published in next issiie, contains a number of extraordinary stories never before made publ c. — One of our shoddy .aristocrats was caiight the other day travelling in a first class carriage with a second class ticket. — Detective Jeffrey was offered £50 to square that little " job " in connection with an hotel, which shall be nameless, — It has been town talk for a fortnight past that the "Story of Abraham" was written by an officer of the South British. — The New Zealand Shipping Company's Waitangi and Messrs. Shaw Saville's Crusader are racing to Lyttelton. Both vessels passed Deal on July 3rd. It is long odds on the Crusader. — The yacht being built at the North Shore to compete at the Melbourne Regatta will cost £1,008 without cabin fittings. — The '* Morning Twaddler " has dared to snub Mr. John Roly Polybank King, and yet the heavens haven't fallen ! Moreover, the "Twaddler" is still published ! — Mr. D. L. Murdoch, Manager of the Bank of NeAV Zealand, returned from the Fiji Islands last Tuesday. He looks . as if he had enjoyed his trip.

— Mr. A. Maxwell appears to have received Irish promotion from the South British Directors. He was manager at Dunedin, but comes to Auckland as chief clerk. — The horsewhipping sensation at the Police Court on Thursday ended very tamely. No explanation whatever was offered, and when Mr. Barstow had fined Captain Kerr heavily he slipped away. — Mr. William Lodder has been taking singing lessons from Gordon Gooch, and, as a consequence, he sings " Poor old Jeff" much better than of yore. —Henry Kingsley, the novelist, was for three years a digger on the Victorian goldfields. Mr. Snell, Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co's head counting, house man, was one of his mates. — On Mr. Seigfried Kohn's visiting cards, Ins name is surmounted by an owl. Does that mean that he is owlish, or a (h) owlim? swell or Avhat? — It is said the newly-elected councillor— Hemus— is going to give notice at the next meeting of the Municipal Council " that the meetings be opened with prayer, the councillors to officiate in rotation. " — Now that Mr. K. Walker, better known a,s Kauri-gum Walker" has been re-elected a member of the Parnell Borough Council, the byelaw forbidding smoking on the Parnell omnibuses will be strictly enforced. — Bradshaw contains the following advertisement, "Wear nothing but Russell's g< -Id and silver watches." No, thank you! The climate is not suitable. The primitive fig-leaf apron would be better. — " Why," says my lady correspondent, "is the rink so deserted hoav ? Is it that our show man has gone to other and more favoured lands, or does the fair sex pale towards the end of the season? — Parnell has turned artistic and great interest is taken in the portfolio of the recently inaugurated Daub Club. .Despite its foolish name, this tociety seems likely to do a good work. — After all the elaborate preparations for the Queen of Spain's accouchement it is annoying that the youngster should be a girl. What the Royal couple wanted and prayed for was a son and heir. — There is now a nice little hall in Parnell admirably adapted for balls, private theatricals, etc Juveniles have led the way with an admirable performance. Great talent was shown and the affair proved a decided success. — It surely was not known that the Wellington " kickists" would be at the rink last week or a warmer welcome than mere empty benches would have been extended to them. I noticed however that Miss Mabel was kind enough to show one southerner how to skate. — All correspondents who send me items of gossip or information may rest assured that their names will be kept strictly private. Not a single soxil except the editor (either in or out of the office) can by any possibility get to know them. — The Attorney-General is off to Dunedin for a holiday, but has sent us up a tolerably substantial representative in his private secretary, who kicks the beam at fifteen stone, The Tichborne claimant and the famous fat boy in Pickwick are eclipsed. — I take the first opportunity to return thanks to Mr. E. M. Edgcumbe, Mr. Brame, and the proprietor of the Thames " Star," for the kind pars which have appeared in their respective journals about the advent of the Observer. — Of all the sad attemps at a speech that I have had to listen to, Dr. Purchas's at the Mayor's Cold- Water Party was the saddest. The elocution was, if possible, worse than Mr. Gradwell's, while the matter was mainly praise of the Council of the Auckland Institute, of which he himself is president. — The young gentleman who lef this autograph in the shape of an 1.0. U., with sundry members of the Auckland Club, is passing himself off in Wellington as a man of property, and has become engaged to the daughter of^ a leading citizen there. When that leading citizen finds out the truth there will probably be "ructions." — Miss A. Ryan, a daughter of the esteemed J.P. and County Coroner for Mangawai and Kaiwaka, who, it will be remembered, died suddenly last year, has accepted the post of teacher at the Hakam School. Miss Ryan is a eWer and accomplished lady, and the local folks are much pleased with the appointment. — A notable member of the St. Matthew's congregation tells me that he is willing to put down £10, and intends trying to persuade nine fellow- worshippers to do likewise, for the purpose of inducing Professor Martin Swallow to remove the venue of the Sunday evening concerts from St. Paul's to St. Matthew's. — George Lacy, who was for some little time a resident at Tauranga, and acted as special correspondent to the "Bay_ of Plenty I Times," is now in Sydney, and contributes longwinded treatises on "Spiritualism" and "Cooperation" to that heaviest of serials, "Free Thought." — This story dates from the end of the Derby week, and the scene is the smoking-room of the Langham Hotel, Avhere an American is relating to a circle of friends a remarkable dream which he had on the night before the Derby. " I dreamed, " said he, "that No. 7 on the card Avon the race. When I got to Epsom I found that Bend Or Avas No. 7, and I backed that horse for £500,* and Avon £1000 on the race, Avhich amount I brought back Avith me that day. Now, I call that a most remarkable dream. Hereon another American who had been listening most attentively cut into the conversation and said — " It is not such a remarkable di'eam as I had last night by a long Avay. For I dreamed that I Avas dead, and that I Avas sent in due course to the infernal regions, and Avhilst I Avas passing through the very hottest part of the domain, I saAV three figures coming toAvards me," and pointing to the preAdous dreamer he continued, "you Avere the centre figure, and Ananias and Sapphira Avere the two out-siders."

— Mr. W. Bartleet Langbridge has had & little coolness with Mr. E. M. Edgcumbe, of the "Waikato Times." The slim and enerSetic Langbridge now canvasses for the " WaiatoMail." — A private letter by the Suez mail says that directly the Tichborne claimant ceases to be the Tichborne claimant, and admits his real birth and parentage (which is perfectly well known), the clemency of the Crown wiil be extended to him. He is not, I need scarcely say, Arthur Orton. — Sir G. M. O'Rorke's address at the opening of the Free Public Library was the saddest story that has been told in Auckland for some time. A funeral sermon would be like a screaming farce compared with it. He appeared to be borne down by his new honours and cold water. — A man at Hamilton pleaded guilty to a charge of wife- beating, alleging as an excuse that when he returned home his wife had not cleaned his gun and accoutrements. Letting a little of his blood would improve that man. He certainly ought not to be trusted Avith a gun. — Professor Swallow has inaugurated a mv sical union and intends giving a grand concert at the end <>f the season. The Professor is ambitious. Scenes from some of the operas, rendered by performers in costume, are to form fmrt of the programme, and one from " Norma" las already been selected. — The Board of Education have appointed Mr. Gradwell teacher of elocution, and Mr. George Staines, teacher of astronomy in the public schools. Both appointments meet with the approval of the public — especially the latter. Mr. Staines knows rather more about astronomy than Mr. Gradwell about elocution. — The "Manchester Special Settlement," about which the noble dxike of that ilk intends visiting this colony is, it appears, 75 miles north of Wellington. Youths with a capital of from £2000 to £1000 are invited to apply for blocks to the Emigrants Aid Corporation, Westminister, of which his Grace is President. — No wonder there are rejoicings in Holland about the birth of an heir apparent. The Prince of Orange, who would tinder other circumstances have succeeded, is an awful scamp, who has been socially ignored for years. When he came to London last season not a single member of the Eoyal Family called upon him. — A widow, upwards of seventy years of age, has recently had seventeen teeth extracted by an Auckland dentist, and false ones put in their places. She is, perhaps, trying to captivate another young man. All eligibles should remember Mr. Wellers' warming, " Samivel, my son, Samivel, beware of the widders !" — No, ladies, it is not true that a certain musical professor wears stays. I am, however, assured most positively that, on Friday last, he went into one of our leading milliners shops and asked — heaven save the mark — for " a pair of pale blue stockings". Query when does the dear fellow mean to wear them and what colour will" the knickerbockers be? — After visiting the principal towns in New Zealand, His Grace of Manchester will return home by a steamer of the Orient line, and not via San Francisco as was conjectured. Won't some of the snobs going to England try to find out the boat. Fancy eating at the same table with a real live duke, possibly even speaking to him ! — • Some of Sir George Grey's friends say that his sudden departure to the Kawau was due to the fact that Sir Hercules Pobinson was expected in Aiickland, and Sir George did not wish to meet with him. Others again say that his health has never recovered from the shock to his nerves occasioned by the great silence scene. — A very real love match is to be conaumated at St. Paul's on Tuesday next. The happy pair are Mr Elliott and Miss Ansell, who, I need scarcely say, will make a most charming bride. Mr. and Mr 3. Elliott intend spending their honeymoon in Australia, and leave for Sydney by the 'Rotorua' in the afternoon. — Captain E. V. Stevenson still gets terribly chatted m Tauranga about that mythical skeleton of his. Last week, the party making the Te Puke Road discovered a real one, and, as it has " a cracked skull and broken limbs," a correspondent of the " Bay of Plenty Times " thinks it would be just the thing for Captain Stevenson. They are therefore going to send him it. — The handsomest dress worn at the Mayor's Conversazione wai that of Mrs. Montague, the wife of the newly-elected councillor. It was made of Heliotrope, coloured silk, and trimmed with brocaded silk of the same colour, and with white Bretonne lace. She wore a headdress made with one of the fashionable silk handkerchiefs and blush roses. It was a very handsome costume, and must have cost — — Well, the cost is a matter for Mrs. Montague's husband, not for our wife's husband to consider. — An indignant female, who is evidently an ardent admirer of Professor Swallow, writes to me to say that a member of the St. choir, who possesses none of professor's genius, is endeavouring to imitate his little eccentricities. He has his hair arranged so as to stick out all round his head. He wears a bright crimson scarf, and he lias his Avalking-stick adorned with a black silk lassel. " The imitation," severely adds my correspondent, "would be more complete ilt the imitator were on better terms with his washer- woman. " — The funeral of the late Miss Gertmde James was a most solemn and touching ceremony. The congregation of St. Matthews' attended at the cemetery en masse, and the coffin was covered with flowers, symbolic of the deceased's pure and blameless life. On Sunday Mr. Tebbs preached an. impressive funeral sermon. When this gentleman s heart is in his discourse few persons can speak better or more to the point, and on this occasion he: moved many to tears. Miss James seems to have been loved by all who .knew her, and her memory will be kept green for years to come.

The Queen, after pinning the Victoria Cross to the breast. of Sergeant A. Booth, the hero of the Intombi River affair in the Zulu "War, shook that gallant soldier cordially by the hand, and he found himself richer by a £20 note. — Thatworthy "niedico,"Dr. Beaney, of Melbourne, is resorting to advertising again I see. Thi<» shows that James George has found out his practise is not what it was before he made the trip to England. The Dunedin whiskey is said to be much better than the nauseous compounds vended under that denomination in Auckland. Hence .Mr. Murray's departure for the " Edinburgh of the bouth. " — Sometime ago the "Thames Advertiser" referred to Strauss' Austrian Band ac a "military band, " and now the Southern papers are copyino- the mistake. The fact is the organisation is a private one, on which the Emperor of Austria has conferred the rank of "royal. It consists of 60 instrumentalists (mostly Etrings) and Herr Johann Strauss leads, violin in hand Those who hear this band play the "Doctrinen," " Neve Wein," or s..me other set of German waltzes will never forget it. It is a perfect revelation. One learns for the first time what dance music may mean. An infidel Colonel of Volunteers, named Robert Ingersoll, made the warm July weather in New York much warmer by delivering a series of Sunday evening lectures at a theatre; in which religion was ridiculed and attacked with scarcely any limit of epithet and imagery The gallant Colonel that he has defied the Almighty for years, and has never been harmed by Him. Tins reminds me of the reply made at the Savage Club, by an exclergyman named Barton, to poor Tom Robertson, who was indulging in a somewhat similar style of idle talk. " You forget, Tom, said Barton, "that the Almighty is capable of infinite contempt as well as of infinite justice. — The Duke of Manchester, whom we shall probably see something of in Auckland by-and-Tbye comes of a bad lot, Thefounderof hishouse was to quote the words of a great historian, " one of the most subservient creatures that ever wore the ermine," and another Montagu is referred to as " a disgrace to his rank and a traitor to his trust." The present Duke does not seem to be rich as Dukes go, and is a good-tempered nonentity. He has done nothing worth mentioning hitherto. Considering the much vaunted success of the Katikati Special Settlement, it appears to me extremely odd that so many of the residents should have been obliged to go through the Bankruptcy Court. There have been three cases quite lately, and I am told others are in prospect. ,Mr. Clark, who started the Ju eaou Hotel, was a most energetic and business-like man, and if anyone could have made the venture pay I believe he would. What is the reason of it all ? — Fitzgibbon Louch, who went home to look after his own special <-ettlement by the mail steamer, told me that Vesey Stewart had acted rather quaintly to som< of the No. 2 Party. It ap pears that these settlorwere to pay for their land, partly in cash and partly in long dated bills. Mr. Stewart, however, persuaded them (for discount purSoses) to make thebills short ated, promising faithfully to renew them when they came due, and to pay all extra interest accruing in consequence. Instead of doing this, he went away to England without making any proper arrangements j and the bills falling due the banks dropped on the unfortunate acceptors, who, of course, were quite unprepared for such a catastrophe. Coming from a rival of Mr. Stewart's, this story must be taken " cum grano salis, "though, I dare say, there may be a substratum of truth in it. —No doubt many of both No. 1 and 2 settlers are very bitter against Vesey Stewart, and have done their utmost to spoil his No. 3 Party. From what I can understand very few of the passengers booked by the 'Lady Jocelyn' are absolutely pledged to him. They will come out, and if they like the look of Te Puke settle there. If not they will go elsewhere. Tauranga folks are notoriously blind to their own interests, otherwise they would be making some preparations for the reception of the new comers. The No. 2 party were iv a wretched plight when they arrived. There was literally not house-room for many of them.