BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 2, 25 September 1880, Page 11

BRIEF MENTION

— Mr. Spargo, late of the Custom House Hotel, has taken a hotel at Whangarei. — The Maori prisoners at Dunedin Avhile aAvay their time Avith cricket. The local paper says they play rather a good game. i — Mr. Lusher, aa-lio despairs of getting any j justice from the New Zealand Government, is setting up in business by himself. — Is it true a certain noble-minded Councillor is Offer-ing for the Mayoralty next term ? — Mr. and Mrs Tylee, tAvo old colonists, Avere to leave London Avith their son by the s.s. Durham, Avhich sailed on September 18th. — Mr. and Miss Richmond return to Auckland A'ia America. They Avere to leave Liverpool in September. — Judge and Mrs. Gillies Avere booked to leave Venice by the P. and 0. steamer of September 15th. — Allan West has given up his Ponsonby Hall Dancing Class. The Temperance Hall Class Avill be continued for another month. — If the large attendance at St. Paul's Church is attributable to the excellence of the choir, it is merely a matter of chants. — Silver reefs have been discovered in the KaAva KaAva district, East Cape, not far from Avhere the oil springs are situated. — Mr. Vesey SteAvart's No. 3 Settlers will have nothing to complain of. A Tauranga gentleman tells me the Te Puke land is really splendid. — Times are very bad in Tauranga. There is only one man in the place Avorth money, and he is lending it out as fast as he can. — The ' Lady Jocelyn,' Avith Vesey SteAvart's party, was to sail on the 25th September for Auckland and not Tauranga, as originally intended. My London correspondent says there is every reason to believe she AA r ill be a full ship. — The young lady pupils attending Mrs. Clayton's school, St. George's Bay Road, realised £10 for the benefit of the funds of the Young Women's Homo, by a recent concert. | — Mr. Gray, the Avell-knoAvn Hansard reporter, has, OAving to the illness of his Avife, taken up his residence at Ponsonby, during the Parliamentary recess. — Mr. Echvard Cooper, solicitor, familiarly knoAvn as "Ted," and Miss Clara Prime, have entered into the bonds of Avcdlock. May they be happy. — Frank Hull, aa^io played Captain Absolute so admirably in the amateur performance of the " Rivals," tells me he has heard nothing about repeating the play as yet. — When the mail left England our old friend Captain Ashby Avas enjoying his honeymoon on the Continent. Mrs H. N. Crombie AA'as the blushing bride. The s.s. Durham, Avhich Avas to sail for Lyttelton direct on the 18th inst., filled up most satisfactorily, and Avill, in all probability, be folloAved by another boat in October. — In Auckland as elsAvhere there has been a tremendous run on Ouida's " Moths, " Avhich, take it all in all, is about the most immoral Avork the good lady has yet AA'ritten. — Frank Varly, avlio, for years back Avas Avell knoAATi in Auckland as a scene painter and editor of "Punch" is reported to have died some time back in Victoria. — Mr. Boardman, late of the South British Insurance Company Avas, according to advices by last mail, doing France in company AA'ith Mr. Stannus Jones. — Clarkson, AA r ho made over £50,000 in the Shotover Claim, at the Thames, Avas lately working as a miner in .one of the coalpits at Newcastle, N.S.W. — Ralph Simpson, the contractor for supplying the troops with groceries during the Waikato war, is at present residing in the suburbs of NeAv York. — What AAdll the editor of the " Free Press " say Avhen he hears that the neAvly-appointed editor of the London "Punch" is one of the most recent of Rome's recruits ?

— The great Garrard gets rather mixed at j times. In his letter to the " Twaddler " of Thursday last he talked of " the City Corpora- J tion Works that had not got bread to eat." | — The boss of the " Evening Luminary " having got to the end of his penny book' of jokes, froni Avhich the " skinny-scanty-lations " are taken, is beginning them all over again. — Mr. A. Gillies, brother of Mr. Justice Gillie-*, avlio has been in business as merchant in NeAv Caledonia for some years, has left the French colony and gone to Sydney. —If the Union Bank can afford to pay a dividend ancl bonus of 16 per cent., it has surely sufficient funds to replace those beastly dirty notes, instead of scraAvling "Limited" across them. — The announcement, " White Bate for Sail" adorned the outside of the only fishmonger's shop on the Queen-street Wharf, on Friday last. Is it surprising that some people smiled ? — On dit that Mr. Bathgate is dissatisfied with the terms upon Avhich his resignation of the position of Dunedin District Judge, has been accepted. In lieu of a pension he expected a bonus. — The Rev. A. W. Webb, pastor of the Wel-lesley-street Baptist Church, has effected a temporary exchange of pulpits with the Rev. Upton Davis, of Dunedin. He Avill be much missed. — Bro. William Pattray, avlio Avas installed W.M. of the Prince of Wales' Lodge last Thursday, has been looking rather seedy ever since. Is lie borne doAvn by the Aveight of his neAV honours, or did the banquet disagree Avitli him ? — Messrs. W. Ashby and Co. Avrite to me under date August 12th:— "Trade to NeAv Zealand is not so brisk as at this time last year. For Melbourne, OAving to the Exhibition, passengers ancl goods are literally pouring in. — Mr. Dixon, avlio Avas manager of the Sulphur Works started here sometime ago, has, after a very hard and uphill fight, succumbed' to circumstances. His name appears in Thursday's gazette. — Wells, the religious home agent, avlio absconded from Auckland a feAv years ago, Avas a short time back, running a Avell-stocked travelling store of his oavii up the country from 'Frisco. His motto is, All's Well, that Ends Well. — Mr. Pulleine, late of the Thames Goldfields, has returned to England trom Gisborne Mrs. Pulleine remains in the colony. It Avill be remembered that Mr. Pulleine 's brother, Lieut-Colonel Pulleine, of the 24th regiment, Avas killed at Isandula, in the Zulu War. — Professor Allen West gave a very successful party at Mrs. Clayton's school, St. Bay Road, last Aveek on the occasion of the breaking up of his dancing class there. The assemblage Avas a large and fashionable one, and visitors passed a most enjoyable evening. — The friends of Mr. H. E. Rice, avlio once occupied a prominent position as interpreter in the NeAv Zealand Native Department, Avill be surprised to hear tliat he did not go to Japan as reported at the time, but to Australia, and is now attached to the Victorian Detective Department. — Apologies are hereby offered to the numerous contributors Avhose items haA r e been crushed out. Most of them Avill get a slioav next Aveek. Those avlio wish to make certain of getting matter into a forthcoming issue should take care it reaches the Office by Tuesday afternoon. — If the Sultan gives much more trouble it is not improbable that the Great Poavci's will dethrone him, and make the Duke of Edinburgh Emperor of turopean Turkey. This arrangement Avould suit both Russia ancl England, though Germany and Austria might not like it. — By Avay of thanking Arthur Clayden for lying through thick and thin about NeAv Zealand, the good folks at home have made him a FelloAv of the Royal Colonial Institute. They had better confer a similar honour on " Capt." Barry noAA r . It Avould be only fair. — Rumour declares that, Avith a vieAv to retrenchment, the Government intend to sell the Auckland Custom's launch, and discharge the ' crcAV. The " Avhite elephant" could be A r ery satisfactorily replaced by an open boat, and the saving effected Avould be considerable. — So poor old Captain Sellars is dead. Well, he Avas a kindly soul, and Avill be much missed, especially by his many friends at Tauranga. I don't think the old felloAv eA^er quite got over being sacked from the ' Glenelg.' The OAvners Avere quite right in A\diat they did, but it Avas a terrible Woav to him. Requiescat in pace. — A kindly AvidoAV lady in Sydney adopted a little boy, brought him up as lie oavii son, and lavished every affection upon him. The youth repaid her kindness AA'hen lie became a man by marrying his benefactress. She is 75 and he 30. I am told the pair are "most devoted to each other, she is such a nice old lady one cannot help liking her." Talk about a man marrying liis grandmother after that ! — Host Hill is naturally much annoyed that the Hart fracas should have taken place in his house. I think if I Avere an liotelkeeper I Avould refuse to receive second-class professionals. Their money is frequently uncertain, ancl their habits loose. , — The members of the "Musical and. Literary Society, " at Hamilton, established for the purpose of raising funds for charitable objects, gave a Nigger minstrel performance, on Monday evening last, and thereby, in a manner, justified their claim to the title Avliicli they have adopted. — Mr. Butler's legs misgave him Avhile linking in the Choral Hall last Wednesday; but fortunately the spill produced no serious results. Hayter's acetic acid, rubbed in by gentle hands, took the pain aAvay, and enabled him to count the "Stars" as correctly? as usual.

— The Government pruning knife is still performing prettily around the salaries of unfortunate officials, and yet the Auckland Harbour Master has recently been supplied with a boat, and two youths at £5 per month to row it. The same service performed by ordinary Avatermen would not cost anything like one-half the amount. — When the Katikati Rifle Volunteers Avere founded three years ago there AA'as a tremendous talk about the good the Corps Avas going to do. Vesey SteAvart hoped great things from it, the "Bay of Plenty Tinies" gushed over it, and everybody patted everybody else on the back. I noAv hear that after a brief and futile existence the Corps has been disbanded. — The NeAv Zealand breAvers have been groaning and grumbling about Mr. Hall's beer tax, but the actual loss to Messrs. Bass, the eminent English breAvers, in consequence of the difference betAveen the draAVback alloAved on malt and manufactured beer, and Gladstone's neAv beer duty Avill approach, if it does not exceed £40,000. Think of that. — The firm of Kirkpatrick and Glendinning (drapers), in Dunedin, after closing at 6 o'clock on Saturdays for a year, have resolved to keep open on Saturday nights. They put it to their employees whether they would accept loAverAvages or Avork longer hours. The employees preferred the latter alternative. — Noav that the "Evening Luminary " has scintillated to the effect that Councillor Offer himself let out the facts Avhich enabled that journal to publish the substance of the Committee's report on the Town Clerk row, the very least he can do is to apologise humbly to the officials A\diose good faith was so rudely and unnecessarily doubted. — There are some folks AA'ho Avould snigger over a death bed, and crack jokes at a funeral. Of such a kidney must be the " Star " reporter avlio extracted tAvo feeble and inconsequent puns out of unfortunate Happy Hour Hart's visit to Mount Eden. To be sent to prison Avas bad enough, but to be made the subject of a Avould-be funny par was infinitely Avorse. — The other day one of our local tanners, avlio is noted for his love of the "almighty dollar," Avas sitting on the box-seat of a 'bus. The driver Avas laying the Avhip on the cattle pretty freely, Avhen the tanner said, "You might be a little more gentle on your horseflesh." " A deal you care for their flesh," replied the driver; "it is their hides you are thinking about." — The folloAving impromptu, but yet beautiful and appropriate lines are by the poet Grigg, of the Police Court. It is, hoAvever, suspected that Constable MeGilp had a hand in their manufacture : - 1 thank you for my phiz, also For dubbing me a poet ; I kneAV that fact, ah ! long ago— But now the WORLD Avill know it. — Elder Sorenson is still busy. On Friday last he Avas perambulating Albert-street Avith a tall, sour, and not by any means too well-favoured female, and judging by the interested manner j of the pair, the Avoman appeared to be progressing satisfactorily toAvards a conversion. If he Avould confine his attentions to the class of females in question, he Avould have a better chance of prospering in Auckland. — Young MattheAVS, the reporter of the "Bay of Plenty Times," is getting his share of chaff - iioav. Local jokists declare that after Captain Stevenson introduced his bootmaker to the fleshy portion of Mr. MattheAvs' back, the latter shouted for him. The man of letters, hoAvever, flatly denies the soft impeachment, ancl has requested Stevenson, "the doughty" to " come on. " Blood Avill probably be spilt. — Before he Avas raised to the Bench, the late Lord jChief ;Baron, avlio died last Aveek, Avas one of the finest advocates at the English Bar. The cases by which he was best lcnoAvn a* a laAvyer Avere his defence of Frost and his brother Chartists at NeAVport in 1840, his defence of the murderer TaAvell the Quaker iv 1845, and his prosecution of Dr. Bernan for being concerned in the Opine Conspiracy in 1858. Sir Fitroy Kelly Avas a staunch Conservative, and acted as AttorneyGeneral in Lord Derby's administration. — A good story is going the rounds of NeAv Plymouth. A messenger neAvly-installed in one of the public offices having been told to go to the Post-office to see if any letters Avere m the box, returned ag;iin and naively inquired from his "boss's" " Avhether he should bring the box." His "boss"' ansAver must have surprised him someAvhat, for, after hearing an emphatic "No," his master added, "bring the Postoffice. " The messenger is thinking of calling for tenders for the job. —In the eastern, or the Avestern, or the northern, or the southern portion of this city lives a AvidoAV, " fair, fat, and forty " Well, I am not sure about her being "fair," and I Avill not sAvear to her being "fat," but, if I am any judge of ages, she must certainly be " forty." It is said that she is about to make a love match Avith a gentleman Avho has just attained his majority, and Avho would be of a very suitable agefortheAvidoAv'seldestdaughter. It may Avell be said that Cupid is blind. — The bath-room of Mile. Laure Heymann, a Parisian actress, Avas a Pompeiian piece of luxury, Avitli silver and ivory, Venetian mirrors, Turkey rugs, and all the appurtenances ■of riototas extravagance and beauty. OAving to | a defect in the gas fittings, one morning mirrors, t panels, candelabra, statuary, Avails — the Avhole inside of the room, in fact— fell about the bather with a crash. She fled to the halls of justice, and has just Avon large damages from the architect through the last court of appeal. — The Princess Dolgorouski, Avith Avhom it is commonly reported that the Czar is about to contract a morganatic marriage, is one of the most beautiful and elegant Avomen in Europe. She accompanied her illustrious lover to the banks of the Danube during the late Avar Avith Turkey under the name of Madame Rilejer. The Princess comes of an ancient and noble house that has already been allied by marriage Avith the Imperial family of Russia: g ° •

— The bona fide unemployed are talking of raising a subscription to ship Garrard off" cloAvn South. They Avant to get rid of him. — For a truly chaste and delicate simile, commend me to the notorious Garrard. When the electors of City West return him to Parliament, " they Avon't (so he says) have a man who Avill Woav his nose on their clean shirts.' 1 Well, I can believe that. If appearances are reliable, a clean shirt or anytlnng else clean, must be profoundedly abhorrent to Mr. Garrard. t — Garrard loves the unemployed much, but he loves a "cold fourpenny" (Avhatever that may be) more, ancl Avhen a charitable cabby offered to stop his mouth Avith a glass of this fragrant beverage -I Avill do him the justice to say he didn't hesitate long. For one instant his mightly soul Avas Avracked to its very foundations by temptation ; then the " Old Adam" prevailed, and Avith a hop, step and J lump the great agitator bounded into the lansom, and amidst loud execrations Avas driven oft' to an adjacent pub. — Lord NeAvry, avlio came out here Avith the Duke of Edinburgh in the "Galatea," has succeeded his father as Earl of Kilmorley. Let us hope his lordship Avill now give up AATiting plays, keeping theatres and flirting with pretty actresses. The first amusement is by far the Avorst of the lot. Who can measure the sufferings of those avlio Avere present at the Globe Theatre, London, on the first night of this ambitious lordlings comedy "Ecarte." — There Avas a big fight at Exeter Hall on the night of the meeting held to protest against Lord Ripon's appointment. Black eyes and Avhite ties Avere the order of the day, and coattails, perhaps in honour of the occasion, had many a Rip-on them. It Avas a godly and a Christian spectacle, and a Zulu avlio Avas in the gallery telegraphed home for a feAV English missionaries to be sent back at once. He felt they could be of much more use in their native land. — The introduction of weeping avUloavs into New Zealand, according to the "Rangitikei Advocate," is enveloped Avith a tinge of romance. An early English ship en route to NeAv Zealand had to put into St. Helena. One of the passengers landed to visit Napoleon's grave, ancl took some cuttings of the AvilloAV that drooped over the illustrious tomb. These slips Avere brought to the colony and planted, and, in the course of nearly half a century, have been distributed far and AA'ide. — The charming little amateur comedy company, flourishing in Hamilton under the name of "The Comus Club," has done great things during the season, and promises even greater. There has been a change in the management recently, and a neAv departure, Avhether for good or ill is as yet uncertain. The neAV stage manager is Mr. A. SAvarbrick, an excellent comedian himself, and a genial felloAv withal. Grace is added to the performances by several lady amateurs, Avho are if anything more enthusiastic than the gentlemen. " Meg's Diversion," and "Your Life's in Danger," are the coming attractions. — The Rev. Charles Mehdlle Pym, so Avell knoAvn to many in Auckland through his earnest ministrations Avhile here a feAV months ago, is sojourning in Queensland, ancl is travelling through the northern country holdingmissions in various places. He hopes to conduct missions at IpsAvich, Charters ToAvers, ToAvnsville, Rockhampton, Hughenden and Brisbane. The many friends of the rev. gentleman will be pleased to learn that his health is much improved, and hu hopes to be back in the South Island in November, and Avill probably be in Auckland early in the NeAv Year. — That notorious individual, Mr. D. C. Moodie, avlio took upon himself the task of defending the Queen's honour Avhen she Avas called "an obese elderly person not overburdened av;' , i brains," is treated like a prophet in his OAvn c aitry. He has attacked another man from l.ohiiid, this time an Adelaide solicitor, consulted by the Avife of this gallant protector of female Aveakness because he had behaved to her so badly that she has been meditating an appeal for a divorce. Hoav gratified her Majesty Avould be Avere she made aware that the chivalrous being^ Avhose sensitive soul burned Avithin him AAUien a Avoman 16,000 miles -aAvay Avas slandered, made his home fo unhappy that the Ayife of his bosom Avas driven to seek the protection of the laAv. — The "Saturday RevieAV " Avas very AA r arm on "Moths," ancl specially slated its improbability. To this accusation Ouida replied in the "Whitehall RevieAV," ancl told the folloAving strange story : — " It Avas always denied by his critics that LaAvrence's description of Guy Livingstone crushing the silver tankard could hy any means have ever described an actual feat of strength ; yet LaAvrence told me (sadly enough, Avhen he related this to me, for those days of his strength had departed from him) that on the morning Avhen he read the "Saturday Review's " scoff at the feat as impossible he took up a goblet of the size described in the novel, and bent it in one hand down on to the leaves of the sapient "Saturday." Similar must be the experiences of many a novelist in matters less capable of positive and practical proof than the crushing of a silver goblet." — Some one (presumably the editor) has sent a jolly little sheet called the "School Chronicle," Avhich is published by Maurice C. Smith, William Moss, and J. Fairburn, three boys belonging to the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell. It is a creditable production, fairly Avritten, and Avell put together. The leading article protests against the injustice of refusing "boys under fourteen admittance to the Free Public Library, and advocates a reversal of the edict. I sympathise cordially Avith the "mute inglorious Miltons,"and embryo Pitts, Avho are shut out ; but I fear it Avouldn't do to give' a lot of noisy children the run of the place. Probably the best plan Avould be to grant the Librarian discretionary power. Then if he saw a sucking Shakespeare or juvenile Pope pining for a glimpse of the books, he could admit him and make him happy. j