BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume II, Issue 44, 16 July 1881, Page 487

BRIEF MENTION

— Hurst — Burst.

— No more Criminal Libels. — The Wictim, Wickham, Wictorious. — Two more Franklin Road promenaders — A few days ago, in about 8 hours, £1200 changed hands at Coromaudel— all in Tiki shares. — Vesey Stewart's name is mentioned in connection with the East Coast Electorate. — Mrs Hampsonis drawing crowded audiences at Oomaru. — Ned's honeymoon is o'er, and he has come back to the Bank. — "Les Cloches de Corneville" is to be produced at the Lome-street Hall next Saturday. — Portraits of Earl Clanwilliam and Prince Albert Victor and Prince George of Wales in next issue. — A gentleman writes from Napier to know if De Lias means taking the Cardens there. We think not. — A new evening paper of extreme Liberal principles is talked of, with Mr C. 0. Montrose as editor. — A fight took place at the Tiki "wake," and poor Wiggins got a black eye, trying to save the corpse from being knocked off the table. — H. H. Smith, the great " stove man," means to give his popular lime-light entertainment in the suburbs during the winter. — It is the intention of Mrs Allan "West, the popular ura&ical instructress, to give another entertainment to her many pupils shortly. — You have often slated us, Wickham, for mildly acknowledging ourselves wrong. Well, now — but no matter. — Why does the " Tank" still remain one of the unemployed. Garrard would be glad of a secretary, and perhaps Smiling John would accept the office. — The Gisborne people say neither McDonald, Edgcumbe, nor Vesey Stewart stand a chance for the East Coast, as they are none of them popular at Poverty Bay. — We shall be delighted to accept the services Angelina as " special " at Cambridge. Terms : A free paper. Other correspondents in country districts treated with in the same way. — "Yes," said a weary wayfarer, as he toiled painfully up Constitution Hill, " Auckland's just like life — all ups and downs. It wears out both our bodies and our soles." — A "wake " was held at the Tiki over the miner who died at Mclntyre's old hut. It was kept up till 5.30 a.m., at least that was the hour tent doors were trying to be tied. — We don't suppose those of the public who saw Ananias Brame's handbill about " Sapphira Rathhone's £1000 draft" were much surprised at the Star rejecting it as an advertisement. — One or two interesting anecdotes about investing in mining- shares before the ground was formed into a company, are likely to crop up. It is to bo hoped the matter will be settled amicably. — A Glee Club has been formed at the Tiki, and Mr Beveridge is greatly interested therein, riding many miles from his survey camp to keep it going. Mr H. Green is conductor. A number of ladies have joined, which is bound to make the Club attractive. — It is scarcely two years ago since the Waitekauri mine at Ohinemuri was proclaimed a dnffer. A few days ago we read oE one party of tributers obtaining 600 ozs. gold ; and now a Tuames friend declares that two men, also tribnting in the Waitekauri, expect in a week or two to have the division of 1000 ozs. of gold between them. — The members of the Royal Good Intent Lodge of Odd Fellows intend celebrating their thirtyfirst Anniversary with a Supper and Bali at the Lornestreet Hall this Friday evening, and as the arrangements are very complete, not only the members of the Order but their wives and families may expect to pass a very pleasant evening. — When a pretty nursemaid, -whose infant charge you have been visiting professionally, helps you on with your overcoat, doctor, it is no doubt quite proper for you to pat her plunip cheeks in a parental manner, or even to chuck the dear creature under the chin, Take care, however, no one sees you do it another time. Women are jealous and — but more anon. — The captain of the s.s. Bowen was awfiilly disgusted when ordered to go direct into quarantine ; so much so, that he expressed a determination to return the way he came, and chance a better reception at a Southern port. Hearing, however, that they did things after the same manner at Wellington, he gave up the idea, and resignedly permitted his ship to be piloted down to Motuihi. — Mr S. W. Elmes started, on Saturday last, for Cambridge, to open a branch of the Colonial Bank there. He made many friends while in the Bank of Australasia, and as accountant in the Colonial Bank here, and is sure to work up a good business at Cambridge. He will be a welcome addition to Cambridge society, as, though somewhat reserved with strangers, those who know him pronounce him to be a very pleasant gentleman. His handsome wife will also be a great acquisition to the society there, when she joins her husband, which she will do as soon as the new bank, to be erected opx>ositc to Raynes' hotel, is finished. — The sturdy beggai'S are a fruitful source of terror to ladies living in the suburbs, provided there is not a man-servant working close by. Not long since two of them visited Remuera. They separated to visit two houses a little distance apart, and, their visits made, met again to compare notes. One of them asked his friend if ho had got anything 1 . " Nothing," was the reply, " but this piece of mouldy bread," and he threw half a loaf of good bread into a ditch. " Was there nothing to be picked up ?" "No ; but there was a (the adjective \ised may be translated into sanguinary) big dog there." These loafers are frightened of nothing so much as a good watch dog. — A very sad scene occured at the meeting of the Reception Committee on Monday. The erstwhile Deputy-Mayor (Mr Waddel) and the nephew of the Lord Mayor of London fell out about a platform; and the discussion becoming personal, Mr Waddel lost his temper and wound lip by suggesting in the broadest Doric that Mr Macmillan should, perform a physically impossible feat with the platform. Instead of doing what he was asked, Mr Macmillan left the room, and peace was with difficulty restored. — To the Editor : Sir, — In reply to your query as to whether there_ is any truth whatever in Mr Brame's statement that either I, or any of my spns, told him that we wanted to order you from behind, the scenes, etc., I beg to assure you that the allegation is a base falsehood. You never visited us, save at the spontaneous invitation of both myself and Mrs Pollard. We have always been pleased to see you, and we hope that this little affair will not interfere, in the least, with your acquaintance with us. I am, etc., — J. J. Pollard.

— The junior partners of Lord Mayor of London appear to be going stark staring mad. Nothing — literally nothing — save insanity could satisfactorily explain Mr Larkins's affected and consummately conceited letter to the Herald. If that precious production means anything, it means that the writer (Mr Larkins) has travelled all Europe and been feted everywhere that he has associated with kings and princes, and that his exx>erience (i!) of these notabilities entitles him to pronounce on what they would enjoy, etc. — A correspondent writes: "I see by the Melbourne papers that the Chinamen have bqpn inun.dating the markets of that city with an abomination appropriately called " lie tea." On analysis, it proves to be composed of decayed, exhausted, or foreign (other than tea) leaves ; foreign stems ; tea sweepings, held together by starch paste ; pieces of bark, husk, and nutshells. All this rubbish was faced with plumbago to give it a black appearance, and was totally unfit for dietary purposes. Seeing that a large quantity of this horrible compound was sent to Melbourne, it is not at •all improbable that some of it will reach Auckland. It behoves us to be an the elert, and to get an analyst at work."

— An engagement is announced between Mr James McFarlane and Miss Harris, daughter of Mr C. A. Harris, of this city. — On dit that Mr E. M. Edgeumbe having seceded from tbe Waikato Times the name is to be changed to the Whitalcer Times and Waipa Canvasser. — Messrs G. W. Owen and Co., have received a large consignment of teas of the finest quality per s.s. Bowen. — liees looked as if lie could drop through the floor when the foreman of the jury ejaculated, " Not ■ Guilty." — Directly the foreman of the jury in Rees' case began to ask the plaintiff and Mr G. M, Reed questions, we knew Wickham was — The " only honest draper in Queen-street" is going to give a dance which will serve to introduce his son's bride elect to the family and relatives. — Everybody says that Mr Tyler's conduct in flying flat in the face of the Judge and having repeated " barneys" with him, materially assisted to'get Wickhain oil' in the Rees case. — How much is little Vaughan receiving for pacing up and down in front of John Smith's window and drawing public attention to the caricature therein exposed ? — Landershut had a very "rough " time of it in Wellington. The papers, showing him up, arrived before he could get away, and of course his former friends gave him the cut direct, instantcr. — The Amazonian beer jerker tells an amusing story about a popular Queen-street hair-dresser and a new load of straw. Mind you ask her to repeat it. The yarn is well worth a nobbier, though only short(t). — Report says the action brought against the Bank of New South Wales at Gisborne the other day only cost that institution jGI.IOO. Jimmy Smit'j, the popular lawyer of Dunedin, alone received £400 to defend the case. — A gentleman who has some spare time on his hands, is making" a study of heraldry and oilers to discover the correct crest and motto of any families, who feel curious on the subject. Applications should be addressed to " Herald" care of Upton and Co. — The Friday evening lectures at Welleslcystreet Enst school are a capital institution, and deserve to be widely patronised. The one for to-night deals with " Old Roman Patricians," and should be amusing as well as instructive. — Why is Mr Larkins so particularly anxious that a ball should be given while the princely sailor boys are hero. His opinion of dancing must have materially altered since his arrival in Auckland, as, \\p till that time, he had not allowed his daughters to learn to dance. — In order to give some of "our most respected citizens" an opportunity of seeing the little "Pinafores" oif, as well as on, the stage, Mrs Hamley, of the Auckland Hotel, who has throughout taken the kindest interest in the troupe, proposes to give a little dance at the Lome-street Hall on some early evening. — The Auckland Music Warehouse has been removed to more suitable premises two doors from tbe former shop, and is now re-opened with a very large and choice assortment of music and musical instruments which Mr Angelo Forrest, the proprietor, has imported direct from England. — Mr E. M. Edgcumbe has been up here with a horsewhip, a bludgeon and two bulldogs to know what we meant by referring to him as a proprietor of the Woikato Mail ! ! of all journals. Need we say that it was a slip of the pen and that the Times was rhe paper Mr Edgcumbe seceded from. — The great sight of the Rees and Wickham libel case was Alt' Whitaker discoursing in tones of virtuous indignation on the evils of " land sharking." An ill-natured reporter whispered in semi-audible tones something about " Patetere." but luckily it wasn't overheard. — The caricature of the "Observer man" which you have in your window, John, is rather clever, but unless you wish to drive away ladies and children and disgrace yourself as a family man, we can't think why you put that obscene extract from Brame's paper alongside of it. By all means have aslap at us whenever and however you can, but don't copy a slanderous creature like Branie. — Some very strange stories are being told about the late Captain Casey's will ; indeed it was currently reported in Queen-street on Tuesday that, though the lamented gentleman has left all his property to be divided amongst his daughters, the money goes to a charity in the event of their marrying. We can scarcely believe this extraordinary statement, and yet it seems strange that it should have got about if untrue. — The Princes Albert Victor and George, and the other middies, were busy one day on board the Bacchante working out the reckoning. They were all muddled, and none of them could get the thing to come right. At last one of the bewildered middies looked across at Albert Victor, and said, " I say, if this is the way you're going on, what a blooming fine king you'll make !" — Bulletin. — Auckland is cursed with a "number of systematic loafers who prey on the charitably disposed, begging money and spending it in drink. One of them was " euchred "by a city man the other day. He went into the office, told a long story of his woes and misfortunes, and, without much difficulty, induced the gentleman to give him half-a-crown. Not quite satisfied of the genuineness of the case, the gentleman went to his office door to see whither the mendicant would g 0) and saw him steering a straight course for the nearest public house. 'He went back, picked up his hat, took a short cut for the hotel, and ran into the bar just in time to hear the loafer call for a pint of beer and to see him lay down on the counter the half-a-crown he had just received. "No you don't," said the gentleman, as he leaned ov er the counter and picked up the half-crown. — A gentleman whose veracity is generally unimpeachable, and who understands more about the " innards" of newspaper lif e than most folks, writes to tell us that he has good reasons for thinking that the Rev. Allan Webb cpraposed the tirade of Billingsgate about us in Saturday's Free Press. As a matter of fact, we know Mr Webb did nothing of the kind. He may not think much of the Obsebvkr, but before he would pen such a conglomeration of filthy abuse, he would, we can unhesitatingly assert, cut his hand off. Nevertheless, the accusation shews what men who write for the Free Press lay themselves open to. The fact is. the public know Allan Webb, Cornf orel and Ananias Iscariot Whited Sepulchre Branie are all Baptist preachers and all contributors to the Free Press, and they do not stop to reflect who writes what. This mixing up of reputations is, however, a serious matter for Messrs Webb and Cornford who, unlike Brame, have characters to lose. That any minister of Christ should bo suspected of baseTy slandering a fellow creature so foully is bad enough, but the parsons so accused cannot complain of folks harbouring such suspicions, whilst men of Brame's calibre ai'e allowed to i>rostitute pulpits by their blasphemies and to bring down indelible disgrace on the sect they belong to. —To the Editor : Sir, — Your Wellington political correspondent's notion of fun reminds me of the interesting little fab?.e of " The Frog and the Boys." The boys were having great fun in pelting the frog with stones, but what was fun to the boys was death to the frog. So, in my case, some honourary members at Wellington find a never ending source of amusement in directing their shafts against me ; but as, by their fim, a serious injury is done to me, it is high time their little game was put an end to. I beg to forward you a copy of " Hansard," containing Mr Moss-'s remarks when bringing my case, this session, before thq House ; Ido so in the hope that you may be able to publish it, incxtenso, in your columns ; and for this reason, viz : that my matter has really, long since, ceased to be a personal grievance, it is now a public matter. My reason for saying so, is this : That if one member of the body politic is treated with gross injustice by the governing body, then all the members are insulted. What is mv case to-day may be somebody else's to-morrow ; and if the community, as a whole, allow an act of gross injustice, done to one of its members, to bs looked upon as sport, they must not be surprised if their autocratic masters jump upon them when the opportunity offers. For, of this we may rest assured, that as those in power treat private individuals, so, if they dared, and the occasion arose, they would treat the whole community. I make no remark upon the vulgarly offensive character of the paragraph in your correspondent's report, to which I have alluded, for I feel convinced that it must have slipped into your paper unnoticed ; had you seen it, I am sure it would have found no place in your columns. lam etc., — H. W. Farnall. — [Mr Farnall's case is without doubt a hard one, and we shall endeavour to find room for the Hansard extract fiext •week.r»Ed. Obs,]

— Christianity is on the increase. —What about the bull in the Domain, Banger ? It scares the ladies terribly. —A strange thing about the Carclen Company is that the " stars *' are the weakest part of it. —Charlie Rowe's boy " cut " him, and run, because Dick Graham swore at him. Naughty Dick ! —Swell concert at the Epsom Hall this (Friday) evening-. Jim Buckland, Geo. Howard, Wynyard, Trollope, Cleghorn, Stoddart, and others perform. — One of the Hero's passengers says the " Blowfly " is a perfect old humbug, and that he causes endless annoyance. —The Hero folks did any amount of shooting at Motuihi, but the week's "bag" consisted of one rabbit only. —The Detached Squadron has sailed for Sydney. When it reaches New Zealand will the local authorities quarantine the royal Princes ? —It may not be generally known that the Eusssian Government has secret correspondents in all the big Colonial towns. —Home people are so fast-tedious at table, that they look upon the intervening hours between meals as a tedious fast. — "This engagement must be short, decisive, and victorious." So says pretty Miss C. But what does the old man think ? —A version of " Proof " was played: during Bandmann's engageuent, under the title of " Blighted Lives." —A coursing match between two greyhounds belonging to Messrs Alexander and Thwaites'will take place on Saturday next. — The choir of St. Mark's, Remvtera, headed by Mr Heskoth, intend making Mr W. B. Dixon a presentation, before he leaves. — " Bonyface" will sadly miss the smoothfaced boy. He says " I never shall look upon his like again." — Mr Justice Gillies has more of the advocate than the judge in him. He seemed to be as much against Kees as he was favourable to Hurst. — Prior to leaving Parnell, Mr James is to be presented with a harmonium by Eanger Goldie, Mr Itaynes, and others. — The Local Board of Health have declined to sit at the feet of Edward Brophy, Esq., Quarantine Superintendent, etc., and very properly chucked their billets at the Government's head. — A motto for Mr llees : — " Be(e)s2)ice Jinon," which, being interpreted into the vernacular, means : " Look before you leap," or " Before you enter upon an affair, look to the consequences." — HcrrSchmitt has been very unwell lately, a fact which must explain his disappointing the cognoscenti", who wished to hear him play the organ, the other evening. — When we promised to give the Carclen company a lengthened review, we were under the delusion that "Proof" was a novelty. It would be nbsnrd to go into a lengthy analysis of an old and not particularly brilliant piece. — It is quite evident, despite all his professions to the contrary, that Mr William John Hurst did not cai-e about the Wickham libel case coming into court, otherwise he would have seen an apology further first. — When some of the jury were questioned, subsequently, as to their views in the Eees ense, they said, '• Mr Eees made himself out far too disinterested. We couldn't believe that he had worked tico >u7iol«j years for the natives for nothinu- It was too much." — -1 >ol» Browning has got his name up considerably during the present sessions. His defence in that rape enso the other day was masterly, and his association with the Eees action was also most creditable. — Amongst the witnesses summoned in the enseof Hurst v. Wickham were a large number of " old identities" who had long been missed from their old haunts in Queen-street, and almo.it passed into the realms of oblivion. One witness had not visited A\ickand for the last sixteen years. — The "spooning" done at Motuihi last week was quite too utterly utter. Couples left the vessel early in the morning, and returned late in the evening. How they passed the time in the interim it is hard to say, for Motuihi (minus spoons) is not a lively spot. — A person was heard to remark recently that the week's board and lodging which he.as one of the Hero's passengers, obtained gratis, was the best stroke of luck which had ever fallen to his lot, and that he was "denced sorry" wheii it was over. By all accounts several others seem to feel similarly. — The admirers of "our Ethel" have not has many opportunities of gazing on her chubby little features]! during the Garden engagement. The part she took in " Proof " was very " small beer" indeed. — Maggie Knight's acting in "Proof "was, in all respects, Al. She is a very clever as well as a very pretty girl, and will probably develop into a "star" herself, before long. — But for the juvenile "Pinafores," who (thanks to De Lias's generosity) have been admitted to the Tneatre nightly (19 at a time), the attendance in the dress circle would have been wretchedly meagre. On Monday there were far more deadheads than paying peoi^le in the house. — Carden's Pierre Lorance was a fair average performance, but nothing at all startling, and we can't honestly say that we liked Miss Marston Leigh's Valantine. The long scene between father and daughter, in the fourth act, dragged fearfully, in fact it was " linked agony long drawn out." — An amateur entertainment, consisting of songs, recitations and private theatricals took place at Mount Albert last night, too late for notice in this issue. The chief item in the programme was Mark Lemon's cnpital farce of "Domestic Economy," in which Mr Greenwood acted Toole's favourite part of John Grnmley. — The football scrimmages among the Hero's passengers and men, while in quarantine, were very amusing. On one occasion the purser and the ball got so mixed up, by rolling over and over, that a young lady averred she " really did hot know which was the ball, and which was the purser." — Professor Westen, the Australian illusionist id now drawing good houses in the Albert Hall. His juggling tricks are exceedingly clever, especially the one called the handcuff mystery. The trained dogs are remar li ably good, and both old and young enjoy the comicalities of Punch and Judy, as presented by this inimitable representator of that reminiscence of childhood's happy days. — A Laurence (Otago) man was recently Gommitted for trial for cheating at twenty deck poker. He had all the court cards marked with small black spots. Talking of the above reminds us that we hear very little of stiff games of bluff, in Auckland, now-a-days. A year or two ogo, Baker and. Farron, the actors, lost £500 between them, in a pub off Queen-street, at two or thr ee sittings. . i — To the Editor : Sir, — The question, as it is termed, of "The Bible in School," which has again, risen " like a ghost from .the tomb," in reality involves a invich larger query, viz., what are the subjects out of a number fittest CO be taught in school to- children ? Personally, lam of opinion that the subject matter of the Bible is not fit for school teaching, more especially the Old Testament. Much of it cannot be explained by anyone, much is susceptible of various interpretations, and much is quite unsuitable for children's perusal from it nature. With the New Testament the case is somewhat dill'erenh ; but even here the only fit books are the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, and even in these most persons would find some difficulty in front of a cliiss of sharp boys and girls to convince them in regard to the Miracles and other hard sayings. The truth, is that most grown-up educated persons are incapable of understanding, however willing to believe, much of what is written. How, then, in any sense, can children be expected to profit thereby ? To take one important point, I contend that children are incapable mentally of grasping the doctrine of future rewards and punishments. They may learn it by rote, but it will not, and does not, in any way affect their present conduct. It is the certainty of an immediate reward or punishment that influences them. These, amongst other opinions on this subject, have been formed after many years experience of Bible lessons, from Genesis to Eervelations, in a public school in England; With every respect for the Book, it is far better out of school, and this irrespective of denoininationalism.— -1 am, dto.. Schoolmaster.

—The moral of the Rees trial is that so long as there is a substratum of truth in a libel the jury will not, _ however gross the language may he, convict criminally. Wickhnni's articles were inexcusably coarse, but they denlt with matters requiring public criticism. On hearing Rees' evidence, every one in Court recognised that fact. — " Un Cause Celeibre," the French original of " Proof," had a tremendous run at either the Porte S. Martin or Ainbigu Theatre in Paris, but was not translated for the English stage till April 20th, 1878, on which night "A Celebrated Case " was first performed at the Adelphi Theatre, London, with Bandnmnn and his wife in the principal parts. Subsequently|Bandinann seceded from the company and was replaced by Henry Neville, whose Pierre Lorance is generally allowed to be a very fine performance. — Mr E. M. Edgcumbe is a passenger "by the outgoing mail steamer on Tuesday. It is somewhat unfortunate that urgent family matters require his presence in England just now, for, as a candidate for tho East Coast seat, he had purposed a thorough tour of that district. He is,however,determined to be back again, at latest by the November mail. His motto being "Thorough,"' we have no doubt his enforced temporary absence from the colony will prove in no way detrimental to his chances. — Mr Kinsella having snoozed for many long and happy hoiu s in the reporter's box at the Supreme Court appears to have come to the conclusion that the place belongs to him. During the Eees trial he had the consumnate impudence to ask the crier to turn out not only tho proprietor and artist of a weekly newspaper, but Mr G. M. Reed, who was there as reporter for the Poverty Bay Standard. As the box belongs to the whole press and not to Herald understrappers only, these gentlemen naturally rebelled, and eventually old X., finding two yards of space on either side of him insufficient, left the box and coolly sat down on one of the comfortable chairs allotted to the lawyers. Tho crier might, with, some show of reason, have requested him to budge from there, but of course he didn't. — We have a little matter on at the Police Court, this morning, which requires a short explanation. The Obskbvbr is " run "by about 16 picked boys and 4 men. The boys are allowed to sell only in Queenstreet, and the niSn have their respective districts apportioned out to them. In order to prevent theft, and. also to stop the boys trespassing on the men's runs, it is absolutely necessary that none save the lads licensed by the office should sell the Observer. We are thus able to put our hands on any child who steals or breaks the rules, and can punish him by knocking him off the list. Unfortunately, larrikins are not always reliable, and, in order to sell a lot of papers, they will sometimes sub-let them to boys not licensed by the office, giving the lessee a half-penny of the profit, and retaining a half-penny. Well, our manager, Mr Pulford, was coming down Queen-street, on Saturday morning, when he spotted a strange boy selling Observers. The lad, whose name is Frere, does not bear an over-good character, and Mr Pulford felt at once curious to know where he got the papers from. On being asked, Frere would not say, and, moreover, was very impudent. Mr Pulford consequently took the two papers, the boy had, away from him, and brought them to the office. Of course Frere followed,, and we saw him. He said that he had bought the papers at Upton's, but on our offering to accompany him there to substantiate the story, he admitted it was a lie. We then explained that we didn't want the papers if he would say where he got them from, but he wouldn't and cleared. The next thing we heard wag. that T. B. Haimaford (Frere's stepfather and guardian), who, only a week previously, had come whining to us to take on his sons and allow them to sell the paper, had sworn an information against Mr Pulford for "feloniously carrying away the papers."