BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 94, 1 July 1882, Page 252

BRIEF MENTION

Owing to the late period at which our Thames letter reached us, it is unavoidably curtailed. H.M.S. Nelson goes to the Bay of Islands to take in 800 tons of coal. We believe it is intended to give a. ball to the petty officers of H.M.S. Nelson, after the Citizens' Ball to the Commodore and officers. The concert at Ponsonby under the auspices of the Rowing Club was well attended, and was highly successful. We crave the indulgence of our contributors for the unavoidable omission of much interesting matter this week. ' . T. and S. Morrin's ironmongery establishment lias been taken over by a small coinx>any. Mr Chambers, late of Porter and Co., will boss the concern. Where were those distinguished patrons belonging to the elite of Ponsonby and Remuera who promised to honour Doran's show ? Were they in the pit ? Why was the whale that swallowed Jonah like Brown, the Christodelphian milkman P Because he got a profit (proxihot) out of the water. The members of the Northern Club give a dinner to Commodore Erskine and officers of the H.M.S. Nelson on July Bth. The Newton East School Committee have secured the services of Professor Denton to lecture to the children on Monday evening. The lecture will occupy fully two hours, and will be an easy digest of his views on geology and other kindred subjects. Amongst other noticeable. " get-ups" at some late tableaux vivants, the comic costume of Miss C. as Queen Catherine, Miss Maude L. as an Eastern Sweetmeat Seller, and Miss Ada N. as an Egyptian Dancing Girl, were esxjecialty admired. Why don't those old -warriors who signed the testimonial to Sir George Wbitmore liave a commemorative dinner, and take stei>S' to form a veteran company? Here is a chance for the Government to form the nucleus of an efficient Permanent Force. Mr Huhnc, the well-known butcher of Queenstreet, has been selected to supxJly the Nelson with meat during her stay in Auckland. As Mr Hulme keeps about the best show of meat in Auckland our gallant tars will have no reason to complain of bad rations. It is related that at a parrot show the prize was to be given to the parrot who made the drollest remark, and the bird won who said, " What a jolly lot of parrots, 'em." We can fancy some of the gentlemen whose names appear in the Waiwera prospectus saying, " What a jolly lot of Esquires, 'em." Someone borrowed Constable Foreman's dogcollar three months ago. The collar came back the other day with a dog inside it, but Foreman loses 9s by the transaction, as he had invested in a second collar. The man who would " collar" the collar of a policeman without being collared himself, deserves to be appointed a first-class constable. " THE POWERS OF MOLL KELLY." Tou have heard of the powers of Moll Kelly ; But list to the tale that I tell ye — There's a wench in our city Who's not young nor pretty, But who quite takes the shine from Moll Kelly ! She's as ugly as Sig. Antonelli, But she's married two husbands, I tell ye ; Men have Mormon delights, And she'll have women's riirhts : — Oh, a girl of the age is Liz Kelly ! Roland Hill, of Henderson's Mill, has hit upon a capital device for ridding himself of troublesome \ school-children. "Give us a ride, Roland." "All right, jump up." The cart proceeds a short distanae, when Roland throws himself at full length in the cart. Children— " What's up, Roland?" Roland— " I think I've got the measles." General skedaddle of youngsters. A young and inexperienced benedict strutted into a grocer's shop last week, and, in the most hawhaw tone ever heard, requested the tradesman to let him have " a pound of sugah," and added " Send it, please." That innocent, youth is evidently not used to Colonial shopkeepers yet, or he would hardly exx>ect one pound of sugar to be sent, especially when he came from horne — a few doors away — to order it. In view of the annual dinner of the Insurance managers and agents the other evening, Shera insisted that they must all appear in swallow-tailed coats and white chokers, and corapletelv lost his appetite when Saunders had the brazen hardihood to come in a grey suit. Our own idea is that the agents should appear at these annual dinners in the uniform of members of the Fire Brigade, seeing that it is generally reported that the cost of the dinner does not come out of their owu pockets, but is put down to the Fire Brigade. The point of the joke about the reference to Abbott's Opera House in the Melbourne Bulletin was spoilt by a misprint. The Melbourne paper spelt the name Albot, but our printer, with that rigid regard for strict accuracy for which he is so eminently distinguished, stuck to the h, and wosld not have the I at any price. He is a strictly pious young man, with a strong attachment to Sunday-schools, tea-fights, prayermeets, and love-feasts — especially love-feasts — and for the life of him he couldn't see what I had to do with an abbot. H. M. S. Nelson, so courteously thrown open to the public by Commodore Erskine on Tuesday and Thursday, has been visited by some thousands of the citizens, who speak in the highest terms of the kindness of the officers and crew. If they do not become great favourites wfth all classes of the community it will not bo from lack of courtesy or i>ains in pointing out to visitors every object of interest. Her officers are among the smartest hi the service, the Nelson being one of the crack shix>s of the navy. Wednesday being the anniversary of Coronation Day she fired the customary salute. . ' "HANDS ALL ROUND " ' . (As performed in the Police Court). First thrash Mick Burk with doubled fist, Then get Theresa nicely " dressed" ; That man's the true misogynist Who wallops his own wife the best. A savage chief is Alec Lynch, And very wild when on a sprao Theresa Hands in fear must flinch. And Micky Burk in terror flee. " Hands " all round ! Strike the women to theground ! To the great name of " Lynch Law " drink, my friends, And scatter the blatherin' spalpeens round and round ! Mr Angelo Forrest gave two well-attended organ recitals at St. Paul's Church on Monday last Well-chosen selections were given in chronological order froni the best compositions of Handel, Haydn, Mozarfc, Beethoven, Weber, Moscheles," Schubert, and Mendelssohn, all of which were skilfully played by the organist, while the church choir rendered the choruses admirably. ■ The leading features were the solo parts by Mrs Revitt. and Mrs Raynes ; a trio from Mendelssohn's " Hearts feel that love Thee," by Mra Page, Mrs Nelson, and Miss Fenton; a quartette, "The Pilgrims," by Miss E. Holder, Mrs Nelson, Mr Skinner and Mr Edmiston, The total collections amounted to £13 ss7d. - _ The two most sensible and practical things said at the meeting in favour of early closing, held on Monday evening, came from the Rev. Macnieol and Mr Neylon. The two remedies for the existing Lite hours and excessive labour are to induce housewives to 'make their x'urchases earlier, and employers to facilitate this by paying, wages on Fridays. The existing practice of"shoi>piug iate on Saturday evenings is also in a great measxxre due to the attraction of the crowds, the well-lighted windows, and the animated bustle of Queen-street. ' Jfc is on these Saturday evenings -that "our girls" and young men delight to perambulate Queen-street, indulge in harmless flirtations, and make appointments for the next day. The Devonport Musical Society, under the conductprship of Mr Gordon Gooch, 8.A.M., gave their first (aiid" an" eminently successful) concert ■on Wednesday evening at the Devohpoit Hall, and though the weather was." exceedingly; unm-opitious, secured. a. very satisfac- - tpBY attendance, i The^proerramme, which had been well -advertised, was •ji.db.eredv to. with, one exception — Mr

Gooch. singing "Old Simon the Cellarer" in place of Mr Brett, who. was called out of town. We have not, unfortunately, space to. particularise the several performances, but must state that with the voices at his command at Devonport, Mr Gooch is likely soon to haye the control of the best musical society, for its numbers, in Auckland. Thompson's Collossal Mirror of the Zulu War is announced to open on the 4th July, the anniversary of American Independence. The Melbourne Argus, speaking of this show, says, " The panorama illustrates, both by paintings and mechanical figures, the principal events connected with the campaign in Zululand from its opening to its close. Among the painters of the scenes were some London artists of considerable fame, and the work reflectsgeredit on their skill. Not a few of the pictures representing the scenery of Zululand in all its variety, are works of a high order of art. The engagements between the British soldiers and the savage enemy are very spiritedly drawn, and the incidents are well chosen. The gallant affair of Rorke's Drift, and the melancholy death of the Prince Imperial, naturally receive prominence. lii one scene the effect of a torpedo explosion is very strikingly shewn in the case of some Zulns'who are pulling up a stake to prevent the British officers tying their horses to it.-- There is also a very cleverly managed mechanical diorama, in which the march of infantry and other moving incidents are represented with singular fidelity. Mr Thompson, the proprietor, is his own lecturer.' The descriptions are brief and pointed, and are well delivered." • The standard of beauty is altered The measure of loveliness changed And the belle of last season has faltered And fall'n, and her friends are estranged. If such changes come in a season, What change has come in the years Since Plaucus — no George — saw more reason In the legs of the ladies of peers. Than in all the gray heads of the college, With their wisdom cujj drained to the dregs ; And preferred to their classical knowledge, To gaze on sweet Vesfcris' legs ! We've changed the extremities this time, And things in their right places put, This is less of a kick than a kiss time, So we love more the face than the foot. Take your beauties round-armed, sluggish-passioned, For their arms precious little we reck While we can get two that are fashioned Just the size to encircle our neck. " Ferns and Fern Allies of Now Zealand, with instructions for their collection and hints on their cultivation," is the title of a new book by George M. Thomson, F.L.S., science teacher in the Dunedin High Schools, and just published by Mr George Robertson, of Melbourne, and Henry Wise and Co., of Dunedin. The book gives in a haudy fora, and under convenient headings, a large amount of carefully-digested and well-arranged information on rhis class of New Zealand flora. It meets the requirements of the botanist and fern-gatherer, and thereby supplies a want which has existed for ninny years, all the other works — which were incomplete and full of extraneous matter — having gone out of print. The work is written in as popular a form as possible consistent with strict scientific terminology, but a copious glossary is added at the end to enable the reader to easily understand every term used. The author, while trusting mainly to his own botanical knowledge, and ciuTyini? the study far beyond any of his predecessors, has availed himself of every source of information extant. For purpose 3of collection, botanic study, and scientific classification, the book will be of good value. The subjects into which the book is divided are the structure of ferns and allied plants, nomenclature and principles of classification, enumeration and specific description, bints on collecting and cultivating. A series of plates are a great aid to the student and gatherer. The article on the formation of open-air ferneries is very xiractieal, and will well repa> careful stud3 r by anyone who desires at little labour and expense to adorn and beautify a home. A TALE OF A DOG. There is a dog, and 'twould be stale To say that " thereby hangs a tail," Though 'tis a pat remark. About the dog of which I tell, And though no jolly tar is — well, The " captain of a bark." The dog belonged to Charlie Jones, Who came with larrikins and stones To try and get him back; " Black Charlie " had himself n knife, With which he threatened Wilson's life — The case, you see, looks " black." How lively was that boarding-house When Mrs Johnson and her spouse, i The foreigner with bellows, And Wilson and the yelping cvr — (Such droll things sometimes will occur) — Expelled "the noisy follows ! The bellows worked the foe's defeat, And once again in Chapel -street Doth quietness rule the day. But the " Charlies " took j>oor Charlie Jones And fined him, plus his aching bones, For claiming dogs, owl throwing stones, In such a togged way ! Some of the directors of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company resemble the solo survivor of the crew of the Nancy Brig in their desiro to absorb all the authority and functions of the company in their own hands. Though considerably morn than half theslmres are owned by Auckland residents, the directors, all of whom reside across the water, persistently oppose any step to give the city shareholders any representation on the Board. Mr Linabury, for instance, controls 1150 shares, or nearly five times as many as the chairman, and nearly as many as the whole of the directory, and yet when a vacancy occurs on the Board the clique who pull the wires contrive to put in a nominee of their own, a market gardener, who owns oniy just sufficient interest in the company to quality him for the posi of a director. Moreover, the directors appear determined to ignore the rules of the company. They have set aside the clause which provides for fortnightly meetings, and permitted an interval of three months to elapse between the two last meetings. By the Joint Stock Companies' Act under which the company is incorporated, annual meetings of shareholders must be held, but the directors have announced their determination to postpone convening a meeting until January next, thus giving theinnelves eighteen months' lease of office. It is even alleged that two of the directors have accepted tenders and passed accounts for payment without consulting their colleagues. It is very evident that unless the Auckland shareholders impose a vigorous cheek upon the arbitrary action of the Board, they will have no control in the management of their own interests. Professor Denton has teen delivering a sei'ies of very interesting lectures in the Lome-street Hall on "The Fiery Beginning of Our Planet," "The World Before Life," " The Coal and Salt Periods," " The Age of Reptiles," "Age of Beasts and Advent of Man," "Glacial Period and Age of Man," "The Adams and Eves of Our Race," " The Races of Mankind," "Ancient Egypt," and '"The Origin of Man." To-morrow (Saturday) night he delivers his lecture on "The Future of This Planet, and ol Man Upon It, as revealed by Geology." In these discourses Mr Denton gives, in a popular and entertaining form, the results of a lifetime of practical study and research. He lectures from the dispassionate platform of 'a scientist, and therefor^ his teachings are frequently at variance with the accepted doctrines of orthodox Christianity where the latter enters the domain of geology, ethnology, and other cognate sciences ; but he expresses his views with a degree .of perspicuity, logical sequence and modesty which is an example to many men who set themselves up aa public monitors and teachers. MrDenton's lectures are interspersed with many eloquent passages, quotations from poets, and illustrated by magnificent paintings and photographs illuminated by the oxy-hydrogen light. The audiences throughout the course of lectures have been very good, but not so numerous as the lecturer's abilities and the interesting and iutructive discourses deserved. By-uhe-wa3', why does not the Board of Education engage Mr Denton to give a course of-lec-tures to the children attending the common schools ?- Such an opportunity as is now presented of imparting instruction in the history of the earth aud of mankind may not occur again for years, and it ought not to he neglected. We hear that Professor Denton proceeds shortly to Melbourne under engagement to deliver a course of lectures under the auspices of a scientific association.