PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XIV, Issue 793, 10 March 1894, Page 5

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Pastor Blaikie thinks the railway ticket to Heaven was a blasphemous production, but he had no knowledge of its distribution.

Mr P. A. Philips is taking a wellearned rest. P.A.P. has not been very well lately. We trust his month 'off' will make a mew man of him.

Manager James Mills, of the XJniou Steamship Company, was in Auckland this week. He affectß rusty boots and startling red ties. In every other respect, Mr Mills is very quiet. He is a popular man.

Shepherd Allen's favourite antidote for disappointed political aspirations is a trip to England. It waß thus that he consoled himself after he was unseated for Te Aroha, and now he has left again to join the Gothic in the South. Let us hope he will soon forget Parnell.

Puff pars going the rounds about ' the genial Col. Pat. Boyle,' who haß just vacated the private secretaryship to Governor Glasgow and is going to Hingland. Genial, eh ? Is that the right word ?. Wonder if that is the word used at Government House amongst the subordinates.

Sir William Jervois' report upon Pox's report is a slap in the face for the gallant colonel. Sir William says those guns are all right, and hints that to send them Home to be 'hoop- crowned' would be a woeful waste of close on .£IO,OOO. And so the Obseetbb has maintained all through the chapter.

Leila Adair has been ten years parachuting 1 and has made 326 ascents including: last Saturday's. She was on the stage, but says there's more money in the balloon business. She made her first ascent when she was a little girl in short frocks. She is a well-made young person and as cool as a winter's morning.

Dr. Laishley pnt a long shot into Canon McMmrray when he wrote : — * In matters of decency and propriety, even a *anon of the Church is not so convincing as the cation of common senße.' Wrong, Dr. Laishiey ; quite wrong— that is, so far as the strictly orthodox are concerned. With them, common sense has no show whatever when a big gun of their own particular churck speaks.

Henderson, the representative of the Thames Navals, who was shooting so well in the various stages of the rifle championship; is one of the nicest young fellows yon could meet in a day's march. He has a fine eye and is a splendid shot, and there is this further advantage in his favour, that he is an abstainer and nonsmoker, so that his nerves are rot allowed to suffer. Sooner or later, he will be rifle champion.

John Hughes took charge of the Auckland Fire Brigade all but twenty years ago, and his was one of the best appointments the Council ever made. Before his advent, the appearance of the brigade during the expiring moments of a firo was the Bignal for groans and hisses of disapprobation. Under the Hughes regime, the brigade was invariably on the scene within a few moments of an outbreak, and thus a decisive blow was Btruok at the crime of arson.

'Professor Richard' is at Nelson, where, we notice, 'P. Buxton, C.E.,' has been writing to the Colonist to say the Professor waß a neighbour of his while he resided in London. This was in fashionable Mayfair. ' The leading physicians,' writes 'F. Buxton,' 'sent their patients to the professor who is reputed to have made a fortune out of the London medical profession.' 'He is,' adds this correspondent, 'a man looked up to and respected, and worked harmoniously with the soientifio and leading physicians of the day.'

Captain McGee took advantage of the opportunity afforded by the heavy gales on the ooasfc last week to tie another knot in the tail of the Union Company. The Mararoa had a terrible experience going down, and was unable to call at Napier. McGee, on the other hand, hugged the land closer and thus kept out of the worst of the weather. He called at Napier, and landed hiß passengers all right, you bet, and he could afford to smile when he berthed the Tasmania at Wellington next day. 'Rough?' he exclaimed, * Good bless you, no ! We brought down sixty horses and did not have the hatches on them, and not even a glass of water was spilled on board.'

MrW. H. Wilding returned from his travels on Thursday. Mr Wilding was eight weeks in the Old Conntry, during which time he seems to have visited every city of importance in the Three Kingdoms. He reports that things are deoidedly ' looking up' at Home.

Mr Shepherd Allen, accompanied by Mrs Shepherd, and the young Shepherds, is going 'Ome. Expects to be away six months. He will probably beguile the tedium of the voyage in penning another * Reply 'to Mr Garland. Oh, yes another is wanted. Decidedly.

Wired from Dun9din that University Senate wont interfere in the Aldis case. The only thing that now remains for the persecuted professor to do is to go Home and write a book on ' The Aldis Case,' (with illustrations), and dedicate the same to Sir Maurice O'Korke.

Rev.lsitt,of cold-water fame,granted another year's release from ' circuit work,' in order that he may continue his * temperance work' throughout the colony. Temperance work ? Surely that is misleading? There is nothing temperate about him — not even his language.

Cabled that Lord Rosebery, England's new Premier, is engaged to • the Duchess of Albany. His lordship is 47. The Duchess is about six-and-twenty. May they be happy ! The lady will find a father as well as a husband in the man she is going to marry.

E. J. Lindsay compositor (and one of the petitioners against Sir Robert Sfcout) is going to sue N.Z. Times for libel. The libel is alleged to have been contained in a par relating to Lindsay's dismissal from the Times office. He claims .£6OO as damges—and probably wishes he may get it.

Mr John S. Kelly, late of the Sta r stationery department, has jußt joined th c literary staff of the Taranaki HeraldMr Kelly is the son of Mr J. L. Kelly, late of the Observer, and at present a member of the Lyttelton Times literary staff.

Cabled that Harry Furness has left Punch and is going to start an illustrated paper on his own hook. The severanoe of the connection is hardly likely to hurt twnch, which has existed for years on a dead and gone reputation. People buy it for the same reason that they go to church — beoause it is the c'reot thing.

The news last week of Mr J. B. Russell's death came as a great shock to his many friends in this city. It was so unexpected. Mr Russell had heen very ill, and had undergone a most dangerous operation at the hands of a great London specialist, bat the latest letters from Home has represented his health as slowly mending. Mr Russell, who was highly respected, was on the sunny aide of 60. He was, it is superfluous to add, a member of the well-known legal firm of Russell and Campbell.

Lohr has gone. He returns again in June with another theatrical company. It is bound to be gocd if Lohr takes it up.

Mr Steele's picture, now on view at Sooiety of Arts Exhibition, 'Maoris Eating Soap,' ought to be purohased by some local 'Pears.' As an advertisement for somebody's soap it would be invaluable.

Otaki paper : ' One of the most remarkable people in London or anywhere else, is Madame Blavatsky. She lives in St. John's Wood,' etc. Wrong. Madame Blavatsky has removed. Present address uncertain. She's dead.

Snazelle writes from Sunny South Africa : Comparedvto Australia, this is a brutal country to be in. Johannesburg* is a hell. From which we infer that Snazzy omits his ' Home, Sweet Home,' with variations from the Johannesburg.

Antoinette Sterling says she would not be surprised to hear that the race of concert managers was descended from the impenitent thief of Calvary. She surely makes an exception of L. J. Lohr P Bat you ought to get Lohr's opinion of Antoinette.

Mr Alfred King, sporting writer, and formerly ajreaident of Auckland, died very suddenly at Wellington a few days ago. Heart disease. * Vigilant ' was well-known and mnch liked. He jwas at one time shipping reporter of the (Auckland Star.

Hon. Edwin Mitchelson. has had his character read by one Prof es Bor White, in Fair Play, in these terms : This gentleman haa a well-balanced organisation, the Vital, Motive, and Mental Temperaments being about equally developed. He has a broad head, indicating force of character. The protuberance of his chin denotes an affectionate nature. He -will be kind and oourteous to man, woman and child, unless aroused to opposition, and it takes considerable provocation to do that. The cheeks are full and broad, signifying 1 sound, but not particularly robust health. The noae is a mild Roman, indicating considerable personality and ability. Fine landscapes, and romantic scenes, the rising: and the setting sun, high mountains and deep valleys, broad, flowing streams and the great ocean, the song of birds, and the murmurings of the wind among the tall trees, all have a peculiar fascination for him. The eyes are well formed, Bhowing active power of speech, though no doubt he appears to best advantage when warmed up in debate or stirred by opposition. Perception is particularly good. He has low prominent ears standing out from the head. He possesses, strong resolution tempered and guided by Ireason. Selfpossession and self-direotion should be characteristic of him; also coolness and tact in time of emergency. He has a good combination of many high qualities and not many defects. He is practical as well as sentimental ; executive and thoughtful, and has a fine balance of heart and head.

- Malcolm Boss, who has acquired some fame as a New Zealand Alpine climber, was in Auckland this week. He is private secretary to Mr James Mills.

Duke of York and Princess May propose to ' do ' the colonies in the antumn of '95. ' Dear George ' is anxious to see a Melbourne Cup run. like Ida Eoyal pa (who is becoming alarmingly 'beefy') George lovea racing.

The only son of Sir John Bennett, the famous watchmaker, whose big clock on Ludgate Hill is so well-known to most Londoners, is, according to Fair Play, trapping and Bhooting the festive bunny up on a Wairarapa station.

Bey. John McNeill, whoever he may be, is expected in Auckland. The Star says it will be a great treat if he can be got to give some addresses here. Treat to whom ? To the Star ? We should smile.

Mr Northcroft, S.M. of Auckland, has no sympathy with individuals who seek to shirk their domestic responsibilities. He has laid it down that the man who oan afford to drink oan afford to support his children, and his promise to find work in Mount Eden for lazy fathers who are not inclined to find it outside will commend itself to the appreciation of most people. Men who indulge themselves with families should be prepared to support them.

Brother ■William Beehan ate turtle and drank champagne at the Premier's hospitable table in Wellington, and hasn't quite recovered from it yet. William, proposing the toast of the Government at a Hibernian banquet subsequently, said ' the names of Ballance.Seddon, Buckley, " and the whole lot of them " were held in high esteem. He thanked God for the Seddon Government, and they meant to keep that Government in power.' Just look at that now. It would be interesting to know if William, J.P., had that promise of a seat in the Legislative Counoil in his pocket when he was orating.

MrW.L. Bees was in Wellington last week froai Gisborne, where he ia now living. 'He intends,' says Fair flay, 'to stick to his profession— he is one of the cleverest special pleaders in the colony — but he will still take a great interest in the settlement of the native lands of the oolony. A good many hard things have been said against Mr Kees from time to time, bathe is a genial, warm-hearted man, whose personal friends are many, and who always speak in the highest terms of his sincerity. He has had too many big ideas, has floated too many big schemes for the regeneration of everything and everybody; but he is a thoroughly honest enthusiast, and he has been a good friend to the Natives.'