Pars About PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 947, 20 February 1897, Page 18

Pars About PEOPLE

The Hon. Thomas Russell, CM G., Wizard of Finance and Architect of Busted Institutions, arrived. on Monday morning by the Botomahana. There was no brass band on hand to welcome him, and an admiring and grateful public was represented by Brother Jim and Mr Graves Aickin The Hon. Tom tells the reporters that he has come to the scene of his former exploits to recruit his jaded health. Chasing the Almighty Dollar after all is very tiring work. R

A genial and talkative little body is Dr Hocken of Dunedin, who has been spending a few days in Auckland. The doctor ia probably the best informed man in native history and legend in the colony, and hia collection of curios and his library are probably without equal in New Zealand. Itia to be doubted if there is a single book or pamphlet concerning the early history of New Zealand and her people which is not on the shelves of this Dunedin enthusiast. It would be an immense boon if such a man would devote himself to writing a proper history of New Zealand.

Mr H. H. Dacre, an old Auckland boy, has returned to his native city and means to start in business here. He has been away in the South for many years past. In Wellington he cut a prominent figure in football, rowing and swimming circles, and during the last twelve months he has been awtact agent at Invercargill for the .Mutual Life Association. Mr Dacre has onr best wishes for success in business.

Editor Cooper, of the Scotsman, who was entertained by the Auckland journalists at a pleasant harbour excursion, Saturday, knows how to lay on butter with a trowel. In his neat post-prandial speech in the saloon of the ' Admiral,' the canny old man said he had never seen an abler or finer looking set of press-men. Hisr promises of what he would do if • any of those present ' came to him for advice or assistance in Scotland were so generous and profuse that a general rush is expected from the offices of both dailies. Mr Cooper is a very ordinary - old gentleman from a. conversational standpoint, and about as disappointing a maa to meet as one can well imagine.

, The Rev. J. M. Mitchell, of Hamilton, is a Presbyterian parson, but he is not groaning over ' the passion for pleasure ' which causes the fathers of his church and Ihe Auckland Star such sore grief and dejection of spirit. On the contrary, he has just declared from the pulpit that 'one reason why the people of this colony are so temperate is that they throw themselves with such zest into sports and games. '

Governor Brassey, so far, has had one fearful shock in New Zealand. When he strolled down Invercargill'a main street, he plumped right against a constable the dead image- of himself.

Morpeth and Buchanan, of Ponsonby, drew a vast crowd in Queen-street on Monday afternoon with their performing horse arid trap. Morpeth and Buchanan had not thought out the programme beforehand, and in fact were only reluctant actors in it. To be more precise, the horse had entire charge of the whole show, and arranged all the details. And it was a very lively performance while it lasted. At five o'clock the horse was playing up in grand style at the British Hotel corner, to che great satisfaction of the homewardbound public, who blocked the footpaths on both sides of the' street. Morpeth plied the whip gingerly, and Buchanan's attention was concentrated entirely upon a careful examination of the roadway bo as to pick out a decently Boft spot upon which to fall when his time arrived to turn a somersault. Like all modest performers, however, he made his exit ail too soon; That ib to say, he seized a restful moment to clamber out of the trap, leaving. Morpeth and the nag to carry out the remaining acts. For fully twenty minutes the horse and trap capered up and down the street, Morpeth applying the whip occasionally, and the nowe, with men tugging at its head, and other men hauling away at the wheels, firmly declining to go further than Wyndham-street one way or Durham-street the other way. The show was still in full blast and the street thronged with spectators when we left. How it ended we are not prepared to say. But it is safe to bet that Morpeth will not repeat the performance for a trifle— if he can help it,

that aaya^ilr -Wood- } '■>'- lo<&,-the pni» circtiß maiiriß ;■' running luncheon rooms in Auckland.. ■■ * ; , ' X:, ■> : , '"" • ' ' * ' ' ''"•,■*'" ■ "■■ • ■ - ' ';, „ - ,- " " ♦•' ■' - ".*-«''"•■--"* ,*>••• '":■.-' Mr George Darnell has been interviewed at the Thames, and, the mining reporter iwea up i all his best adjectives for the exalta- ■'. tion .of the world-tamtous actor-author. Mr Darrell, We learn, ' haa.written no 16bh than 28 dramas and comediesV ttnidia aamduously working on his labour of "teve.* In f fact the almighty dollar isn't in it, at all. A local photographer last week received back a proof from a ebon try customer who sent - instructions to finish half-a-dozen pictures with his coat buttoned and half -a* dozen with it unbuttoned, -The order is not yet filled up. - ; Mr A. Rhodes, of the Auckland Bowling Club, evidently means to win distinction at bowls or perish in -the attempt. After seeing the Wellington Tournament through, and failing to get a prize, he went on to Ghristchurch and took part in the Southern Bowling Association's Tournament. In the Champion Rink he played as third man for 13 vans of Napier, and he entered with Kershaw, of Sydney, for the Championship Pairs. But the newspapers are silent as to the number of trophies he has scooped in. Whangarei has lost two of its citizens. Mr Taylor, Clerk of the Court and Registrar of Electors, has been moved on to Ashburton, and Mr H. B. Dobie, railway manager, is under orders to transfer himBelf to Ficton to take charge of the railway there. Mr Dobie was the founder and conductor of the Whangarei Philharmonic Society, and his splendid orangery is one of the show places of the North. Whangarei will not easily fill up the void left by. Mr Dobie'B departure. He is a well known city business man, and the mining call list in the Herald filled hiß'soul with- gloomy reflections as he droveinto town from his suburban home the other morning. That accounts for his subsequent absent • mindedneas * He alighted at the Post office to despatch a. telegram, and met a mining friend, with whom he discussed the situation. Then, forgetting all about his waiting trap, he strolled into ' Queen street, caught the tram and went off home again. It was his wife who woke him out of his trance. • • ■ One of the Queensland cricket team that recently toured New Zealand has just published his experiences in a Sydney paper. He must be a near relative of Jiret Harte's 'Truthful James.' One of htj discoveries ib that in New Zealand everything is mortgaged except the atmosphere. Another is that 'if you are a cricketer going to New Zealand, and desire to make a big score, go to Napier ; if you seek impartial applause and generous critics, go to Wellington ; if you want to have a ' real good time,' goto Christchurch, and if you know a good story, tell it anywhere — except in Dunedin. Editor Alderton of Whangarei is a man of resource. He has just been ' lifting ' the circulation of his paper by carrying out a programme of sports, entries to which were strictly limited to subscribers and their families. And there was also a belated Xmas tree at night for the youngsters. In the prize list for the sports, gold and silver watches were more frequent than nuggets at Pnhipuhi. All this has made the Kawakawa Luminary man quite sick with envy. He writes derisively of ' the children's rag sports run off in the climate of Whangarei, 1 and sneers at ' the tin watches that have never gone yet.' Mr Alderton, however, announces that the sports and the Xmas tree coßt him £75, and that the affair will be repeated on Boxing Day, by which time he will have imported £100 worth of presents from England for the occasion. A certain noble lord and titled lady had their dignity rather severely hurt on board a New Zealand 'steamer some ten days or .a fortnight since. They were" on their way from Wellington to Nelson to await there the arrival of Liord and Lady Brassey, and, of course, when the dinner gong sounded they naturally thought they were entitled to the best seats at the table. But just conceive their high-toned disgust when a steward came along, and, without going down on his knees at all, asked them to move lower down, as they were occupying ' officers' seats.' But the noble lord merely gave an extra curl to his aristocratic moustache as he patronisingly remarked, 4 Oh, that's all right, my man. We are quite satisfied with these seats. Don't worry yourself on our account.' ' 1 don't mean to,' replied the unabashed steward, ' but if you don't shift from those seats you wont get served. They belong to the officers.' ' You don't appear to know I'm Lord So-and-so," said the offended scion of an old nobility * You may i>e the Date of Thingumybob,' retorted the steward, 'but those seats are reserved.' He scored. Evidently he had a higher regard for the, tote. of an officer's beot than the. approving smile/of a noble lord. ■ •-.'•-''.

' Josh Billings has cropped nj at i Oamaru. He runsV.a^ fish-phop. there,, and has '.just hung, out Aihingle announcing that he sells ' AdLr.' Theinhabitants wrestled with' the conundrum for a whole week, itad then appointed a deputation to wait upon' Josh and intimate that they gave it upV It then turned . but that it was his way of spelling 'haddocks.' ' . The late Sir Isaac Pitman had one title to fame which was not generally known until it was discovered the other the day by the Hastings Standard. He was closely connected by marriage with Mr Brown, a Hastings .. haberdasher. Mr Brown's aunt was Sir Isaac's first wife, and it was her dowry that' enabled him to pack his kit and start out on a lecturing tour. Under Mr G. Lockley's management, the Lake Hotel has become a very popular resort for visitors l«ast week visits to it were paid by the Auckland Cycle Club, and also by the Southern athletes. Dinner was served to them in first class style, and on leaving they gave cheers for the house and its proprietor. Weiss, the Australian billiard champion, has been telling. an interviewer that the best billiard players he has met in this colony are Charlie Cbavannes of Wanganui, and Muir of luvercargill.and that two Maoris named Carroll and Pratt are a cut above the ordinary players. Carroll and Pratt ! Surely Weiss cannot mean our Honorable James aud Tommy Parata (the member for the Southern Maoxi District) ?

One of the Macs of the Shore. THE BETE NOIB . OF^THE OLIVEft MAYS - DUNN TfSGr PARTy.