"Pars" about People

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1092, 2 December 1899, Page 6

"Pars" about People

Mr H. N. Abbott's death recalls to mind the day when the old City Club Hotel was in its prime, and the young bloods of Auckland worshipped at the shrine " of ' The Mermwd.' A 9 a barmaid, Bhe had no rival in her day. She had the figure of a Juno, regular features, a flawless complexion, and a wealth of golden hair that earned for her the sobriquet by ■which alone she was known. Of course, she was a woman with a past. Ramonr said that ahe was the wife of a Christchurch chemist, and that Bhe first leaped into public nororiety through the marked attentions paid to her by the Duke of Edinburgh at a Citizens' Ball in Christchurch in 1870.

Tie prim old dowagers of the most exclusive Bet in that city of caste distinctions froze with horror when they saw their beloved Prince dancing with ' The Mermaid,' and some of them actually made him sensible of their extreme displeasure. .But he did not bother himself much to placate Mrs G-rundy in the 1 blawsted colonies,' and 'The Mermiid ' snapped her shapely fingers in the outraged face of Chrißtchnrch socisty.

In Auckland she waa tho reigning toast of ' The Rollicking Rams.' Wagera were made and lost upon the genuineness of the tresses from which she derived her name. Only one man, 'tis said, was ever able to penetrate the secret which Bhe guarded so well He was a grizzled old sea dog — captain of-one of the Union Co.'s steamers. ' The Mermaid ' made a trip in his vessel, and one day, in his morning round of cabin visitation, on reaching the quarters sacred to ' The Mermaid,' he tapped at the door to ascertain that all was well within. Receiving no response, he drew back the curtain, and there, in her bunk, lay the sleeping beauty, with a closely cropped head, while the lovely golden coiffure that was the theme of universal admiration hung from a peg at her .side. Had she but known !

Who was the author of the paragraph in the Ironmonger, on the hnlk for explosives question, saying that ' the Auckland Harbour Board, led by a "pseudo military " volunteer captain as chairman, had purchased, at a cost of £300, a condemned saiiiDg veastl, that the final cost of this vagary would be about £1000 to the Harbour Board, and that merchants had been placed at considerable inconvenience for Btorage as compared to a magazine on land ?' Bnt are there any merchants complaining beyond B. Porter and Company ? We don't know of any. That firm had a scheme of its own, which smacked of monopoly, and the other merchants were opposed to it, if we remember rightly. But say, do the firm in question know anything about the paragraph in the Ironmonger ?

Little Charlie WiIEOD, who represented Wellington Snbnrba when he wasn't editing the Wellington Mail, has just resurrected the following cheßtnnt, and ascribes it to an Auckland member of Parliament : — ' What does Wellington want with this 'ere cremnmatorium — haven't they got a Morgew — what more do they want ?' As this addled egg ia presumably aimed at the head of Mr Crowther, it's up to Father William to explain that tha last time it was made nse of it was fathered on to a Wellington ratepayer at the time the Empire city waa taking a poll on the subject of a loan for a crematorium and other luxuries for Cook Strait. Bald-headed jokes live long down at Wellington.

The Hey. W. Ready is a courtier of the first water. He preached on Sunday at the Choral Hall, at ■ the Alexandra street Primitive Methodißt Sunday-school anniversary, on ' David and Goliath.' Mr David Goldie is superintendent of the Sunday-school, and was an interested and delighted listener to the story of how David knocked spots ont of the big giant.

Frank Hull and his electioneering is the subject of ft good yarn which has been busy travelling up and down Qaeen- street during the past week. We can't answer for the truthfulness of the man in the street, bat, at any rate, the Btory rrinß to the effect that Frank was advertised to address the electors of Tamaki East, and that when, after a pretty jerky drive, Franciß alighted from his cab in the gloom of night, he found himselfat Tamaki West, whioh is many miles distant from his destination. If Tamaki Bast was deprived of a treat he will now understand the reason thereof.

Frank Sweats' tella us that he had a good opportunity of seeing the operation of the Prohibition law during hia three years sojourn in the States, and hia experience was that Prohibition did not prohibit In Salem, MaBB , for example, the sale of liquor waa contrary to the law, but the people who wanted their whisky got it without any difficulty. The usual method waa to go down to the express office and ask if there was a parcel for Brown. The clerk would reply in the affirmative, take down a packet from the shelf and write ' Brown ' upon it, and hand it over with the remark that there waa fifty cents to pay upon it. The packet would contain a flask of whisky. Iv thia and other ways the law was constantly evaded.

3. A. Millar, Government candidate for Dunedin city, is quite sound npoD the goose so far as the education question is concerned. 'If our national system is Godless,' aays Millar, 'it is the fault of the clergymen.'

The champion mean man ia aaid to have been discovered at the Auckland Hospital. Upon the circum3tancea related to na, it is hopeless for anyone to contest the distinction with him. la fact, the belt goeß easily to him. It seema that he ia an Austrian. A fellow-countryman wag admitted Buffering from a complaint for which the only possible relief was an operation of a rather critical character. As there was the chance that he might not survive it, the medical officer wished to explain to him the gravity of the case, and the fact that his only hope lay in a dangerous operation, with the view of ascerDaining if he would consent to it. Bat the man could only understand a very few words of English, and the servicea of the mean man were sought as interpreter. He went to the bed of his compatriot and, 'tis said, after a preliminary conversation, received half-a-crown from the patient, after which he interpreted for the -doctor and obtained the patient's consent to the operation. It came off and proved successful. Subsequently, the patient, who was a poor devil of a gumdigger, contrived to make known that he had had to pay half acrown fee to his fellow-countryman before the latter would acquaint him with the doctor's desires. Hand over the bun.

Sir Thomas Lipton, who has won a baronetcy on tea and coffee, has chosen his own coat-of-arms. And it is righc np-to-date, although the Herald's College think it radely flies in the face of all the beat traditions of ' Oar Old Nobility.' For crest he adopts two horny bands of toil, one grasping a tea-plant flower and the other a coffee blossom. The shield bears a shamrock, emblematic of his native land, aad a thistle to suggest that he bnilt up his trade in Scotland. And his motto proclaims the [fact that Labour conquers all things. This knocks the learned Ancbland doctor who sports tbe crest with the brass suspender buckleß.

Two incidents in the career of the late Dr Philson, who passed away last week in his 83rd year, very aptly illustrate the character of the man. Early in the seventies the 'Frisco mail stpamer, Nebraska, on her arrival from Sidney, landed in Auckland an ailing seaman, who was subsequently found to be Buffering from small-pox He was housed somewhere in Freeman's Bay, and the discovery that such -a dreadful disease had been introduced to the place produced quite a panic. • .

Amid the general consternation, Dr Philson, then provincial surgeon, qnietly stepped forward and took charge of the case. He isolated hfmaelf with the stricken man, attended to him both medically and spiritually,, and with his own hands performed every menial office that the poor fellow's needs demanded. So complete was the seclusion that not a single eonl was permitted near the dwslliug where the intrepid surgeon and the victim of that loathsome malady lay. The sailor saccombed to the fell disease, and with hia own hands Dr Philson performed all the last offices, down to the coffining of the dead. It was weeks before he retnrned to his family and resumed his ordinary duties.

The other incident 1b equally striking and meritorions. When uc Philson in January, 1683, relinquished the post of medical enperintendent of the Hospital, the public marked their personal esteem by presenting him with a gold watch and chain, an illuminated address, and a parse of 300 soys. With this money he immediately- founded a trust for the formation of a medical students' library in conneotion with the Hospital, and at the present time there is a sain of £500 standing to the credit of the trust. Dr. Philson served his day and generation faithfully and well, and every good cause had his warm-hearted support, faithful to duty up to the very last, he Bought no leisure and no retired ease. Oa the 9th of November (Prince of Wales'. Birthday), he caught a cold while paying a medical visit to Fort Cautley, influenza supervened, and on the 22nd inst. he passed quietly away. His best monument is the high reputation he left behind him.

Mr J. A. Campbell writes to the precis to express his mournful conviction that if all the Liberal candidates go to the poll they will sacrifice the woiking men'a welfare to their own selfish interests. J. A. Campbell's logic 13 about as clear aa mad. The working men are free to cast their votes for whomsoever they choose, and very likely would not thank J. A. Campbell or any other dry nurse for tiyirig to limit the field of choice. Strikes us rather forcibly that the average working man is quite able to watch hie own interests without any help from the tenderly solicitous J. A. Campbell.

The liveliest politician down at Waihi just now is an ancient party by the name of ' Old July.' He crops up at all the political meetings, ana lays himself oat for interrupting the Liberal candidate by posing as a temperance advocate — one with a three weeks' thirst on him.

la oar brief notice of the illness and death of Mr H. N. Abbott.it appears there was an error which calls for correction. It was a local practitioner, and not Dr Ferguson, of Dunedin, who operated upon Mr Abbott and removed one of his eyes, about a year ago.- When, more recently, the remaining eye gave him trouble, and Mr Abbott repaired to Dunedin to submit to an operation by Dr Ferguson, the latter gentleman found be wag suffering from diabetes, and altogether in such a very precarious state of health that he deemed it imprudent to attempt any surgical operation at all. It is due to Dr Ferguson that this explanation should be made.

William Shepherd Allen, as a loyal Wesleyan, is a bit scandalised at the action of Dr Ho3king in stepping down from the pulpit to take a hand, with choker on, in the scramble for a seat in the House.. After thia manner, Mr Allen speaks his mind in the Waikato Argus ' — 'Let Dr Hosking even now at the eleventh hour honourably resign his position as a minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and then he can continue the contest with cltan hands, and even those who differ from him ia politics will be bound to respect him for having acted in a straightforward^and manly way, and for having done what was just and right to the church of which be ia a minister.' "Whereupon, Dr Hoskiog took the hint and resigned from the pulpit. Strangely enough, he didn't perpetrate the old wheeze that the Lord had called him to labour in another corner of his vineyard. Parliament is a few acres outside the vineyard, we fear.

The Evening Twinkler says that ' General Buller has left the Cape on a short viait to Durban.' Evidently to talk double Datch to the Natal Boere, for after this announcement there follows : — ' tdrsn : asreswai.' The linotype fiend has been on the job again.

Major George, the owner of the Canterbury Cnp winner, says a Southern turfite, took £2000 about Seahorse in the winter from the Auckland pencillers, and being confident of the ability of h'B colt to win from the time he left Auckland to run at Hastingß, Btuck to his wager, and has, with the stake (£1200) scooped a nice pool. Major George treated the rider of Seahorse (Lindsay) in princely style, for be laid him £500 to nothing about Seahorse scoring, and besides this, Lindsay had £150 laid him by Auckland backers, and two Wellington punters followed suit by £50 each. In addition to this, it is reported that Lindsay himself supported Seahorae straight oub ; therefore he will win close on £1000.

Ihe Olago Daily Times has fallen into an. amnqJDg mistake in ita biographical notice of the deceased H. N. Abbott. It saya : ' He bad been closely identified with the " Auckland Institute for the Blind.' Sneh is fame ! They did not know that it was another Abbott, whose Christian name was John, who was the real blind. Simon Pnre. Won't John Washington Itving be mad when he reads this ?

Prohibitionist: Richardson's meeting at the wharf cm Sunday last was a distinct contradiction of theasaenion that we don't have comic entertainments in Auckland. The assemblage was a good-natured one, and although the barracking was very frequent, and at times painful and free, it was of a good - natured and decidedly humourous type. For once, Richardson failed in quick and telling retort, the opposition was too strong for him, and he was finally obliged to join in the langh against himself. Such remarks aa 'Now, Billie, try and tell the truth 'co 3we wants to believe yer,' and ' Don't ruin the Government, even if they won't give yer a seat in the h'upoer 'oase,' are liable to disconcert almost any speaker, and the gentle "William proved no exception to the rule. He made one break that met with a prompt rebuff. The crowd, was very evidently composed of Seddoniana, and when the speaker earnestly requested them to stamp out Seddouiam, he was given at least five minutes to get his second wind, while the crowd cheered for the Premier. But, at the moment, they would have cheered anyone that Richardson slated.

Mr J. H. Witheford has decided to yield up the mayoral chair of JBirkenhead to Mr C. B. Button in the interests of ' peace and goodwill.' Peace and goodwill is good. Now, if somebody conld only persuade Dick Seddon to give up the Premiership to Captain Rassell in the in terests of • peace and goodwill,' what a, happy Christmas the Opposition might have.

Trooper Callaway, the crack Coromaudel footballer, who went away with the New Zealand Transvaal Contingent, seems to be in good training for a tussle with the Boers His athletic friends have jnst been assured by letter that he won all ihe events in running and jumping that were got np by the Contingent. When the New Zealand boys get to Pretoria they will be able to show the natives how to play football.

Harry Greenslade has put on the prophet's mantle. Last week he took the Grahamßtown electors into his confidence and predicted that the Thames will jet become the Ballarat of New Zealand.

It is said of a certain monarch that nothing became him in this world so mnch as going out of it. It may be said of Dr Hosking, nothing became him so much in the Weeleyan Synod as the going out of it. Now he is on the gronnd. Like another local parson, who was 'in a tight place,' who threw down his shovel hat on the ground and said : ' There lies the Rev. Mr and here stands Billy ; put np yonr props 1

James Dunning and the Rimu fioad are exciting a little attention at Devonport jnst now James once gave the Kimu Road for his own pnrpoaes to the borough, bat subsequently repented himself of his bar gain, and wanted to get it back again. Therefore, he offered a tiny strip of gronnd at the Bear Gardens in exchange for it, and had nearly gained his point, when daylight waa let in upon his little scheme. A report from the borough valuer was demanded, and the official estimated the road to be worth £198 and the Btrip of gronnd offered in exchange for it only £18. Needless to say, James is not likely to get his little deal through, more especially as someone else haa offered £250 for the Rimu Road. And yet James Dunning is a councillor of the borough. Verily, come of these local bodies want watching.

Dick Seddon cays that the Hon. J. G. Ward has been wrongly judged, ana that his actions have proved him to be an npiight and honourable man. H'm. Dce3 this mean that Ward never sowed his wild oats at all ? And were the thirty thousand sacks in the store nil the time? Also, wLat do the Colonial Bank shareholders say ? Are they of opinion that Ward has been wrongly judged ?

Mr John Wil°on, the Whangarei boy who drifted out to Westralia some eicht years ago and became first Mayor of Kalgoorlie, has been ' doing the Continong,' and having a look at the crowned heads of Europe. He has also had a look in at Klondyke, and just now, having got back in the Ormuz, is thinking of letting. the electors put him into the Westralian Parliament.

TheEev. Hugh Kelly, of Knox Church, was rather sultry on Sunday night in hia political allusions. He said 'it was a pity that one of the fairest gems of ''the Southern Seas should be under the rulership of the devil and his hosts.' This is very rough on King Dick and ' the Great Liberal Party.'

Mr Hogg, M HE,, for Masterton, who, needless to say, is not a dancing man, has given a back-handed slap at the Opposition members who are. He said the other night that ' The Opposition professed to be dolefnl and dejected over the state of ths coiony, but when a dance waa on at Government House they left the " scallywags " to do the work, and tumbled in &t midnight with faces shining like their shirt fronts.'

President McKinley's message to 'Oom Paul has dissipated" the last remaining donbb that America will stick to Great Britain through ' thick and thin ' in the Transvaal difficulty. McKinley is the apo3tle of the Imperialistic party in America— an Imperialism that aims at the consolidation of the interests of the Anglo Sjxon people. Ho has a strong following in. the real American party, which must nob be * confaeed with the cosmopolitan element that comprises emigrants and their children from all parts of the world America, throngb her President, could do no less, after the moral aid given her by England during the Spanish-American War.

The Rev. Hosking : If I serve my King as well as I have served my God, he will not desert me in my hour of defeat— no, not while billets can be created.