PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 46, 24 July 1915, Page 4

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

A YOUTHFUL erstwhile Commissioner of Police and Crown Prosecutor arrived in Auckland by the Tofua from Samoa on Sunday morning m the person of Mr W. J. Sim, who went to Apia with the first New Z'ealandi forces and remained there until last week. When the Germane were deposed from the seats of civil and judicial authority some of the brawny young New Zealanders were put in their places, Mr Sim being selected for the post of Commissioner of Police and Crown Prosecutor. His previous training as associate to his father, Mr Justice Sim and with the firm of Russell and Sim qualified him for the positions and no one has ever said he did 1 not set out the prosecution well and truly. The bamoans always said "Thank you" to him when the Judge sent them to ,g.aol for three or six months. Mr Sim speaks highly of the Samoans, both physically and mentally. He says they are like happy children, always swimming or dancing or working, never idle, while their cleverness is shown in the beautiful native work which is bought so eagerly by visitors to Samoa. Quaint tappa clothes that are beaten out of the bark of trees, little carved kaya bowls, tortoiseshelli rings, some with "Manuia," meaning "Good Luck, and other native words, inlaid! in silver; fans, strings of coloured berries and many other pretty things the Samoans make. As rowers, X" Sim declares they a-re superior to any men in the world. They _ are tireless at the oar; 25 mules is a medium day's row and, moreover, on the following day, if they are waiting at a river town while the Commissioner dispensed justice they would spend the day in dancing and swimming.

"The Dopper" writes of Loins Botha:—Botha, diplomatist, statesmain and soldier (but mostly soldier) is South Africa's finest example of a man "making good" when honour has been thrust upon him. Botha had) the makings of a great man, of course, when he was a mere vekrtkornet, but it was the passing ot poor old Oom Joubert (Allemactig, what a man!) that mad© Louis. When Louis was a little boy op a farm in the Rustenberg valley Tante dv Toit used to take him on her knee. "Louis whom do yon hater' "The verdoemed English!" he would say. Tante would laugh. "And w hat is the whole duty of the Afrikander?" Then Louis woiilcl say: "To love God, my father and my mother and Tante Jafie—and to hate the English!" I have seen Louis Botha," big, calm and clean, among a big, excited throng of dishevelled burghers, their genius and their leader, dominating, decisive, tactful. The boy who was taught amid the orange blossoms of Rustenberg to detest the English _ I have seen gravely complimenting British prisoners on their gallant fight. Louis, either at school or at play, never took a mean advantage. A big man physically, a big man at heart—a great man from spurs to Avar hat.

Botha and Piet Beyers, when young men, went big game shooting "into Basutoland past the little town of Barberfon., which snuggles amid the great hills. Piet was a rather foolish ketrel. He fired; ihis last cartridge at a mountain lioness with a cub and wounded her. Louis, who was over a near ridge and heard the •shot hastened forward. The lioness hadl Piet down. Louis dared not fire at her for fear of hitting Piet, so he rushed in and tackled her with the butt of the rifle! He actually beat her off and carried his

friend' by stages 17$ miles to Barberton for medical attention. Louis had a shooting trick with Piet. Piet would stand against a wall or tree and extend! toe right hand!--with finfere well Lpuis would re three shots from 25 yards—one between the first and second fingers, one between the second and third fingers, and the last between the third and 1 fourth. Piet's hand was still whole, Jast tinne I saw it. @> @> ■ $S> Temporarily among the busy Queen Street throng, R. B. Williams, usually! of Wellington, but once of America, a cultured) coloured gentleman who has managed to make good in this country. R. B. came to the colonies from the Southern States, where the cotton buds burst and the little coons coo, with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and, noticing that no line was drawn between people of varying shades, he quit singing and swatted law. He has the darky gift of silver speech, and was for quite ,a while Mayor of Onjsiow, a Wellinigtom suburban borough. He is known to have political leanings, and! aches to grace Parliament. He can on occasions be induced! to chant a stave in the drawing rooms of the elect. The years leave his crisp avool still diark. He tells Ihow his immediate forefathers in "America were slaves, and the old peoplte have pride in the singing boy who went away to far landis and gained respect and place among the people who have no record of slavery to sully their short history. © © © Hauraki generally will regret the passing of the Hon. William Nioholls, or as he is sometimes called. Win Nikora. Mr Nicholls had an' acute perception of the value of landi and held enough in Ohinemuri, Ooromandel and elsewhere to stave off all possibility of poverty to 'himself or to those he left behind. In him were allied the soft persuasiveness of the Maori with the business acumen of the pakeha. He had a good deal' of administrative ability and 1 his services to public bodies

were many and excellent. During the .mining boom in Ohinemuri most people with eigjhteenpence to splash went mad but Win kept his head and refused to dig for gold in the kahikatea swamps. Mr Nicholls leaves an heir to carry on the traditions of the family.

@> © ®> Mr Walter Leslie, for many years a "Hansard" reporter, lately died after a short illness and the Wellington "Free Lance" has a nice appreciation, of him:—"He sprang from an old Scottish family having its seat in one of the Border counties. His father was a eurgeon in the service of the Madlras Army Medical Corps, and from both his parent® he imbibed 1 artistic tastes and a love for music wnioh formed traits in hie character. He was born at Sunbury on the Thames, and completed his education at St. Andrew's University. At the age of 18 he came out to Australia, wnere he had an uncle resident at Bathuret, in New South Wales. The spirit of adventure led him to Dunedin aibout 1878, and, after a few upjs and dtowns, he began his journalistic career by joining the 'North Otago* Times' staff at Oamaru. In the early 'eighties he became chief reporter and sub-edit-or of the 'New Zealand Times' in Wellington (then edited and run by Mr Chantrey Harris), and afterwards he was editor of the 'Poverty Bay Herald.' He was induced to give up journalism in order to take <a position in the Public Works Department as a draughtsman. . In 1888 he was appointed to a vacancy on the "Hansard" staff, and held that post u>p till the time of his death.

Mr Leslie issued a volume of Parliamentary sketches some 20 years ago, which exhibited his skill in black and white. Each cartoon was faced with a page of chirpy biography from the bright pen of Herbert Bridge, still living at Oriental Bay, Water-colour paiintimgs from Leslie's brush have been contributed' to various art societies' exhibitions , in New

Zealand, and hie talents as an art critic were known to the brothers of the brush. He was ever a companionable man, and the Art Society iand the Sayage Cloib in Wellington have had his willing help." * * *

The late Mr Leslie was a particularly we'll dressed man, appearing sometimes rin as many as three distinct garbs in a day, and he had an undeniable appearance of "quality ,, about him—.a rare attribute in journalistic circles.

T. K. Sidey, M.P., 8.A., L.L.8., is a lawyer who ehouldi really have been a ribbon counter hand. H© is the irritating human circumstance who is unaware of the war and who has again brought forward the Daylight Saving Bill, by which he hopes to put back the clock. If Tommy Sidiey can alter the clock, make people get up a few hours earlier and go to bed a few hours earlier too, he might as well try his persuasive powers ©n the tidies and the moon. Local people find it difficult at low tide to take their boats over the flats and if Tommy could arrange to have spring tides three times a week and 1 a few hours earlier than ujsual the gratitudle of all Aucklanders would be his. And somebody ought to post a paper to Tommy containing the news that war has broken out with Germany. Presumably Mr Sidey follows mis own prescription and' does the Daylight Saving stunt at home and in the office, so that if you want to be a mental and physical giant like "T.K." you must follow his prescription. If T.K. has been saving daylight since the time he first introduced hie little bill he must hare a whole swag of. it buried away somewhere in Caversham. The young New Zealander in the gullies of Grallipoli will receive the news that Tommy's Bill was read a. second time with joy. Anybody would rather have news of a politician than, a good feed

Mr a.nd. Mrs J. A. Walker, who have lived in Devon port for about thirty years, celebrated their golden wedding on July 15tli. Arriving from England! in the ship Excelsior in 1870, they proceeded to the Northern Wairoa, where Mr Walker, under engagement to an English company, built the Te Kopuru sawmilfo, andi managed the Kopuru Sawmill l Go. for about ten years. He has ever since been more or less interested in, the timber trade in this part of the Dominion.

Some fourteen yeai-s a,go Mr Walker was elected a member of the Devonport Borough Council, and! also represented; that body on the Auckland Harbour Board during the strenuous times when the new harbour scheme was under discussion. After a period of retirement, Mr Walker again, sought election to the Council this year, and was returned at the head of the poll. A family of seven sons and' thirteen grandchildren attended' the celebration, and had' a meet enjoyable time.

Highly competent and l the possessor of an absolutely delightful personality, is the- description given' of Captaini Alex. Carson, who has been appointed to succeed . Captain Benton, now in charge of the new steamer Omana, as harbourmaster at Gisborne. It is not a matter of su-rprise to learn that .lie is one of the most popular masters in the service of the Union Steam Ship Co. In going to Gisborae he will meet many good, hearty andl operas souls like himself, and the famed hospitality of the nisniamed Poverty Bay will find a responsive echo in his 'heart. Captain Carson has had a most successful career since serving his time with the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co. As an officer in the Union Company he made good progress , , and for the past ten years has heldi the position of captain. He has had charge of the following vessels: — Hawera, Rosamond, Kaittina, Kamonia, Taieri, Corinna, Rakanoa, Eaiapoi, Waikare, Hauroto, Navua, Moura, Mokoia, Maitai, Tarawera, Warrimoo and; Monowai. Captain Carson is at present in command' of the Warrimooi, which is now relieving the Monowai. Goodi fortune with you, Captain.

Interesting chap is Captain John James Raynes, of Rukukia, Waikato, who is an officer on probation with the 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles reinforcements at Palmerston North. "Jim," us his comrades called him when he was a trooner in the First N.Z.M.R. in .-outh \ e .ivx, was one of the quietest soldiers who ever wore spurs, and the general relief was that co=i! f l sk'ep soundly on a bucking mule. In fact, io rule bucking mules bare-backed was a special 'humour, of Jim's, and a capacity for taking rest when strenu•osity was not needed was a characteristic, too. Jim awoke to life when there was man's work to do, and behind a carbine he as a particularly dangerous man, and bad! a habit of taking pot shots at hawks on the wind—and getting them. He has been an officer of the Waikatos for many years, and his last active service was with the special mounted S)lice at strike time in Auckland, c is an inventive kind of chap, and a few years ago thought out a device that is now generally used in milking machines, and from which Captain Raynes draws useful royalties.

Corporal "Dooley" Wilson, of Takapuna, who lately came back from Gallipoli with his left arm out of action, lias been much in demand for his quaint comments about everything and everybody but hiimfcelf. As '' 'Dooley's" legs were in good marching order he did not wait for demonstrations when the hospital train came in, but i-etired for medical comforts elsewhere . Tears come into the eyes of "Dooley" when he speaks of Major Dawson. "He's absolutely on his own—a natural born soldier. For uniform and gear you wouldn't pick him up. He hasn't tiime for being pretty, but he fights all over." Corporal Wilson confirms the report that Colonel Plugge carried two men out of action at the same time —one under each arm. He mentions that soldierS are supplied with an antiseptic lozenge to push into a bullet wound. The surgeon complimented him on having a clean, well healed wound. "That's what comes of being a teetotaller and living a good life, corporal," he smiled. "Yes,sir!" said "Dooley"—"you're quite right!"

Sir Francis D. H. Bell, K.C., one of the new political knights, has determined that his bauble shall not be "wet" in champagne, and he is waiting for "happier times" to be caressed. Sir Francis was invited by the lawyers to present himself for admiration in the Champagne Country of Wellington, but he resolutely

declined. Then the city tried to get him to parade, but he fell to the rear and! did not turn up. The Tsew Zealand' Club holds periodical , luncheons and inveigles the reigning celebrity to pick a bird and blot lip a wine. When it asked Sir Francis to irrigate he raised' his; large white hand, and said, "None for me, I thank you," and dieclared that when Marshals French, Joffre, and Nicholas rode together down the TJnter den Linden amd accepted the gift of the Kaiser served at Potsdam he and his bauble were in their hands. Wherefore one supposes there are a few dozen flagons of "Mum," beaded at the brim, aching for the closed lip of celebrity to sup the sparkles, and —one never knows—it might get aboard the Maheno. Chaplains' work is so very trying!

Some of the captains of merchant ships sailing in the troubled! waters of nowadiaj's are diownright brave hearted men. A case in point is Captain Baxslowe, who lost his life in trying to circumvent a German submarine while in charge of the British steamer AngAo-Oaliiifornian. Captain Parslowe defied the submarine, and attempted to launch boats*. The submarine poured in shells, and l one of these hurled the captain from his bridge with an arm and leg severed , . The vessel subsequently arrived safely at Queenstown. Interesting particulars concerning Captain Parslowe, who was well known in Australian waters, were given by Captain R. Laurie, of Ffeniantle, to the correspondent of the Sydney "Sun." Laurie says he first met Parslowe many years ago, when the latter came to Australia in charge of the Gulf of Venice. Three years ago Captain Parslowe again paid! a visit to the Commonwealth, this time im command of the AngloEgyptian.. Later on he took over the Anglo-Californian, which was one of the first vessels to pass through the Panama Canal. "He was a fine, stuirdy little fellow," explained Caiptaiin; Laurie. "In fact, he was just the sort of man to do what has been reported of him. He was a fighter, and I know that the owners of the liners in whose employ lie was regarded him as the best man they had."

A New Zealander who has made good! in Australia is Mr Roderick McCalhim, of Sydney, who is now in Auckland on business connected with the display of animated! photographs upon a. white sheet before the eyes of an audience which has paid to be present. Mr McCallum has been in Australia for a good while, and l has represented Wests,

Ltd., and also managed for that firm in Brisbane. A couple of years ago he was appointed manager of the Imperial Picture Palace at the corner of Yerong, Park and William Streets, in Sydney. Formerly this liuge building hadi been a roller rink. But a powerful company, of which Sir Joseph Qaxruthers was chairman of directors, decided that something colossally luxurious in the way of picture shows was needed in Sydney. A large sum of money was spent in remodelling the interior. Writing rooms, lounges and refreshment rooms were fitted up. The main hall was beautifully decorated, and', one of the best lanterns installed. From the lens to the screen was the longest "throw" in Australasia, yet clear, definite and good lighting of the pictures was obtained. Then the newspapers were filled with clever advertisements and

the doors were thrown open. For a time the people thronged the place. But it was a huge hall to fill, iind, moreover, it was just too far, by about 100 yards, from the city. Trams of two .routes certainly stopped) at the doors, but people appear to like a theatre wilier© you can just stroll across from your pub. or drift into it absent-mindedly, while arguing as to who paid for the last drinks. Anyhow, in spite of all the allurements held out by Manager McOalhim, who \vas handicapped somewhat by a timid directorate, the Imperial dlid not boom. It was changed to a dancing salon; expert tango, moxixe and buninyhiiig dancers were engaged, and' the place became, ■and! still is, a papular resoxt for dancers, some of whom are remarkable for the impressionist character of their clothing. Mi- Mike Josephs, the faiir-lvaired Jewish manager, runs the Imperial now. Mr McCallum is successfully conducting the destinies of the New York Picture Theatre in George Street and of other picture concerns.

"Daddy" Loin , ,, at one time the best known theatrical "advance" in New Zealand, is in. Auckland after 15 years' absence and five months in a Melbourne hospital. He has an aifection>ate regard for this country and' finds that Auckland, like himself, lias otiot stood still during the years. Mr Lohr, when he went "off the road," went a long way from the madding crowd taking a hotel in the vicinity of Wilson's Promontory in Victoria. A friend' who visited him in the remote hostelry exclaimed, "How on: earth Daddy ever discovered, it is a mystery to me." He has, however, since his illness given up hotelkeeping, so there is no needl for him to rush back to see if any other Melbournians have become "bushed" looking for the hotel. Mr Lohr intends to do nothing whenever it pleases him a.nd for as long as , he likes in New Zealand. When hie old) friends recognise him they revert to days of long ago and the gay times of the 'eighties , and 'nineties, when Daddy used to boast that he nerer wore an overcoat, never caught a eoldi, and hadn't boon sick for thirty years. Marie Lohr, the famous actress, who is at the very top of the profession in London, is a daughter o£ "Daddy."