PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 48, 7 August 1915, Page 4

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

COLONEL JAMES ALLEN, M.A., who has been so much in the public eye of late over the Trentham matter, is a South Australian, 60 years of ■age. Little Jim was, however, only three years old when he came to this country that was some day to ring with his fame. He was educated at the famous public school of Clifton (Bristol, England) and St. John's College, Cambridige, graduated M.A., and specialised at the Royal School of Mines. Jimmy might have stuck to miroerails, for he won the Bessemer and de la Beeche medal. It is a quaint thing Mr Eraser should be Minister of Mines when Colonel Allen's whole early training was in mines, but there are many quaint things in Ministries. Colonel Allen attained' the rank of LientenantColonel in 1902, and is a garrison artillery officer. He knows aE about high explosives. He has often been blown <up himself, and occasionally blows a Jiittle, too. On the whole he means no harm. Politically he is astonished! at the harm he doesn't mean—but accomplishes.

Mr E. Gore Adams, who comes all the way from metalliferous Bolivia to Auckland! to interest his fellow countrymen in the ihddden wealth of South America is the mining expert who was one time Chief of the School of Mines, Thames. He is one of the bright sons of a .'bright father—Mr Charles W. Adams, for 42 years in the New Zealand Poiiblic Service and once Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands. Mr Adlams the elder was a remarkably original and talented man, of great scientific attainments andi each of the Adams family has a bright mental spark, which generally induces them to travel! to other countries where sparks are appreciated. Arthur, the author and poet, 'has been for many years now carving out an excellent living in Sydney, while George Frederick King Adams was a brilliant university graduate and l scholarship boy. He finished his schooling at Wadham, Oxford and then discovering that any brilliant New Zealander was liable to be given a dazzling job at navvy's pay if he stayed in his own country, rolled his swag and went to India where he picked! up a Magistracy at Meerut at £1500 a year and native servants. There are other Adamses, boys and girls, mostly regarded by tlieir fellow countrymen as €Kscentnic, mainly because they have brains.

Once again there has flitted across the horizon of Auckland public life the slender form of verdant Vernon Herbert Reed, ex-M.P. for the Bay of Islands, who simply insists on living in the limelight. It's really hard that when a mam wamts to get on in life he is sure to mm counter to wicked people who cast envious glances at him and try to pull him down.. So it has been with Vernon. They wouldn't let him keep his hard won seat in Parliament. Now he has risen up again like the Phoenix from the ashes, and managed to secure a seat on the Auckland Land Board. Envy still pursued the unfortunate politician, and a fearsome attack was lautached on him from the Opposition, benches in Parliament. Nevertheless, the righteous continue to triumph in an unjust world, and , Vernon wias jprivileg-ed to take his seat at last meeting of the Board, Avheni one and all, from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr H. M. Skeet, down to all the members, he was con gratiil acted and welcomed. Persistence is its own reward.

The Auckland cable crammers have been at their old. antics again. Governor Strickland is much given to banqueting and 1 particularly to speech making on all varieties of subjects, concerning which his knowledge is profound, presided at a big Sydney affair. The "Star" received the cable first, and referred to the Govemori in this accurate manner: — "SIR GERALD STRICKLAND, STATE PREMIER!!!" What about Willie Holman, the great Premier of New South Wales? Is he to be cut out of the political firmament? Not if we readi Willie aright. In the same issue a cable reported evidence given at the military camp at Liverpool, the New South Wales Trentham ; in more ways than one. A certain remark wa<s attributed to "Mr Terence Rich." Wonder if by any chance Mr Justice Rich, who presidled, could have been intended? Recently they said that B. R. Wise, the great X.0., who has 1 been recently appointed' N.S.W. Agent-Gen-eral in London., was the Victorian Agent-General, but, of course, that's only a detail to the high and 1 mighty potentates who do not hesitate to wreck the reputatiotu of Governors. The inky way is; a perilous path, my brethren!

The habit of the newspapers in asking New Zealand politicians what is going to happen in Europe and Turkey when Kitchener, Joffre, Nicolas and Hamilton don't know is a reason for solemn chuckles. The reporter, hearing that there is a war on, naturally goes to "the Hon.

Charles H. Boole" (of the Chataqua Circuit). "When is the war going to end;, sir?" "Wall, now you've got me some dazzled! for a pair of seconds, but I guess if you subside into that Austrian furniture during a hog's whisper I'll sure opiniate a paragraph or six. This, sir is the last rough house of any size you re likely to observe, and 1 the de-velop-ment of international assete will prove to me (the economist and publicist) that first-class progress lies in politics and not bayonets—yes, sirree. Got that? Mβ and you—but especially me, will emerge purged by the fire ,and senators' wages will go up. We air passing through 101 diurnal revolutions, and Old Glory, the imperishable stars and stripes (here, cut that out! —l mean the good ole Union Jack) will float over the curly heads of a rejuvenated . House of Representatives and our system of national defence will undergo a change—yes, sir! For every professional soldier there shall be two professional politicians (full! stop here, mv lad!) A bit of a peroration? Waal, I calkilate that I'm observing with a steadfast optic the unswerving faith in the screaming eagle—l mean the British Lion. As I said to my friend General H. P. Jackson at the Battle of Bull Run>—war is hell —and don't you forget it!"

Auckland palpitated with expectation on Monday when it was discovered that that truly great man Leonard Isitt was honouring it with his head of hair. Leonard is the acute politician who, although of fiery

tendencies, has a perfect knowledge of the side of his bread the butter is on. He has for very many years been in the front rank of the enemies of alcohol, but he has so clever a perception of the direction in which the cat is< about to jump that lie would never think of introducing the subject of beer if its introduction would be detrimental to a snug corner in polities. The Reverend Leonard is one of those Christians who does not "turn the other cheek also." He is a wordy warrior who has made up his mind that all the "Reform" party does is wrong, and that all the Liberal party does is a new brand of holiness. He is amazingly adaptable is Leonard, absoiutely phonographic in his ability to exude words and merciless m his use of them. In (private, Leonard is a kindfly chap, who has the faults ot his qualities', but he owes hie place in the public eye to his easy verbosity, which could) have been turned on to earn him a living in any cause. Thus, had Leonard been rearedi in an atmosphere of hops, he might easily now be a potent verbal advocate of Mr J. Barleycorn.

It's just like Captain Billy Hardiham, V.0., to write to New Zealand indignantly denying he has been promoted major. New Zealand s only V.C. man ie incurably modest, and it is a virtue so rare as to be praiseworthy. Curiously, it is always the real soldier man who crawls into his shell when the limelight is shining, and the officer who conveniently "goes sick" at the first oipportunitjy and) reaches New Zealand in an advertising condition who assumes all the heroism that is possible to assume. Little lias been said of the New Zealand blacksmith who won the V.C. a»nd captain's rank, because Hardham has never said anything about it im his life. He's wounded' now, but one hopes that he will get 'back to the place where he can win his majority by work and not by advertisement. There are majors hanging round who' will l wini colonelcies by strict attention to politics.

The list of names of New Zealand doctors who have volunteered for service at the front grows dailylonger, and the Auckland! branch of the British Medical Association has (had to record! against the names of dozens of its members the fact that they are away on active service, or are preparing to go. Among the latter is Dr. Hardman AlUgood Good, who has been practising in Whangarei for the past twelve yeans. Hehas l been ordered to report at Trentham camp, and, after spending several days in Auckland, he left for Wellington on Monday night. There probably never was a man whose name so eloquently proclaimed hischaracter, for he is a hard man to beat in any branch of social work or play, while in his profession he stands high. "One of the whitest" is the summing up of Dr. Good by his many friends who have worked with him or had him as a partner or opponent in any of the many sports which he excels in. Probably tennis would be the doctor's strong suit in this connection. For several yearshe played for "Whanigarei Tennis Club against Auckland! clubs at Easter tournaments. Before he left England, for Dr. Good hails from London, where he was educated and passed; his medical exams., he used' to shine at all games. For nearly five years he has been attached to the New* Zealand military forces, chiefly in connection witih camps held in the North of Auckland. This training; will serve him in excellent stead when on active service, for, however clever a doctor may be, if he has noknowledge of army routine, he finds himteelf very muic'h) handicapped in '\rmy medical work until he drops *iito the routine which is so essential to military camps and manoeuvres. Altogether, it is safe to predict that Dr. Hardman Allgood Good will win wherever he goes , the same high esteem in the eyes of his fellow men as he won in Taranald where he was before going to Whangarei, ajid which prompted the citizens of Whamgarei to present him with a pureeof sovereigns and entertain him royally ere he left that town.

The latest casualty list contains the name of Sergeant Charles G. Nicol, of the Auckland Mounted Rifles. "Nick," as he was familiarly known, was one of the "Herald's ,5 bright and particular stars, but when the Germans started in to eat up the other nations of the earth he forgot that tllie pen is mightier than the sword and threw up his job for the chance of a year or two in the trenches. He was bred and born just iaround about the stone producing Oainarii twenty-three years ago andi his first serious business in life was when he joined the ! ( Otago "Daily Times' " commercial jstaff. Thence he went on to Patea, where he chronicled in. the local rag the movements of the large home liners in the habit of calling at that port. The Timaru papers saw him next and then about two years ago he joined the "Herald's" ...mighty band as a reporter. Later he : held down a position on the "subbing" staff of the "Herald" and ultimately joined the A.M.R. as a trooper. "Nick" was not made to stay on the lower rung and accordingly 'twas not surprising to learn of his promotion to the rank of sergeant. Whether his wound) is serious is not known, but whatever it is one thing is certain and that is that "Nick" will be back in the firing line at the first opportunity.

© ©

When an enlightened Reform Government appointed Mr Malcolm Ross to be the official war correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in Gallipoli the journalistic worlds of New Zealand and! Australia were stunned. Before it was known that four names were to be chosen by a committee of four editors from the names of the forty applicants, there were plenty of men ready to say that the job was cut and dried, and that M.R. would get it. But the semblance of a fair deal led many to that a really representative and capable writer would be chosen. Alas, it was only a bluff, a political blind l —the touching pen pictures which Malcolm wrote about the Reform members at work and sont. to a dozen city and country papers had placed him in a position of envy, and so he went to the war to write, it was believed,

other pen pictures of the New Zealand soldiers at work, the idea being that these pictures would be printed in lots of city landl country papers. At first the long range at which Roes drew his pictures was put down to difficulties in the way of a fervent, panrting correspondent who. wished to go to the front. He wrote of an agonised father and mother who sought their only son in an Egyptian hospital. By the next mad! we learned l that the son had been found and he wae none other than the writer's , eon.

From the younger Ross, the special correspondent extracted a tale of terrible fighting 'neath the shadow of Sari Bair—it was not bad, but dlozens of soldiers letters were better, and, anyhow, what would Ross expect members of Parliament, even Reform members to say if he wrote pen pictures of them at work in Wellington from the comfortable haven of a chair in a pub. at Invercargill, supposing there were pubs, in Invercargill.

Still, the people of New Zealand hoped on. Then came an account of how Malcolm was unable to get a bath at Pippoppolis, or some such place. This was followed by extracts from a newspaper published on a transport. No wonder Mr Veitch, M.P., had) a question on the order paper which inferred that it was time New Zealand's war correspondent got into the firing line or else came home . What the people of these blessed isles want is a simple account of life in the trenches and canips of the New Zealanders and their comrades in arms, a simple story like that told iby Charlie Bean, Australia's war writer, of the sinking of the Triumph, which by the way is the first good thing which Bean has sent. Still, it is known that heJias been in the'trenches, and mo one is yet aware that Malcolm Ross has been ashore in Gallipoli ye,t. Perhaps he is still looking for ' a bath at Poppoppolis or some other place of heat and houris, and while he loiters his compatriots here must turn to the letters of the heroes in the trenches to learn how it goes in the firing line.

Editor situation,

Sub Editor : Here's a letter sent in by a resident, from a person in Sydney, who received it from a lady, who is married to a gentleman of German descent, giving her opinion oj what Germany intended to do with New Zealand, when she had tyeaten the world.

Get it in with double headlines, and ivrite a sub-leader on the

A visitor to Auckland this week is Mr Jim Macarthur, of Wellington, wiio was at different times on the start's of the Colonial Bank and the Bank of JNew Zealand*. He is now the New Zealand manager of the Consolidated Dental Co., and his visit to Auckland is a business one. During his frequent visits to the chief centres of tJiie country Mr Macarthur has been struck with the general prosperity which prevails, despite the world-shaking war. He has found everywhere a loyal allegiance to the Empire and a steady determination to see the Avar through. Auckland in particular has impressed him in these reepects. Mr Macarthur lias travelled much in America, as well as in the older countries of the world, and his experiences on the railways there caused him to hold a high opinion of the services provided in New Zealand, especially in the matter of sleeping and dining facilities on the Main Trunk expresses. Nowhere else has he found such excellent meals provided for the modest sum of 2s, in fact, they are, in his opinion, as good as any meals supplied for "one dollar fifty' , on the American railways. In this lie has been supported by the freely expressed satisfaction of visiting Americans, who have revelled in the clean service and plentiful food handed' out to them by the courteous attendants of our dining cars, who are not looking for tips, as are their prototypes in Yankeeland.

Fluttered around Auckland last week end that eleven stone of importance known familiarly as "Jimmy" but more formally as C. J. Parr, Esquire, C.M.G., M.P. It. seemed quite like the old days to pick up the "Herald" on Tuesday morning and see the magic name freely scattered therein. Force of habit, it is presumed, made Christopher gravitate newepaperwards, but whatever the cause the result was unquestioned. Mr Parr's constituents and others; will notice that he has not been idle while in the little fishing village on the shores of Port Nicholson. Among other things he ha« been delving into the University site question, ajid will no doubt continue to delve for a decade or two into the same unproductive matter. By the

to-day ? It iis all madness." Mr Sanders possibly bare "yon" at present.

way, wasn't Christopher having a covert shot at the rivaj Jimmy wlien lie ''regretted that the municipal union programme had received such, a cold reception at the hands of the new City Council"?

@ s§> &> General Litnan yon Sanders, the Westphalian aristocrat who is conducting the Turkish operations at Gallipoli against Sir lan Hamilton, has an uncle in Sydney, whom, it is stated, has given up being a soldier and an aristocrat. He is eaid to discourse philosophically on the present situation Avhile he polishes doorhandles in the tenement flats of which he is at once landlord and caretaker. "They are all mad together, these German soldiers," lie muses; "I have no sympathy for them. They train Turks to-day, and how soon will the Turks be their foes? It is not long since German ofncett's trained the Japanese. And

© ® © "Actaeon" complains:—Our nevr mayor, Mr James H. Gunson 3 does not seem to be bearing out the promise of his first efforts. He seems to lack that little thing kmown as "tact," which has carried over dangerous patches far less able men than the aforesaid James. 'Tis a pity. The mayor, for instance, has angered the women folk very considerably by his strong opposition to the proposal that three of the allegedly weaker ccx should hold positions on the amalgamated patriotic committee. Had James been in England—where folk are somewhat bigoted on the point—there might have been some excuse for his attitude, but in this enlightened Dominion one scarcely expects narrow-mindedi opposition, of this kind. That is only one instance of several. Very many folk have been jolted unexpectedly by James ,who seems to have started off Avith the impression that some people will oppose him at every opportunity just because they opposed him during the election campaign. Perhaps the difficulties will become less in the coin-so of time. Let us hope «o, for Auckland's list of able men is so small that it cannto afford to lose one of its best through a few idiosyncraoies.