PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 50, 21 August 1915, Page 4

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

/fN HE BISHOP OF MELANESIA I (Dr. C. J. Wood) is in Auck- * land just now. Like most of the black garbed! gentlemen who compete with the island trader for the ; money and trade of the simple savage, Dr. Wood has lost his sense of humour;, if he ever had one. The sense of humour is, after all, only a sense of proportion, and the Bishop must • have mislaid it. On Sunday night, at St. Mary's Cathedral, he told about his work in the New Hebrides ; how, when the war • broke out, some of his friendis lugubriously suggested that the finances of the mission would suffer; how others, .more cheerfully disposed, said they would pray for.its welfare. The reJsult of this prayer, the Bishop declared, was that the balance-sheet showed a credit balance; if the people would only keep on praying, the beok-keeping would remain satisfactory. Then he told about some poor heathen On the island of Mala. They were beach natives, who, under the combined influence of the Government, police arid the Melane"ttian Mission, had been persuaded to adopt .peaceful ways, and not go hpadl hunting, like their wilder km • in. the bush and mountains. Well, the_e siriiple beach folk have had a dog's trick played' on them. The Government has withdrawn the police. The bushman, taking this as a sign of defeat, have played' havoc on the island; The Bishop told how a native boy had been killed within a mile and a-half of the Mission steamer, with his augustness on board. When Dr. Wood first went ashore he complained, petulantly to the natives about the holes in the lioof of their church. They, poor fellows, madle all apology, but said that if they went into ihe> bush to get leaves to mend the roof they would, for a dead cert., get holes made in their roofs which no leaves would mend.

They showed the big parson feller awstockade they had built into which men, women and children had to bundle every night to avoid sudden deaths. Then they asked him, as good Christians,' whether he would allow them to go into the bush and slay v the murderers, or at least take a life for a life. And what did he say to these poor devils, who had adopted decent ways under the i shelter of a Government which had been changed without consulting them? He said he was sorry the Government could not protect them —if it could it would, but it couldn't. They must not kill; they must_ get teachers, either whites or natives, and go into the bush and convert the bush natives to Christianity. To his hushed and interested! audience on Sunday night, tl»e Bishop continued, "What they have done I do not knowy for we sailed the next day. But I ask you all to pray for them." Pray for them! They must not fight 1 Yet when the German hordes swept over Belgium, what would God have thought of the Belgians if they had prayed instead of fighting. The thought of those Mala Islanders, forsaken by God and man, left to worry out their destinies while the wellprovisibned, comfort able_ steamer of ja, concern with a prayer-inspired credit balance calmly steamed away, makes one hope that there will be a debit balance next year—a vindictive thought ;• but these are vindictive times- ■■.'.,. ; J © -ss>- ® "Footslogger" heaves a brick:— Tell me, if you can; why New Zealand equips mounted riflemen with a mass of yellow bandolier that would make it an impossibility for a blind Turk to miss it at 1000 yards. If

you can't tell me, I'll tell 1 you, The poor little contractors have to-be kept in motor cars and spare houses, haven't they? What happens to the yellow equipment? As soon as the Mounted Rifles ooze out of the boats at Gallipoli they aire deprived of their beautiful yellow targets, which are stacked aboard and sent back to Alexandria to store. They are given the usual . infantry web equipment. Why wonry to make equipment that is to lie in store until the troops come home? Those humorous birds, the defence authorities, might employ their superb intellects! trying to build rifles for these men. We aire a long, long way behind any country on earth in the matter of making real necessities of war. If you are not going to kill the enemy with bandoliers made out of something that is a cross between yellow basil and brown paper, why make 'em? Why --ay contractors to fill store sheds in. Alexandria?

Solicitor David Logan, of Masterton, with his wife, has been on a holiday visit to Auckland, the rep. football matches played here being one of the attractions which drew him northwiards. Young Davy bears a strong resemblance to his father, Mr David Logan, who was formerly 40 years in the telegraph service of this country, in the years immediately preceding his retirement, as Superintendent of Lines. Like many strenuous workers he did not long survive the cessation of active life, andl misfortune in the form of family bereavements' hastened his death. First his wife was seized with a painful disease and died' after a long

illness. Then his son, Dr Logan, one of Wellington's leading medical men, died.of meningitis. With.the idea of having a rest and change of scene Mr Logan went to stay wfbh_ one of his daughters, who had married and lived at Pretoria, South Africa. There he died suddenly. A brother of solicitor Logan is fighting at the Dardanelles and two sisters are still in New Zealand. Mrs D. Logan was a Miss Curtis, of Wellington ,and a sister of Mr "Son" James, of Masterton.

Mr A. J. Stone Wigg, whose horse Ruatangata ran second in' the Spreydon Hurdle Handicap, at Riccarton, last week, is a brother of Bishop Stone Wigg, the missionary who gave his health andl youth in the fever-ridden lands of Papua and retired to dwell at Sydney a few years ago, a nervous wreck of his once sturdy self. A. J. isn't quite as enthusiastic as that in Well-doing, but he is a good 1 sort, nevertheless. From England he came to New Zealand about 30 years ago and learned sheep farming at Onga Onga, Hawke's Bay. Later he bought himself a farm in the Forty Mile Bush and made money. From there he went to the Southern Wairaparapa and', only withdrew from that squatters' valley when the Government bought him out in order to cut his rich lands into small sections to fit small farmers. Mv> Stone Wigg heartily agreed in this policy and with the proceeds l hied him northwards and secured a fair, heritage near Helensville on the borders of the tidal waters of the Kaipara Harbour. , For a time he had serious

thoughts of going to Australia, abouttwo years ago. But his lucky star was shining and he was saved, -from* being ruined by the last big drdught* His hobby has been the keeping of a' fast horse or two and! his friends will be glad to learn that one of them has got home again.

A vivid soul went out when Lieut.Colonel) William George Malone waskilled' in action.. He was in many respects a remarkable man.. He was. schooled) in England and France, and came to New Zealand in 1880— when he was 21. A fine big lump of a boy he was, too, and he joined theold Armed Constabulary as a constable, but served only two years. Then he went bush-farming, and that's the hardest job a man cantackle. He was a restless soul. He had 1 to be in everything, and while he was bush-farming he swatted law, became chairman of the Ngaire Road' Board, belonged to the Hawera County Council and was treasurer of the Stratford County Council. Hebecame a solicitor iri! 1894 and 1 a barrister in 1899, and the firm of Malone, Anderson and Johnstone was knowni throughout Taranaki. He was one. of the keenest volunteer officers this writer ever knew, absolutely devoted to soldiering when he was at it.

The late Lt.-Col. Malone had the dlistinction d _ring military manoeuvres in the Wellington, district to act with his troops as "the enemy." He therefore-"iriraded" Wellington at night, quartered his troops in the captured drill hall, and sent a respectful memo, to the Governor that he was to consider himself a prisoner of war, and so forth—all in a strictly military manner. The late officer' unsuccessfully contested the New Plymouth seat im 1907. The whole of Lt.-Col. Malone's family are serving the King. Four of his sons are either at the front or ready to go, and. his daughter is a military nurse. He was a wealthy man who need not have risked' his life, but his high sense of duty impelled him to take the chance he has always longed for. He was 57 years of age when he died.

Mr John Campbell, Government architect, grows fresher in' appearance as the yaers roll on, though his hair is now white and his beard well marked with the same colour. The worries of his onerous post., which keeps him on the move and brought him to Auckland on a flying visit last week, have not visibly affected 1 him, perhaps because, in any instance, he has weathered the gales of criticism successfully. Mr Campbell has been in the Government architect's office for nearly 30 years, and what he does not know about public buildings: is not very important. Much of his work has been in the direction of altering and adding to old buildings, always difficult work. One of his tasks was the altering of the Mount View Asylum to make it ready for the housing of the New Zealand Governors Only those who have tried can realise how hard it is to accomplish satisfactory results in this class of work, especially when the funds available are strictly limited. Architect Campbell succeeded in doing what he set out to do, and, despite the criticism which party politicians hurled at the remodelled structure, it has proved satisfactory. Only in one thing was the architect baffled. That was in the finishing and subdividing of a banshee which haunts the house still. Whether this ghost is the spirit of a deceased lunatic, or only the wind in a hollowed space, no one knows. Probably the latter is the caise, for when' a sweet nor'-wester or a northerly is galloping over Wellington out of the gorges of the Tiuakoris, the banshee's wails canbe heard. Still, ghostJaying is not part of an architect's job. There are no banshees at Waitomo House, for instance, or any other of the fine new places which Mr Campbell has designed. So the spirits of the.wind must be blamed' for the vice-regal spook.

Colonel Arthur B audi op, C.M.G., of the New Zealand Staff Coips, and when' he went on service with the New Zealand forces officer commanding the Otago Military District, has died of woundls. Colonel Bauchop had been previously wounded, and had) returned to duty. The deceased officer was one of New Zealand's most brilliant professional soldiers, a general favourite and an, honourable gentleman in. the very noblest sense of the- term. His service has been set down very fully elsewhere, for 'he made a name for unassuming courage and modesty long before he began to climb up the ladder of promotion. He achieved distinction during the South African war, and after gallant service which his men (and they know!) say was worthy of the V.C., he remained in South Africa for some time as an officer of police. On his return to New Zealand his capabilities were recognised. He was notable for his gentle courtesy andl a certain gay badinage. He hated to hurt anybody's feelings— except on military occasions, and then he dropped 1 , the gentle Arthur and became the stern colonel.

Colonel Bauchop was, in the opinion of those callable of judging, the ablest officer in instant appreciation of a military situation in New Zealand. Ceremonially he was the most ceremonious; on, real duty he was terse, biting and sometimes unmerciful. He could forgive an error, but he hated a fool's foolishness. He could talk beautifully after dinner —poetical, polished adept. He didn't talk beautifully after manoeuvres —he said the most cutting things in the tersest possible way. He was successively officer commanding the military districts of Ohristchurch, Wellington and Otago, and his charm was in never forgetting his friends. He had a peculiar admiration for Colonel Logan, now Military Administrator at Samoa, and usied to prize a photo of Colonel Logan, showing that officer mounted

clearing a six wire fence. He had a large knowledge of literature, especially verse, and curiously loved best simple poetry without the blood! and fire that soldiers might easily be believed to prefer. Those who were privileged to be his friends used to say that he was the handsomest officer in New Zealand. We don't know. His photo is in this issue. Colonel Bauchop, who was 44, did not marry until a few years ago, and his wife was Miss Elder of Waikanae.

The protest of "Scribbler" :—Who are the representative journalists— the men who do the writing, or the men who collect the boodle? Do you remember New Zealand's representatives at the Empire Press Conference? The bona fide journalists in that little party were outnumbered by two to one by men whose only connection with the Press lay through the newspapers' commercial and dividend collecting departments. And now we have the San, Francisco Exposition Press Conference, whereat the journalistic glory of New Zealand was represented by four gentlemen. Let-lis consider them. There were Cecil Leys, of Auckland, destined no doubt to follow in his father's footsteps, but a bright youth who has still to win his journalistic spurs; a Mr McCullagh, who owns a paper at Thames; aMr Bell, a shrewd Scotchman who exercises proprietorship over the Ashbur-ton village luminary, and who has spent his life mostly in stalking the elusive ad., and surrounding the ensuing profits; and Mr Mark Cohen, of Dunedin, the -only representative writing man of the lot. The journalists of New Zealand have one or more organisations; why don't they then get together and make a thunderous protest against the action of the men who/ while enriching themselves on the 'fruits of the journalists' labour, also usurp to themselves such small glories as are attached to the journalists' profession?

"Te Taniwha" commenteth as hereunder-.—Some interest has been caused by the fact that a ticket bearing the name of Mr Wilford has been attached to the. seat in the House of Representatives hitherto occupied by Sir Joseph. Ward, now Minister for Finance. Thus an Auckland Parliamentary correspondent refers to a fact which may have mors than passing significance to the future politics- of the Dominion. During the little hapnenings of July, et seq., of 1912, when Brother William Ferguson Massey became Prime Minister, which we will politely term negotiations, certain events, well, eventuated. In the melee, the writer means negotiations, Thomas Mason Wilford finally decided, after much trepidation, to espouse the cause of the democracy and fill a seat on the Opposition side of the House. Here is where "Te Taniwha" uinfoldeth.a heretofore untold legend When the coalition—er—negotiations happened along, Tom's name was mentioned by the job hunters, but a certain . omnipotent somebody put down a great hob-nailed boot, and said, "No! Tom will never play in my yard," or words to that effect. So poor. Tom was outed. Now, Jimmie Parr talks of a new alignment of parties, with Tory on one side and Democrat on the other, Jimmie, by the way, doesn't inform us on which side of the new fence he proposes to be or to lead, but if he turns Democrat won't he meet an Oliver in Tom? Let the shrewdies say nothing .md watch events close • iy".

When a great concourse of per of Takapuna and visitors from the city were standing in the wind and rain While Mayor Blomfield proposed to lay with a silver trowel ; the foundation stone of Takapuria's new town chambers, a company of Maori soldiers passed. "Three cheers for the Maoris'," said Mr Harris, M.P., and rousing cheers were given. Of course, military etiquette prevented any acknowledgment of such an unofficial greeting by civilians. The troops marched stolidly on. Only one little fellow, interested at the imposing gathering and the fluttering of flags in the rain, turned- his eyes ever so little to look, and! fell out of line by about half an inch. But Nemesis was at his heels—literally. A non-com., marching a few yards behind, swung his rifle off his shouldier and jabbed the little fellow severely with the muzzle, at a place a little abaft of his waist. He sprang forward electrified, and the troops went on. So did the speeches.

Auckland people will deeply regret the passing of Mr William Coleman, one of the best known barristers and solicitors in this city, and certainly one of the best beloved citizens: Mr Coleman was noted for a certain brisk sauyity. His courtesy of manner impressed everybody, but it is not to be thought that there was any weakness in this characteristic sauvity. lie was a man. of great determination and strong feelings. He had, on at least two occasions, had human disagreements that could not be settled by law, and on< these occasions triumphantly settled them in the ordinary, everyday British way. He was not a "public man" in the ordinary sense of the word, for he didn't talk either to the gallery or to the papers, but he was certainly a public man in the deep and practical interest he took in public affairs in Auckland. With Mr Arthur Myers, he was instrumental in, rousing public opinion to the necessity of having an electric tramway system in, Auckland). The impression Mr Coleman gave in his general appearance was one of brightness. He was brighteved, dapper, alert and smiling, and the sort of man who invited friendly greeting.

The late Mr Coleman was born in Sydney, but with has parents he came to Auckland in the 'fifties, and the family took up its permanent residence in the city in 1863. He was articled to Messrs Henry Hill and Sons, barristers,- and admitted-at 21. Incidentally, he shoulderedl a rifle in the Maori war. For two terms he was Mayor of Parnell, and it is remembered with particular pleasure that he really helped sports by guaranteeing funds. He was president of the Amateur Sports Club,, and exceedingly popular with young men. Every hockey player in Auckland speaks with respect and admiration of him as President of the Hockey Association,. His personal outdoor pastime for many years had been bowls, but his keen interest in, young men kept him young himself to the last. The late Mr Coleman married Miss Rika Myers, a sister of the Hon. Arthur M. Myers. He is survived by a widlrnv and two children, Miss Ruby Coleman and Master Give Coleman. There are three brothers —Mr Edward Coleman, of Auckland, and Messrs John and Thomas A. Coleman, public accountants, of Gisiborne—and three sisters—Mrs F. H. Coombes, of Remuera, and the Misses Coleman, who reside at Parnell. Judges, magistrates, lawyers, and citizens have each paid touching tributes to a gentleman who was universally esteemed.