PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 October 1917, Page 4

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

SIR JOSEPH GEORGE t WARD, Bart., M.P., P. 0., L.L.D., has just celebrated his third decade L a member of the.N.Z. Parliament. Sir Joseph, who is. a Victorian of Irish parentage is. still a young man whose hair remains daik Sd whose step is light- aefc*™ member for ago since wh eh he has {iiown no other. At that time the VogelStout coalition Ministry purveyed a brand of politics considered to be on the wane W Mr, Ward a supporter of this coalition, exhibited a political ability that showed that he was destined to carye out a large career for himself He became, m tact, tne toaster-General in the Ballance Government, his suitability tor which was gauged by the fact that he began his working life in the service of the post office. It is, indeed, his remarkable work in the post office for which .the country is most Indebted to him. He not only evinced genius in for the ultimate benefit.of the postal services of the Empire but he foughl persistently for. the benefit of the men in the service. ■ He ended many abuses and was impartial and strictly fair as present wntei can testify.

"Ni+nrallv a sensitive man, Sir Joseph Werd was often picmed at personal attack, of political flghtine he was often the wt Tt is fair to say that b.\ sneei atve-Wd tactics he has always overcome his adversaries. To tollow the greatest power politics. H> l7as survived criticism; has been Jfnce Mi Soddon. actually and absolutefv the only N.Z. statesman "to capture the *&*&& .imaginatwn and to be listened'to with real rea?d politicians. It is possible that he waT tired of politics when last "Star," in an appreciation ot gr Joseph Ward, remarks that fair JumL Carroll, + W member for Gisborne. entered Parliament on the same day es the present Minister for Finance and has held that same seat ever since.

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Did Kipling "create" Tommy Atkins? Sir George Younghusband, who "has been in active British army service for 40 years, and who may therefore be presumed to speak with authority, has recorded his opinion on this point recently by ilenUring that neither Private Mulvaney, of the "Soldiers Three," nor his two companions, nor, indeed any other member of the family ot Mr Atkins," ever made use of any or the expressions Mr Kipling puts into their mouths, until Mr Kipling put them there. He declares that „ he has put the question to innumerable other British officers, and that he has never once met a British officer who heard these expressions previous to Mr Kipling's appearance. In short, Sir George loungluisiwrnd insists. Mr Kipling made the British soldier as he was known before the great war as completely as anybody ever made Anything in this world. The alleged origin ot the title "Tommy Atkins" may be restated. Col. Newnham Davies declares that the Duke of Wellington was in his gardens one day when a young staff officer came to him with

an army form complete except for the sample soldier's name. The "Iron Duke", thinking of a representative soldier, recalled the name of the "finest man at arms in all the Army," -a huge, but quite illiterate grenadier. The Duke barked out "Make it Thomas Atkins," the staff-officer filled in the form, saluted, cleared out, presented the form to the War Office, since which every British soldier has been "Tommy Atkins." It's a good yarn anyhow.

Mrs G. S. Davies, of Walmsley Road, whose husband, Sapper George Everett Davies, of the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, was killed in action in France on the 4th August last, received by the last mail various letters giving particulars of his death. Says the Waihi "Daily Telegraph": Sapper S. Dargan, of Waihi East, states that Davies and Corporal Hawthorn, of Huntly, were walking from the entrance . of one dug-out to another (a distance of ten yards), where they were engaged working on day shift, when a 4-inch, shell burst over them, a piece striking Davies on the chest, and another portion wounding Hawthorn. Davies sank to the ground immediately, being killed instantaneously. Lieut. A. J. "Wigley mentioned that Davies was a very energetic worker, the most cheerful and willing man in the whole company, and who, above all, had no fear, and in consequence was liked and admired by all- officers and sappers alike. The body was interred at Arras, the funeral service being read by a Roman Catholic priest. Another letter was from Sergeant Harry E. Meyer, a well-

known Waihi resident, who is an' Orderly Boom Sergeant. Lieutenant Collier, who was in charge of Sapper Davies' section, also wrote in terms of sympathy, and referred! to the great respect in which the sapper was held by all his comrades, as also did Sapper J. Wilson, a particular friend and workmate of the deceased. Sapper Daviej3 was a member of the Waihi Miners' Union, and leaves a young widow, and two little boys. & 9> ® ■ Signer J. Pagni, Consul for Italy, and secretary of the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association, relates an incident of the firing-line. One of Signor Pagni's sons is serving with the N.Z. Army in France. He was going on duty in the front line trenches and saw a piece of torn paper fluttering about on the duckboards. With natural curiosity he picked it up. To his, astonishment, the scrap of paper had on it a snapshot photograph of his father. The scrap of paper was the remains of an "Observer." m 9> 9 Mrs Mary Harvey, of Devonport, is the aged lady who got a special prize at the re-union of Old Thames people for having the most descendants. Mrs Harvey was not at that notable gathering as she is not in sufficiently robust health since she sustained a fall 10 yeairs ago. She rather regretfully remarks that she has not seen the, inside of the Town Hall, yet. Mrs Harvey is 82 years of age and was married when she, was fifteen and five months young and was

the mother of four children before she reached 21 years. This respected pioneer came to N.Z. with her parents in 1847 and was married to Mr Harvey, who came with hisparents from Cornwall, in 1843 to Taranaki. -The grandsons are all serving their King and country. Mrs Harvey's father was a soldier and for many generations his forefathers fought on sea and land. Mrs Harvey remarks, "My father was English and my dear mother, Irish, so they are good fighting blood. All the same I wish the war was over." Mrs Harvey excuses her writing, which, however, is very good, indeed, Sor a lady of her age.

Private Samuel Marsden Dent, of the N.Z. Forces, writes to say he believes a Shropshire paper in which he read a reference to N.Z. soldiers has not received absolutely reliable He sends an extract. "The deadly accuracy of the riflefire of the New Zealand troops is due to the practice most New Zealanders have in the war against New Zealand's most numerous foe— the tiger. The New Zealand tiger is the largest and most ferocious of the felidae often measuring 13 feet from the tip of the tail to the end of the snout. The Maoris catch large numbers of these depredatory animals in pits, but the New Zealand Government organises great 'drives' in the early spring. Parliament prorogues in order to permit the members (many of whom are expert rifle shots) to partake in the annual battue." The Shropshirepaper proceeds to say that in 1725, an Indian Nawaub, who had settled , in New Zealand, had brought twolions and six lionesses and had liberated them in. the Forty-Mile Bush, where they were undisturbed until 1830, a German hunting syndicate then -obtaining permission from the native chief, to hunt". Private Samuel Marsden Dent adds that he is under the impression that the Shropshire paper has been misinformed. @ ® ® Somebody said to Bob McVeagh, one of the legal analysts of Russell, Campbell and MeVeagh, "What's become of Bagnall?" "Which Bagnail?" queried Bob, guarding against any possibility of traps or snares. "Your Bagnall—R. Bagnail, solicitor." "Oh!" replied Bob, "he's naval adviser to the President of the United States!" The querist, who regarded the studious Bagnall as having no particular skill in the elucidation, of knotty marine points, gasped. It appears that New Zealanders do percolate. Mr Bagnall left the pounce and costs book to go to England where he hoped to become a flier. He was debarred, however, from soaring into the blue empyrean and was utilised in special shore work for H.M. Navy. The necessity of cohesion between John Bull's battleships and Uncle Sam's Navy has made missions between the countries imperative, so one finds an Axickland lawyer at White House. ® @ ® An officer writes from Palestine: "Don't get it into your heads that the Mounted , Division—mostly Australian Light Horse and N.Z.M.R. —are fighting every day. They are having a busy, blistering time often enough, but fighting is scarce. We did, as a matter of fact, 150 miles in 17 months and took a broad gauge railway and an 18 inch waterpipe with us all the way. We employed thousands of 'Gippies' and it would make, a cat laugh, to see 'em working on, a railway line. They have never learnt to use tools and it's too late to teach 'em. Every pound of ballast on the rail or water line is placed there by the human hand—they fill up a little flax basket and empty the contents. The Turks, whose air service is remarkably good used to find these masses of men with bombs and kill v a few hundreds—and it was difficult to get the rest to work afterwards that day. Mr Abdul had a penchant for dropping bombs' , at night and so we never "parked" transport of troophorses in a heap—always zigzagged them all over the place. It is enough

to say vre 'got' Gaza. Some Australians held some of the outskirts. I have noticed that soldiers have written complaining of the rations. They are splendid—ibread, frozen mutton, ducks, rabbits, hares, bacon, vegetable rations arid so on. They are far better off and have less than half the work the troops in the South) African campaign had—and there is no epidemic disease."

Ernest Alison's pride in his knowledge and ownership of blood racing, stock led him into a little argument, which had an absurd ending, just after the Takapuna Jockey Club's Annual Meeting. Being introduced to Ernest. Joe McMahon, of the

"Movies", asked which of the Alisons "Ernie" was, and receiving the reply, "The owner of fourteen racers and proudi of it," replied that that was nothing to blow about as he himself was at one time, the owner of sixteen horses in Australia. "That," replied Ernie, "is not correct, sir, as I make it a study and know the name of every owner and part owner in Australia for the last twenty years." Joe McMahon took

the suggestion of his veracity coolly and reiterated the fact. Ernie,, in a most earnest and forcible manner asked for .pedigree and breeding and. name and colours of riders, etc., and got the one reply that the sixteen horses were run and owned 1 in the name of the McMahon Brothers and ran the circle of their course through every State in Australia. Ernest Alison, now . thoroughly aroused, demanded the name of each horse. "They had no names, they were on a merry-go-round," coldly replied Joe McMahon. Then that

far-away look came into Ernie's face as he collapsed towards ' the widow for a drink.

"01" writes:—The first of the Defence Department's special 01 'camps has started at Featherston, and an Auckland recruit writing to his people says.: "Wβ have several well-known Auckland officers here,

and almost on arrival were passed through the hands of Capt. Mackelvie who was, until recently, , in charge of the Costley Home at Auckland. Most of our men are quickly adapting themselves to camp life and few complain of the more hardy conditions. We nr<* under canvas and although the first night was windy, the weather .since then has been fine. I must tell you how kind the Frankton ladies were to us on the way through. Although we left Autaklaind —our home—without' m>otice being taken (rightly, I suppose) the ladies at 'Frankton gave each man a box of eatables which were appreciated, for the Department does not make the best of provision for the 22 hour journey to the camp. All we had from 7 on the Txiesday until we arrived at 5 the next evening was two issues of cold pies, a piece of cake and sandwiches from which the ham had been extracted, if it was ever there. There was a great farewell to the men at Frankton—band and cheers, you know: On the whole, the 01 men are in for a fairly good time. By the way, I noticed among the corporals who have come to take charge of us, Mr Maiden, who used to be on the staff of the 'Herald' in Auckland. Perhaps some of his old newsroom companions will be pleased to hear that lie is the picture of good health and has developed quite a military look." •

A.G.: —I note that you said a word in praise of Lieut. Col. Albert Samuel, of Wellington, who commanded the training regiment of the N.Z.M.R. in Egypt. Lieut.Col. Samuel deserves well of N.Z. He is a fine organiser and a keen, etifcuight, good 'business man. He could have re-organised and cleared up the canteen scandals. He organised the canteen for his own regiment insisting on minute bookkeeping and a monthly audit—plain and above boa<rd trading. He showed profits by careful business methods and as Australians used! the canteen, too, business was good. Every penny of these profits was expended for the benefit of the men— and many hundreds of pounds were given to hospitals and other helpful organisations. I mention these small matters, not so much with a view to praising "Alby," as with a view of contrasting his, faithful and accurate style of doing business with the—to say no worse—slipshod methods employed by some other regiments.

The youngest lieutenant-colonel in the British Army, is Aubrey Liddon Wiltshire, 25 years of age, and a bank clerk. He )•>•»«! won the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre and proved that brains and courage may be concealed , behind a ledger , and a stiff collar, but will break from these or any other environment when duty and opportunity call. He was an officer of the Bank of Australasia and in July, 1913, enlisted in the Yarra Borderers (Victorian Forces) under Colonel Crouch, whose position he now fills.

One is not quite sure why the Police Department does certain things. For instance, DetectiveSergeant J. W. Hollis, whom the majority of Auckland people know to be an unusually careful detective, is to be taken from the largest city in N.Z. (where, of course, the largest number of crooks congregate) to be sent to Waraganaii, a small village where there are. few crooks and any number of cranks. Detective-Ser-eant Hollis is known to: few Aucklanders—and therein lies his value. He is addicted to duty but not to advertisement and he is in no sense spectacular, nor does he chase the press. It seems almost incredible that an invaluable man who has with great decency andi quietness interned a number of notorious Germans and who also knows every crook in Auckland should be ted to obliviom. One isn't quite sure yet whether the authorities wish to have Germans interned' or if it is their method of pxinishing a really good servant for quiet zeal

The position is this: Crown officers who declare Mr Hollis to be the best detective officer in Auckland (this on good authority) do not know why the Commissioner, who is a far-see-ing and decent Irish gentleman, should send a good detective from a centre of 110,000 people to a tiny town where he can put the whole population through the sieve in eight hours.

Old Contemptible:—l witnessed the worst sample of indiscipline en a ferry boat on Saturday night and I understand the Maori'soldier who fought and swore and was a nuisance of the worst kind is fined. They manage these things better in France, At Armentieres, several thousand New Zealanders were billetted in a French convent with walls 30 feet high. A man on leave returned fiightingly intoxicated. The whole of the leave and privileges of the whole of the troops there were immediately stopped. After that when leave was again granted! another man made a pest of himself. The guard on the gate ordered him to "go to sleep or I'll put you to sleep" and did it without any further parley. He was rolled' into bunk and woke with a face the size of a Stilton cheese. The point was that the whole of the men who had had 1 their leave stopped for a single idiot, became police for their own protection. If the local authorities can't keep discipline themselves they should stop all privileges to the Maoris—the Maoris would "sort out" the nuisances and award them "thick ears"—and good enough for them, too.

Jim Larkin, the Irish demagogue, is not wanted in New Zealand or Australia, but he is an interestingfigure in modern industrial strife all the .same. He came from the bogs. He escaped any education. He worked a,s a manual labourer, but he. was a poor wage-earner on piecework. He spent too much time talking about his wrongs, for he saw everything in distortion, and imagined that every hand l was against the masses. He got into the habit of haranguing his fellow goslowers, and learnt that he possessed the mysterious magnetism of the mob-orator. Then he finally downed tools, and made more money congenially as a tub spread eagler and a crude organiser until he. disaffected the discontented, and created 1 a ragged army of unhappy strikers. These he led into turmoil and industrial rebellion until the law descended upon him. By that time, Larkin had amassed a. tidy little nest egg, and, while his vmfortunate followers had to fight with starvation, Jim Larkin lived in luxury. ■ He is a physical giant, rawboned and angular, with huge hands and, feet, and affects ah enormous sombrero hat. Of his faculty for moboratory there is no question.

Mr John Alexander revives an old story of the days when Sir Juliiis Vogel was Prime Minister. Sir Julius was a gentleman of large and continuous appetite as many Hebrews, in excellent health, frequently are. Sir Julius, therefore, greatly patronised the-' banquets which are so interesting a feature of N.Z. political life. On an occasion, the Premier was deeply fascinated with the luscious quality of the prevailing salad and he came again and again with persistence and relish. A wit of the period, admiring the "astronomical assiduity of the politician, searching for a Biblical comment made it thus: "Lo the gentle Jew descendeth on the herb." Stiidents of Holy Writ have treasured the "mot" for all these years, and here it is again.

Mr H. Hector Bolitho, a younger member of the Auckland "Star" literary staff, well known among seafarers, and in official circles, has been gathered into the Army. Hector, who' endeavoured to enlist bejfoije, is an assiduous student in the school of evanescent literature and a quaint and penetrating paragraph - ist. It is his ambition to write lucid and arresting short stories and as

Obiit. April 21, 1917. In the great depths of the Southern Sea,. Our comrade we've left at rest. Leader and Chief of an ancient race, Not yours the foe to bravely face ! What have you left behind ? An echo of courage and courtly mien;.. A memory — merry and kind, And "greater love ,, can as well beshown By the passing away of a soul alone, In the midst of a lonely sea. What is the requiem song ? The tumble of wave, and the wijid's Md moan, ' Th&albatross wheeling in/flight, Not the crash, the hurthe, and the shriek of shell, Or the triumph of battles might : The ship sails on. J.M. W. Irom" Tiki-Talk!'

lie carefully studies the masters of this form of art he will, no doubt, in future get a place in the literary sun. The youthful enthusiast is the son of Mr Bolitho, hairdresser and tobacconist, of Devonport, and has for some time studied military matters in a territorial unit.

Mr John Allen, of Devonport, a retired farmer, disagrees with the printed suggestion that New Zealanders are only allowed to eat the poorest N.Z. liaised meat. He says that the finest meat in the world is raised in the Auckland Province arid is sold to the people of Auckland city. Apropos of this question, an expert meat man, who knows both British and Colonial sides of the business, declared to present writer that witiiin a few years the American Meat Trust will absolutely control the business in N.Z., either by purchase or by competing to so great an extent as to drive smaller people away. He,' however, agreed with Mr Allen that although tbe New Zealaiider paid heavily for meat, the quality was good.