PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 7, 18 October 1919, Page 10

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

J|iß. A. F. SELLARS has. written Iff ' .to Mr. Sanders, of Takapuna, 1 . father pf #ie famous V.C., relating a statement made to him by Skipper Brewer, R.N.R., the officer who received the commander of the German '■'■.submarine and two other German survivors after the wonderful feat of Lieut.-Commander Sanders. On being taken on board the "Prize," the German captain, who was a .count, asked for the captain. Lieut Sanders replied, "I am the captain." The count then said, "Give me your hand, you are the bravest man I have ever seen." The count after being taken below, asked for some writing paper and made a very long report on the marvellous courage and bravery shown by Lieut.-Commander Sanders, informing that officer at the same time that he Avould receive the V.C. for what he had done. He also informed the hero that they would "get him sooner or later.

> Elliot Davis has. a pet pup that he loves even more than lite itself, and that pup was the centre-piece of a practical joke that proved expensive to Alhe. Dick Jones, one of Hancock's travellers, at rare intervals is granted the extreme privilege of taking Allies pet for an airing in the firm's elaborate motor car. Last week was one of these gala days for Dick and the dog, and while the traveller was transacting some hotel business, Master Doggie, who is not old enough to wander into pubs, sat alone dreaming out a sunny day, when a well-known sergeant of police, who is taking his holidays, and Mr. Clevedon, an Auckland sport, spied the pup, and knowing Allies love for the same, spirited the pup away with lightning speed. After a short lapse of time, Dick Jones appeared, and missed the boss's pet. s* • ' As the dog was not of a wandering habit, it' was not long before Dick began to show signs of shell shock. At last the bitter truth had to be told, to the grief and woe of Allie Davis. Urgent messages to all and sundry, spare no expense, was wired and wirelessed, but no dog until just before Allies total collapse. The Auckland sport, accompanied by the sergeant of police, who gave an official touch to the find, and attended by the delighted Dick Jones., appeared with the pup. Allies joy was so great that he there and then wrote out a tenpound cheque, and handed it to the finder. That same cheque is now the source of great discussion in-certain city circles.' $ ® o> Patti, "the Queen of Song," whe lately died at the age of 77, retired from public gaze before she became disappointing, a thing few great singers have the courage to do. Patti s success was more dramatic and startling than Melba's, for she seemed to come like the searchlight in a dark night, and like the searchlight, she passed. Baron Cederstrom is Patti's third husband. The Marquis de Caux was her first-an unspeakable bounder. So Patti skipped with her favourite tenor, Nicohni. *or this trespass Queen Victoria ignored the great soprano. Patti married Nicolini, a man of extraordinary beauty; but he died in Wales, which country has always had great attractions for Patti; She was known at Oraig-y-Nos as "Queen of Wales.'

'< "Dink , - on a great and historical matter:—"The gruesome affair at Passchendaele is recalled by the 'In Memoriam' notices in the local press. None - of.:.the accounts mention that the grass was growing practically undisturbed around the main German pill-box. That, with the chain wide belt of barb wire, showed how poor our artillery preparation had been. The whole affair was too hastily entered upon. The brilliant Gravenstafel affair (in which Gordon Coates and "Digger" Laing shone so brilliantly) led the Brass Hats of the army, so well and comfortably behind, to order the New Zealand Division to push on and take the final slope. The unfortunate Dinks had three objectives and of course they had no chance of getting otit of the quagmire from which they were to

.jump off. The lives of Winter Evans —Gus King— and many other splendid officers and men were thrown away at the impossible. The stret-cher-bearers were already worn out by pulling out wounded 'Tommies, who had been lying out in some cases for five days. The condition of the wounded lying out in the mud and rain and being slashed by heavy shell fire, was pitiable. However, the Canadians, after 13 days' artillery preparation, , took the New Zealand first objective after three distinct stunts; so they ought not to claim it as a feat which the Diggers couldn't do. •-• - ' ■>. %% ■ % Captain Saunders, who lost his ship, the "Wairuna," <to the "Wolf" during that Hun raider s career, is in Auckland City. He brought the "Wairuna" to Melbourne. The " Wairuna" is a sister ship- to the "Wolf," and almost identical with the raider in every detail. The new "Wairuna", was one of the vessels taken from the Huns on peace terms, and is now in the Auckland harbour. Captain Saunders hail,s from Melbourne City, but knows Auckland well.

A ihighly interesting incident relating to the ill-fated-station of Bellvue Spur (in the Passehendaele sector) in the 3rd Battle of Ypres, October 12th, 1917, is told by Mr. Louis Deventer. The conditions were so bad with incessant rain and heavy bombardments turning the country into a mire of water and deep mud, that unless a casualty was si walking case he had no chance, but died in the mud. An English regiment, "The Duke of Wellingtons," who were out for a muchneeded rest, instantly volunteered to come up and help rescue the New Zealand wounded and 400 of them gave great assistance as stretcherbearers. It took about 10 hours with eight men to get one man out, and the laboiifr to 'worn-out' mon (amidst incessant fire) was inconceivable. In civilian life the self-sacri-

fice of battlefield is not understood, but I think at least that we should recognise assistance like the above. I wonder what our shirkers and Red Feds., who are so jjausible (now) to get the returned men's votes, would have done in such an emergency. Nothing for nothing seems their principle. Thank God there are still some true Englishmen left, even in these materialistic days, as the above mc ident; shows.' ' ■® -•■« ■ « Having heard, from' a boiler riyetter in Wellington that Lord Jellicoe made a tactical blunder at Jutland, and from a hand-barrowman in Auckland that he wasn't the bit of stuff he was supposed to be ('cos I see in ther papers), the words of Lord Fisher that John Jellicoe is "incomparable" • as: an admiral of the Fleet, is a trifle refreshing. The average man's idea of naval strategy is that an admiral ought to biff right into: every minefield, chase fifteen-inch guns with nine-inch, and win while ho sits reading the paper. Fisher's written eulogy of the greatest modern sailor is very fine, and

smith admirals ought to read dt, and, if necessary, learn it by heart. Jellicoe incidentally being the reason why we are inhabiting New Zealand at the moment. "I've an immense regard for Jellicoe," said Lord Fisher. "He is a born commander of the fleet, indeed, incomparable. He has all the Nelsonic attributes, except one—he is totally wanting in the gift of insubordination. Alas I he is saturated with discipline, wherefore he allowed himself to be cajoled away from the great post of duty in order to prop up an effete administration." The effete administration, by the way, is.passing out, and the new administration is offering us a large bunch of ships whitih will need another £—OQOOOOOOOOOi3O loan! ® ''&'&> Looked into Auckland on his annual rounds, Trevor H. Foster, of Christchurch, in charge in the Dominion of - large American interests. Trevor tried without success to go to the Big War, being passed "fit," but officialism intervening to prevent his passage to Egypt when the bell rang. He was a corporal in the First N.Z.M.R. in Africa, and an officer in subsequent contingents, remaining in "Darkest" when the bother was over for some years. By profession he is an accountant, @> © ® Rev. W. Bullock, the new and devoted organiser in New Zealand of the Church of England Men's Society, has been appointed for his great knowledge of New Zealand young men gained during the war, during which he was a chaplain to the forces. Mr. Bullock is peculiarly fitted for his work on account of his upbringing, living as he did on the borders of a colliery district, where he interested himself in all matters, interesting to strong men. He became a mining surveyor's assistant. He was offered a good post by the colliery company, but decided later for the Church, in the meantime concerning himself closely with the formation of Bible Classes and Men's Clubs., volunteering, and so forth. He went to King's College, London, and studied 'for three years, and his. success later at Chatham among sailors, soldiers, and dockyard hands was phenomenal. He has done much work during the war among munition workers and those great masses of people without whom the war would not have been won. He will be listened to with great interest in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Sunday, October 19th. The resignation of Mr. Chas. Poole, M.P., and the entrance into the political arena of Mr. A. J. Entrican, Deputy-Mayor of Auckland, is stirring up a deal of interest, the average enquirer wanting to know why Charles is pruning himself from tho political tree of New Zealand. Rumour, of course, hath it that Charles is billed for a Chautauqua lecture tour of the United States, with probable invitations at the eild of it to try his hick *,t. Washington, and become a Member of Congress. Don't know anything about it, but there's a rumour to this effect. 9> ® &> People see a High Commissionership yawning for a man, and, of course, all sorts of men are being fitted to it—all of mature age. Nobody not well on to sixty need apply. Sir William Fraser has been mentioned, but it is unlikely that a man almost an octogenarian would rush the job. Any time this past five years the legal knight, Sir H. D. Bell, Leader of the Council, has been mentally chosen, and as he was bred to law in the dusty "Inns ot London, he might like to see his Chambers and "sport his oak" some more. The political quidnuncs are not choosing either Mr. Massey or Sir Joseph Ward, not knowing which of them has decided to stay here and save this bleeding country.

Colonel W. W. Alderman, C.M.G., D.5.0., of the Australian Army, who was. on loan to the New Zealand Forces (Auckland district) when war broke out, and who left with the Main Body, has been offered an important administrative post in the Commonwealth Army. Colonel Alderman did good work on Gallipoli, and subsequently in France, when he was given command of the First Auckland Battalion. In England, while resting, he had command of the Reserve Rifle Brigade Battalion, and nt oik- time the Auckland-Wel-lington Battalion. Colonel Alderman is a highly-efficient officer, and was a great favourite with " Main Body" troops. <SS ' ® ® There lately died in Wellington, Mr. Charles Hill, who had lived to be upwards of eighty years. A Wellington journalist says of him: — "Mr. Hill, or 'Dad,' as he was affectionately called by the fortunate bowlers with whom he "was intimate, was always of a "bright, cheery disposition, fond of a joke told, and fond of telling oue. He radiated a certain pleasantry, which helped to make him loved by all— for he was a good deal more than popular in the ordinary sense of the word. As the proprietor of the Te Hiwi Club's green, he was a cheery host, known to.bowlers from Auckland to Inve?cargill, and a visit to Wellington without a visit to 'Te Hiwi' meant a bad miss on the part of a touring bowler. The late Mr. Hill was wedded to good music, and his pride in the varied accomplishments of his sons was something to admire and respect him for. All Australia knows of Mr. Alfred Hill, the composer of 'Hinemoa,' 'Tapu,' 'Waiata Poi,' 'Waiata Maori,' 'Maori Symphony,' 'My Fairest Child,' and a great deal of splendid music. It was the deceased's enthusiasm for art that induced him to send both Alfred and John to Leipzig. Mr. E. J. Hill, the veteran tenor, has been a great asset to Wellington for thirty years past, and his vocal virility to-day is quite astonishing to those who have associated 'with him throughout the past generation. Another son is Mr. Charles Hill, the doyen of New Zealand's flautists, and the instructor of Mr. John Amadio, and many other flautists all over Australasia. Mr. Charles Hill has been connected with the hatter's side of the old-estab-lished business of Charles Hill and Sons (in the manufacturing department), whilst Messrs. E. J. and W.

R. Hill have managed the business for over a decade past. Of the two daughters, Mrs. (Mabel) , M'lndoe, of Dunedin, was very talented. She was a bright amateur actress in the early days, and in artistic circles was noted for her fine colour sense and composition. Mrs. M'lndoe was one of the most successful pupils of the late Mr. J. M. Nairn. Miss Minnie Hill has resided with and tended her father devotedly at 'Hiwi' (Island Bay) for some years past.

"The late Mr. Hill was born at Bristol in 1832, and came out to Australia when 21 years of age in the ship 'Cara Symes,' arriving in Melbourne in 1853,* in the fevered days of the great gold rush. With thousands of others he made for Ballarat and became a digger, but finding that the gold was not so easily won as fancy had depicted, he decided to migrate to America, and go in for farming with his brothers in Wisconsin. There he found the winter conditions too severe for work in the open, so with one of his brothers he commenced a tailoring business, and was successful until l burnt out. Shortly after the outbreak'-of the Civil War he returned to England, but did not remain there'long. Australia called him over the seas. Arrived at Melbourne he entered the employ of Sanderson and Co., tailors. Six years later he commenced business on his own account at Richmond. In 1870 he decided to try his fortune in New Zealand, settling in Auckland, became a partner in the firm of Hill, Fenton, and Hulvert. Five years later he left that firm and went'to Wellington, and established the business that still bears'his name.

In town for a brief moment, .Viajor Stuart Robinson j of the staff corps, at present chief military high-roller of the Nelson and. Marlborough territory. Major Robinson loft Scotland so long ago - that he almost forgets it, except the accent Ist" his native land. -He began business life in Wellington with his father, and pushed off at the trail whon Brother Boer was banging at the door of Natal. As a sergeant in the outfit, he committed a deed that nearly led to his distinction. With a few devoted souls of the squadron in which he served, he rushed a Boer field-gun and captured it. Then he switched her round jind plastered Johnny with his own ironmongery. Something blew out of Johnny's gun at the fourth lick,

and blew "Robbie" out, too. Ho joined the New Zealand staff corps, eight or nine years ago, and has' served in the Great War three yeals. Barring a badly-injured shoulder — now happily Al—he has been fit and well. If you fall in the staff corps and talk to 'em you'll know Robbie by his enthusiasm. ■ ® ® <® Lord, Jelliooe was gunnery lieutenant aboard H.M.S. "Owl" what time William Hohenzollern, ex-Kai-ser, was a friend of Britain planning her destruction. Wilhelm, the soul of affability, was aboard her as a guest for a whole week, and consequently messed every day with the man whose job it ultimately was to smash his navy. It is. curious in the light of history to remember that Britain and Germanj' were allied to China, and that the Kaiser decorated the groat man we lately honoured'in New Zealand. ®> @> ® . The biggest hit made in Sydney by "The .Little Digger"—otherwise tlie Righ Honourable William Morns Hughes, A to Z (inclusive) —was when he refused to make a speech to a packed theatre audience, but declared vociferously that "some digger has pinched my hat." Mr. Secretary Percy Deane loyally refuses to divulge the figures, but it is estimated, on a reliable basis, that the Prime Minister's hat bill — from Fremantle to Sydney—exceeded £47 Bs. 9d.

At Cootabunda (N.S.W.), Mr. Alison Hanks, an ex-eoldier, who intends if possible, to go into Parliament, addressed a large meeting composed of station-hands and raiJ-way-workers. Mr. Hanks, who won the D.G.M. and M.M., had particularly distinguished himself in Gallil>oli and France as a bomb thrower. In his speech he roundly denounced the "craven hounds" who "while Britain bled had hid in bed." The sentiments wore obviously disliked by the audience and an egg of unquestionable antiquity soared through the air and burst on Hanks' clothes. Hanks took absolutely no notice but his eye saw the man from whom the missile came. Hanks was saying, ;"And those preposterous pests, who' pretended that peace could be obtained etc."—when another egg was hurled. Leaping lightly forward,' Hanks caught the

egg and immediately hurled it at the sender the hen fruit striking him in the right eye with such force as to make hospital attention necessary. Mr. Hanks had as a matter of history gained both his. distinctions by catching bombs and returning them before the time fuse was used.

The chief thought that occurs on the resignation of Sir William Fraser Minister for Public Works, is that he has sustained an amazing vitality up to the age of seventynine. Despite his advancing age, the habitual politician has shown all the personal restlessness ,of a man halt that age. He is an example of the power of hard work, as an aid to active longevity. Sir William Eraser is the son of the late Captain Hugh Fraser, of the Fifth Madras Cavalry, and was born in India, and had the advantage of a liberal education in three great schools—Elizabeth College, Guernsey, Victoria College, Jersey, and the Lycee de St. Brieux, Brittany. He arrived in Wellington in the dim days of 1838, and a few years afterwards became a member of the Otago Provincial Council and remained in New Zealand politics ever since.

Sir Herbert Maxwell suggests iv "The Times" tin as a material for war memorials. "It does not tarnish, but retains its beautiful silvery appearance for an indefinite period. The late Lord Bute employed it with admirable effect at St. John's Lodge, Regent's Park. The front door, sheeted with tin, looked like solid silver, and a fine statue of St. John the Baptist, cast in tin, was erected in the garden. - When Chelsea Physic Garden put up a memorial tablet to Sir Hans Sloane, they adopted solid tin as the material, and the effect is extremely good." Should it be ever necessary to raise a monument to a New Zealand profiteer—for his sake let it be in "tin."

John Cochrane is the proud Takapuna boy who found Lady Jellicoe's gold chain purse. . The incident did not end with the boy being invited aboard the ship, where lie was shown the wonders by Lady Jellicoe. The coxswain of the pinnace — a midshipman—took John to the middies' mess next day and entertained him. But he is proudest of the wonderful knife the Admiral gave him — a knife that contains every kind of thing dear to a boy's heart. It is engraved with the boy's name, "From Lord and Lady Jelliooe," with the date, and young Cochrane is going to be very careful of the Admiral's knife.