PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 11, 15 November 1919, Page 10

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

MR. GEORGE CHURCH, the local antiquarian, supplies the following translation of a land deal with the Maoris, signed, sealed, and delivered on July 29, 1841:— (Translation.) PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND. October 20, 1840. Listen all people to this book written by Kawau Tinana Reweti Tainaki, and other Chiefs of the (tribe) Ngatiwhatua on the one side, by George Clark, Protector of the Maoris for the Queen of England on the other side. They have consented to give up to sell a portion of land to the Queen of England for .ever and ever (for whatever purposes Her Majesty may deem right). The Boundary of * the said piece of land we have now sold is this — the Boundary to the North is the River of the Waitemata, from the river named Mataharehare reaching the river called Opou and from the extremity of the Opou in a (straight line to Mangawhau up to the rise or extremity of Mataharehare and from the extremity of Mataharehare up to the river of Waitemata. The extent of this piece of land is . this:—Three thousand (3000) acres more or less. The payment for the said land is this: —Fifty (50) Blankets; fifty pounds (£SO) * pounds of money; twenty (20) trousers; twenty (20) shirts; ten (10) waistcoats ; ten (10) caps; four (4J~ casks of tobacco; one (1) box of pipes; one hundred (100) yards of gown pieces; ten (10) iron pots; one (1) bag of sugar; one (1) bag of flour; twenty (20) hatchets. (Receipt for £50 and Goods). This writing with our signatures in this Book is true, signed by us on the 20th day of October, in the year 1840 of our Xord. Signed: The Mark of Kawau. The Mark of Tinana. Ko Te Reweti Tamaki. Ko Te tohu X 0 Te Horo. Signed: G. CLARK, P."A. (Receipt for £6.) I have received six pounds (£6:0:0) in money in addition to the money named above from Captain Symonds. Witnesses: Edward Sjhortland. J. Coates. 29th July, 1841. ® ® © There died [lately at Box Hill, Victoria, a retired British Army officer, who used to live in Auckland. Captain F. B. Blackmore, brother of the late R. D. Blakmore, author of Lorna Doone. His regiment was the old 21st. When Great Britain annexed Fiji, Captain Blackmore was one of the first officials to land in the new possession, and in the many years in which he was stationed there he became prominent in the public affairs of ■the'island. Residents of Box Hill knew him as a very skilful brush artist, and many of the recruiting posters exhibited in the Shire of Nunawading in the war period were of his designiiig. Sport had the greatest interest for the captain, who was 82 years of age. He leaves a widow. Mrs. George Mann, late of the Mansion House, Kawau, is a niece of the late Captain Blackmore.

Since the war the baby has become fashionable in high society in Britain, France, Germany, and other countries. In Home papers they hit up the subject under the title, "Society and the Cradle," and similar lines. They not only declare — the Duchess of and the Countess 8., and the Marchioness . C., have sons, daughters, twfns or triplets, but they anticipate these events by publishing the photo, of a society queen with the accompanying line, "Mrs. Maltravers-Fitzgerald Colquhoun, the beautiful wife" of Sir Gordon Maltrevers Fitzgerald Colquhoun, Bart., who confidently expects to present her husband with an heir

in December." Imagine a list of ''coming events" in our stodgily respectable New Zealand dailies, where the only reference ever permitted about children is in the police reports of the Juvenile Court. It is much more important to be going to gaol than going to be born. \® $> $> The Prince of Wales, having bought a ranch in Texas, those of us who are movie fans now sit back and await developments, fondly anticipating . the early screen appearance of His Highness in cowboy attire, astride a bucking broncho, rescuing, the beauteous daughter of the manager of'"the ranch from tho clutches of Black Bill, the villainous cattle thief with one hand, whilst shooting off three "guns" with the other, ending up with a Douglas Fairbanks

stunt of swinging down and picking up the lady's handkerchief, while still performing all the functions herein before mentioned. Already, according to cable, -the Prince has commenced his equestrian education ; and what can his object be if no.t to oust Bill Hart from his position as Cowboy King? © @> SS> "Arthur 1t.," in Melbourne "Punch" : The return of Captain Albert Jacka, Australia's first V.C., recalls the time, years ago, when "Nap," as he was nicknamed, and I were schoolmates together at Wed-

dorburn, now the proudest town in the Commonwealth. Albert was always a smart lad, quiet and shy, but very determined, with an iron will, yet forgiving almost to a fault. In later years, as an axeman, he proved a champion, being the crack sleeper splitter of the North-Western District. He was born at Geelong, but moved to Wedderburn when quite young. Jacka is popular with his men, not only for his bravery in the face of the ■enemy, but also for his bravery in the face of brass hats—an even more notable quality in the eyes of the Diggers. ■ ■ • • » It is whispered that Jacka would have been on the way to colonel before this had it not been for his pluck in speaking lip in fluent Australian to senior officers, who, in

his sane judgment, were making ''goats" of themselves. In this way lie saved his men on several occasions, but paid the price himself in the fact that his name did not appeax on the lists of promotions as frequently as his record merited. Probably, the most remarkable feature about the career of Jacka is the fact that he has come back to Australia alive, and, outwardly at least, not seriously damaged by his long and brilliant campaigning. ®> @> . ss> Auckland newspaper scribblers lately farewollcd Gordon Leith Stanbrook, a "Herald" angel who has had the courage and commonsense to quit the inky way and "go back to the land, young man." Mr. Stanbrook has been the remarkably enthusiastic secretary of the Journalists' Association in Auckland, and has managed to be greatly liked, both by his colleagues and by the Great Powers, who pay his colleagues their wages—a task only possible to a man" of outstanding decency and "savoir faire." * • • Gordon belongs to an Otago pioneer family, and his grandfather, George Stanbrook, was one of the "early days" goldseekers. The Leiths, on the maternal side, were pioneers too. Gordon himself was born in Melbourne, and was brought to New Zealand when still a toddler of three. * • • He took to ironmongery for John Edmonds, Dunedin, when old enough but ambition drove him to Thames and the "Star," where his uncle, James Shand (since a captain, N.Z.E.F.) was editor. From thence he went to the Waikato "Times," and in 1913 he heard the coral calling, so to speak, and went to Fiji as editor of the Fiji "Times." * • ■ He there decided to put into operation a life long desire to see the world and hit the damp trail for Canada, where, having looked about, he departed for San Francisco, worked on the "Bulletin," the "Chronicle," and the "Examiner," and made a crust (with butter) at free lance journalism. * * * He did Sacramento, caw the Chicago Fair, and then the call of the Blood came, and he biffed off at the double for New Zealand and enlisted. He was sent to the N.C.O. Class of the N.Z.F.A., but the "quacks" turned him down for active service and he became a sergeant on the headquarters staff. By the way, he produced that very excellent book, the "Featherston Record," possibly the best book in New Zealand army camps, and the proceeds of which were devoted to the memorial to the soldiers buried in the cemetery at Featherston. * * m Mr. Stanbrook is an expert amateur launch builder and navigator, and has won a championship with a launch of his own construction. When he applied for service in the motor-boat patrol the "Brass Hats" said that as he was in the army already, he couldn't be transferred to the navy, or some rot like that— and he wasn't. * •' a It was said a few nights since, by men who know, that during the horrible flumonia epidemic of a year ago, when most of the "Herald" "heads" and plenty of others were struggling with Death, Stanbrook "held the fort" and had the grisly duty of being at any hospital (in search of news) where people were in extremis. * • • He was recently married, and press hands said "hooray" warmly. He ha* bought, a cocoanut plantation at Suva Suva Bay, Fiji, and as he is a hustler of the deepest dye he will make those old vegetables fairly jump. Hope so anyway! No envy, "Stanny"—just good luck 1

There recently died in England, Captain Harold Smith, one of the most popular soldier doctors in the Victorian B.A.M.C. He was born in New Zealand, but was educated at Bendigo, cind entered the Melbourne University in 1875. As a student he Avon success, taking honours in all subjects, and graduating in '97; but it was. his prowess in the playing field which won for him wide popularity. As a rower, he secured a place in the Trinity boat, and organised and stroked a "medical" boat, which was victorious on the river in 1896.

A good footballer, and handy with a tennis racquet, he was naturally a prominent figure in student affairs. A house appointment at the Melbourne Hospital, and a term as resident medical officer at the Women's, was followed by an appointment to the Hospital tor Sick Children at Brisbane, and he subsequently practised in various parts of the Northern state. In 1918 he went abroad with the A.1.F., and was on duty in England. No details have yet been received as to the nature of the operation which resulted in his death. Sympathy is being extended by all who knew the genial doctor to his widow and four children, and to his brother, Dr. Arthur E. South, of Gkelong. ® ®> © Christchurch "Press" lately fitted itself with a new editor when that good old journalist, W. H. Triggs, M.A., M.L.0., threw in the job, declaring he wanted rest after very many years' occupancy. M. C. Keane (otherwise Mick) held down the job while W.H. was in England and elsewhere, and is perhaps as good an all-round jjournalist as New Zealand possesses, "although he has not been out of the country. Mick is a pressman who has never had any trouble. whatever as far as his jobs have been concerned, and hasn't had to climb from rung to rung of the ladder.

It was he who succeeded Arthur Adams as assistant editor, of Wellington "Times," and later took a similar job under Charlie Earle, editor of the "Dominion." Mick is a racy chap, and writes with great fluency and humour. Both for the two papers named and for the "Press," he did quite outstanding work, apart from solemn editorials and heavy screeds, and he has a poetic mind that requires no rhyming dictionary. One of the curious things about Mick is that when he was at school he revelled in mathematics—a most unusual thing in a man with literary bent.

He is an M.A. of New Zealand, and a gold medallist in mathematics. A few of Mick's poems may stay. There is, for instance, "The Blind Obedient Dead," included in Alexander and Curries "New Zealand Verse" (an excellent anthology.). . One verse: — Their bones lie glistening on the veldt, their shoes are rusted red; They are gone where spur and rifle are at rest. Good dreams to all that legion of the blind, obedient dead! Good pasture in the islands of the blest! Mr. Keane also wrote the finest poem of many hundreds on the occasion of the death of Mr. Seddon. @ © © Canterbury has an interesting centenarian in Mr. Melchor Winter, who has just celebrated his 100 th birthday. Mr. Winter has lived in six reigns, and has seen a deal of life since he started as a midshipman. On the rolling deep he found he had a, voice, and he was singing in public in Bath 60 years ago. He first sang at a concert in New Zealand in 1869. In 1882, when more than half the present population

were unborn, ho was touring with J. C. Williamson's Opera Company, in which James Cassins, himself, and Maggie Moore were performing. Mr. Winter tired of the stage, being nearly 60, and he then went on the land. It is a very regrettable fact that Mr. Winter has never been a teetotaller, although it need hardly be said that his 101 years means that he found and kept the golden mean. © ss> ® Ono or two thoughts strike a person when he reads that the choir of St. Matthew's Church have "struck" because the See has not appointed Rev. Jasper Calder, and the first thought is, "How these Christians love one another!" The next is that the popularity of the decent little man who is biffed out even exceeded the popularity of the retiring vicar, consequently the little man must have possessed the preaching punch and other qualities which filled the benches of the parish church.

Jasper, in short, appears to have done the work. When there is a chance of Jasper getting the salary as well as doing the work, and attracting the revenue, the See finds he is too popular, and he is given the cold shoulder. The probability is that lie is too human. You see a church should not be given a vicar whom the congregation wants, but a vicar whom the See believes the congregation ought to have. Better, says the See, that the benches should be empty than full and the coffers empty, too. * * * Another thought is that the new vicar takes on a job that is exceptionally difficult against congregational opposition. He may be a special chap—might have an oratorical punch as hard as Billie Hughes or Lloyd-George, under which circumstances no doubt the vivid little Jasper will fade off the screen, and the threepenny bits will tinkle into the offertory as if he was etill behind the scenes. * * ■ » No doubt if the choir strike, the congregation will down Prayer Books, too, or "go slow." Some people still believe that popular clamour will yet make it necessary for Jasper to be appointed, but the See, having put its hand to the plough, will stick to the furrow whether the seed that is to be sown in the vineyard returns two per cent, or a hundredfold. It seems a pity to waste a great big church like. St. Matthew's.

"Thespis" writes: Many fine tributes to the late lamented and most talented', actor, H. B. Irving—but has it' been mentioned that he did excellent war service ? Irving was exactly like his father, the late Sir Henry, and disdained money except for the comforts it would obtain. He might have made a fortune during the war in theatrical enterprises, but he offered his services in any capacity to the Government. As ho had a remarkable faculty of observation—he was the best amateur example of Sherlock Holmes England had—he was sent to the Criminal Investigation Department at Scothind Yard as an expert.

There he worked quietly, weaving nets around German spies and other enemies to the Empire, and it is happily said that Irving saved very many lives by entrapping antiBritish scoundrels paid by every means to slay British people and to win the war for the Central Powers. He was open-handed and generous, studious, retiring, and a thorough British gentleman, and bone deep in him was the love of country which made him use his great talents, through four years—not to amuse people, but to save them from the Hun. © © ® "Gumsucker" writes from Melbourne: Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, Governor of Victoria, lately distributed 340 imedals to Australian soldiers, their next of kin or blood representatives. I have seen a medal-giving in New Zealand, and it impressed me rather as a formal affair, in which the job of getting it over was the chief one. Governor Ferguson immensely touched the people at the Domain Camp by being unconventional, and a good deal human. * * • He had a moist eye when he handed to an aged widow her dead son's honour. "I am proud to belong to the same race as your boy,!' he said, and kissed the old lady's hand with old-fashioned grace. To a big bony sergeant, as he gripped his hand, he said, "You lucky dog!— we old buffers are out of it," and to a little pale girl of 16, whose father had been killed, and whose mother had died of grief, he said, "May I help?—if I can do so you may depend on me!" These little things were said without ostentation, and-only to the recipients. I was lucky enough to be near enough to hear them. ®> ® ■& Admiral Sturdee, the hero of the Falkland Islands fight, has been appointed Admiral in Command of the Humber District. * A few weeks ago the Admiral was awarded £10,000 in recognition of his services to the country during the war. He entered the Navy as long ago as 1871, and was present at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. From 1899 to 1902 he was Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence, became a llearAdmiral in 1910, and in 1911 commanded the Fifth Cruiser Squadron. The story of how Fisher sent Sturdee quietly from Whitehall to strafe yon Spec, and of how in six weeks he had tracked him down and annihilated his forces is one of the epics of the war.

"Mac." : The Commercial Travellers' president lately told a yarn about Hokianga ' and Socialism. The newcomer with the tongue came amongst the population and established a Blatchford cult and talked quite a large following around him. When he roared about Socialism people used to drive for miles, and as many as thirty, persons at a time, hung on his every word. Besides being a Socialist he was shrewd too, and while the congregations were dwindling he worked and acquired fifty acres of land. It was a very wrong thing for a Socialist to do.

Mr. Menzies, the local engineer, who was a bit -of a wag, stuck him up, and said to him: "You are a Socialist, who believes in share-and-share—alike—3'ou've got fifty acres and I've got none. Give me a site to build a house." The share-and-share-alike person shelved tho question, and the gift was not made. The Socialist continued to preach the gospel of share-and-share-alike and acquired two hundred more acres.

Air. Menzies, believing his heart might be softened, went to him and said: "I see you've got two hundred and fifty acres now—a Socialist landowner—what about giving me a scrap of it to build a house on?" The Socialist who would have permitted his brother to shed his blood for him replied: "Give YOU a bit of land?—it's too d—d hard to get!" and his heirs and assigns are still landowners, probably with Socialistic tendencies as long as THEIR goods are not to be given away.

Lord Beatty of the North Sea, (don't you think he's got a hide to claim the whole thing?), wears his cap at an acute angle and over one eye. The reason is that when at Eton, David, while playing fires, was hit with a falling slate, and this altering the shape of his head, he even wore his Etonian "topper", cocked down over his eyebrow.

He has therefore set the fashion in the Navy and even the Prince of Wales., when wearing a Navy uniform follows suit. You will see in Auckland, young ex-officers in mufti, carrying, but not wearing gloves. They do not know whom they are imitating, but they know "the swells" do it and its good enough for them.

The habit arose by the act of Edward VII., who was an amateur carpenter (and a very good one). He was making a chicken-coop for the fowl farm at Sandringham and while chiselling a mortise hole, the chisel slipped and cut his right hand (he was left-handed). He found that evening, he could not wear a glove on his right hand, and so carried it. * * • Within a week, everybody who could afford gloves was wearing one and carrying the other, and the rather ridiculous fashion has percolated even to Wyndham Street, where any day you may see gentlemen who have been once fortunate enough to hold His Majesty's temporary commission and are now endeavouring to earn six and eightpence, still imitate the Royal carpenter without knowing why.