PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 17, 27 December 1919, Page 10

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE

MAJOR SIR ROBERT WALKER, BART., formerly C.S.O. at Auckland; writing from his seat at Sand Hutton, York, mentions that he has not been very fortunate since he returned to England, and has had to undergo a; further operation, from which, however, he was recovering when the mail left on October 28rd. He says, ''On the whole I think I would sooner live in New Zealand, and it won't be loug before I pay yoti a visit, anyhow.

Sir Robert Walker mentions that he was greatly interested in the narrative published in the ''Observer" relative to the Count Yon Luckner, and that although Yon LucKner disclaimed all knowledge of Puhoi he (Sir Robert) knows better. Hβ refers to this opinion being borne ont by Mr. W. A. Wilkinson in the "Observer." "Personally," proceeds Sir Robert. "I always thought the only safe place for Yon Luckner was in Mt. Eden gaol. Still I suppose that crafty individuals even got out of there at times."

Sir Robert Walker continues: — "The only other remarks I have to make concerning the whole adventure is of the account given by SubInspector Hills, of the Fijian Constabulary. From the way this young police officer writes one would imagine that HE was responsible for the original capture of the pirate count. As a matter of fact, the credit belongs to Inspector Arthur Howard, another constabulary officer, and senior to Mr. Hills. I think it can hardly be disputed that Mr. Howard, who by the way, afterwards came to Narrow Neck camp in command of the Fijian Contingent, and became well known and much liked in Auckland, brought off one of the most successful bluffs of the war. I consider it somewhat unfortunate that a junior officer should claim the credit, but knowing Mr. Howard as well as I- do, I can quite understand his natural modesty would prevent him from claiming any share in what was an undoubted triumph. I am fortunate in possessing at the present moment the Hun naval ensign captured by Mr. Howard and presented by him to me in Auckland."

A paragraph from Melbourne "Table Talk" which will interest Aucklanders: Mr. Clement Wragge, who spends his hours these days amid his "South Sea Paradise" and "Indian Jungle" at Birkenhead, Auckland, comes out of his retreat, to utter a protest. Occasionally, as lately, he stops a while in his rambling through his tropical gardens to cast out upon the world dread warning of some dire calamity. On the present occasion, however, he simply wants to find a man who is said to have fifty pounds belonging to him. He writes that in the Australian papers he has seen it said that some graziers in the Itiverina district subscribed £50, which they sent to him and asked for a special forecast, which he is said to have given. Mr. Wragge says he knows nothing about the £50 and issued no forecast. $ $ $? A niice appreciation of a great N-ew Zealander in Melbourne "Punch":—Dr. Truby King, who is at present in Melbourne on his way home to New Zealand, after a two years' visit to England and the Con-

tinent, fa probably the world's greatest specialist in the preservation of infant life, and largely as a result of his efforts the Dominion has the lowest infantile mortality rate on record: Dr. King's strong cards are the use of "humanised" milk fpr the rearing of infants, a stipply of efficient nurses at centres, and instruction to girls and mothers. He is an enthusiast, a dreamer, and a practical man, and his work has won such international reputation that he was invited to go to England by the British Government for the purpose of arranging for the introduction of his system there. "While he was away he seized the opportunity to attend a number of important conferences on the Continent, and his advice should be of value to Victoria. His wife is a tiny, greyhaired woman, who is every bit an keen as the doctor upon his favourite subject. They have one child— and if she is not close to perfection, she should be!

"Wellington South" writes: There are mixed feelings in this little burg about the defeat of the irrepressible Semple by Lieut.-Col. George Mitchell, D.S.O. There is no great division of opinion about the type of person who should help to rule us. Mitchell is a man who has ruled soldiers, and has been much wounded, and has distinguished himself, while nobody knows much about Semple except that he has paid for his sentiments by "doing in" his freedom, and ultimately becoming a Member of Parliament.

The mixed feelings are to the effect that a person of the Semple type is safer in Parliament, where he is disciplined to some extent. He has in a measure to "do as he's told," and he will now possibly roam the country as before. Mitchell is a Southland man who has made good. Was a trooper in the First Now Zealand Mounted Rifles, and served all through the South African War. He served brilliantly with the Main Body, too, and afterwards in the Great War, was hurt and wounded as well on Gnallipoli, did fine work jn France and iilso in England.

G»org« has for some time been the organiser in Wellington for the N.Z.8.5.A., and has been particularly plain spoken. He has had a hard run,. too, in the electorate— heckled by the "Bolshies," to whom he never lowered his flag, like the gallant soldier he is. Mitchell is chock full of physical courage, an attribute his defeated opponent may or may not possess, having never been asked to demonstrate it.

I personally remember him when lie was twenty years younger in South Africa, erect on four galloping horses, having a deuce of a time with himself. A bit of a lonehander is George. Butted up to him one day in Wellington,- recognising his dial as a B.A. wollah. Be looked me straight in the eye, and said, haughtily, "You have the advantage of me," and turned away. Yes, George IS a lonehander.

Clement Wragge is indirectly responsible for a libel on newspaper morality. On one of'the Islands in the Pacific, whose ruin by a tidal wave is alleged to have been prophesied by the great weather pro-, phet, the natives forsook work or pleasure, and laid themselves right ■ flat down to despair, awaiting an ; awful death. The plantations deserted, in spite of appeals, threats, and explanations from the whit© owners. • i

One of the planters, sitting in his bungalow in disgust, was approached by one of his leading, "boys." "Say. boss," he queried, 'how you think this bad talk for the big: sea come swallow us all up. I not too frightened, but I see the newspaper the big prophet in New Zealand speak through the paper that the big wave come to swallow us all up. do he, the paper say, but you know v.cry much, boss, that the newspaper, he the liar." Then a pause, and looking up with a puzzled countenance, came: "But 5 boss, sometime he tell the truth by accident—eh?"

"P.R." writes: I notice that a local paper persists-in referring to the late great leader and founder of the Salvation Army as "General" Booth. As a matter of reality this great man WAS General Booth, and not "General" Booth. Hβ himself told me how it came about. King Edward VII. took a tremendous interest in the Salvation Army, and on one occasion commanded General Booth to appear at Buckingham Palace. The old. gentleman humorously said that he "had plenty of trouble with the but none with the King." The General didn't know whether to go in backwards or on his hands and knees. The door of the royal reception room opened, and the head of the Salvation Army entered. The King came running to mo with both his hands outstretched, and grasping me warmly, said, "My dear General, I'm delighted to meet you— I've long wanted to have a little chat." I wish the "Herald" wouldn't call him "General." He's General. $> S§> *® _ On the whole soldier candidates for Parliament had a good run, but one of the curiosities of the election was the rejection of Major Hine, a man who has done honest and most excellent work in politics and who has beem a gallant officer in »the field.' It was seen that Major Gordon Coates had no difficulty in retaining his place and that Lieutenant V. H. Potter is among the elect. « * • There is a new man in the person of Lieutenant-Colonel George Mitchoil, D.S.O. These "wins" prove that soldier, candidates on the whole are popular. Of course it was never contemplated at any time that Captain Tom Seddon son of the greatest premier, coiild be defeated, and the West Coast has been faithful to him. <& <ss <®

Hard lines that silver-tongued Sir James Carroll, one of the few. if not the only real orator in New Zealand, is among the "outs." Sir James of course was an institution in this country and no doubt in private he will still be an institution. His defeat rather confirms the opinion that the old regime in New Zealand is passing away. It is worth remembering that "Timi" was an institution in artistic and Bohemian circles in England, that both King Edward and King George delighted to do him honour and that the great houses of Britain were always open to him. His calmness and "poise" made him at home in any company— and he will be missed in the House. ®® ® - A Parliament without Albert Edward Glover, the veteran politician will be but an empty place. There is no doubt whatever that' the ex-mem-ber for City Central has always had a penetrating way with him and has accomplished much more for the people lie represented than many men of larger scholastic attainments. , Mr. Glover, who by the way is now "over the allotted span," has never been deterred by obstacles. He has the great gift of persistence and if he set his heart upon getting something for his constituency or for a constituent, he usually achieved his object. It is presumed the State will .see that Mr. Glover, so faithful a servant, will lack nothing in his declining years.. @ @> ©

Mr. Rupene, a Maori ex-soldier, Avho has been ardently following the political will o' the wisp at Hokianga and thereaway, says that at a meeting of about 300 Maoris addressed by Tau Henare, M.P., at Whakarapa, Hokianga, on December 4th, Mr. Henare declared he had always stood as an Independent, and was still an Independent. Rupene says that as Mr. Henare's seat is claimed as one of the 45 Reform victories, that Reform may hardly be misinformed. ;

There came along to this office recently that well-known Aucklonder, Doctor E. G. Leger-Erson, brother of the medical celebrity, Doctor Close-Erson, one-time Mayor of Dnehunga. The doctor, who is a great patron of the arts and sciences, is the best known specialist in "V.D." in Melbourne nowadays, and hopes to be useful in this branch of medicine before he returns to the banks of the Yarra. Doctor Erson retains his love and admiration for the brother whom Aucklanders knew and liked so much, and is hurt that a man who had done so well should never have received any lasting public recognition of his public services. He believes that a street or building perpetuating the name of Erson would please many people who admired the services of the deceased Irish gentleman.

Dr. Leger-Erson is emphatic on the question of Prohibition holding, with a very long experience of men and thinks that if you deprive humanity of an elomont it has demanded and used for centuries the evil that will result will be larger than the evil that would result from continuance of the liquor traffic. He bases his argument on the basis of everything—sex—and declares that man, normrflly liable under circumstances that will exist up to June next to relief by moderate doses of •alcohol, may thereafter find solace in things inherently more evil than alcohol.

Doctor Emm, who was much liked in IJhe gold rushes at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in Westralia, speaks with the authority of a medical man who is able to command a five thousand pounds per anniim practice, and is certain that there must be i\ reversion sooner or later to the social conditions in respect to appetite that have been observed for so many thousand years. He regards the human being ,as master of himself, who will by the very nature of his vitality "kick over the traces'' when this American infliction is thrust on a British community.

Dr. Erson went away by the Niagara, but before he went he remarked that Auckland was a very fine town indeed, with the worst tramway service he knew of. Perfectly goodhumoured and smiling about it, the doctor said, "There is no room for one's legs—and mine are not very long. " The cars are not clean, and are abominably stuffy. No other place where the climate is warm would stand these airless trams for a moment. The ventilation (or the lack of it) is a real menace to health. In epidemics the menace would be four-fold. In Melbourne, which is no hotter, the people have room for their legs, the cars are open, the passengers can see the country, and the cars are clean. I imagine that someone might learn a little about hygiene after paying a visit to Australian cities. Goodness knows why Aucklanders insist on airlessness and dirt." 0 $ ® Mr. George Church, who travelled a great deal when he was a younger man, found himself in Boston, U.S.A., fifty years ago. As an Englishman he had little knowledge of the customs of the country. And at that time, as everybody but ardent prohibitionists will admit, there was no sin in drinking beer in London for breakfast and hanging the pot on the railing to show that you had done it. Mr. Church and other Englishmen were asked in the usual way if they cared for a drink, and ■ the party invaded an emporium through the back entrance and imbibed a mug of beer apiece.

Mr. Church, in his English innocence, advanced towards the . front of the premises with his mug in his hand, when an affrighted Yank yelled, "Say, stranger, don't give us away—this is a prohibition town." None of the strangers had hitherto any idea that there was prohibition there, seeing tha-t you might go into the back of almost any shop and there call openly for anything- in the modest quencher line.

Mr. Church found himself in New Jersey where there was also prohibition and where the common quencher was "Jersey Lightning." "It /was like a string of red-hot bombs bursting as they went down." A good deal was heard then .about "the Moderates."' Mr. Church asked: 'What is a, Moderate? " The "Colonel" shifted his tobacco quid into the other cheek, spat at an apple barrel and said: "Stranger, whah was you raised?—a Moderate is a guy that don't drink no more than seventeen pints a day!" © © ® Mr. Chas. F. Griffiths, a citiaen of Axickland for 50 years, and one of the oldest practising barristers and solicitors, has been laid up for four weeks in the Mater Misericordia<> Hospital. Mr. Griffiths was informed that an operation would be necessary, but medical men in consultation have now decided that an operation will not be necessary. Very many clients and friends will be happy to know this, and although it is thought that Mr. Griffiths' recovery may be slow, he hopes that he will again be able to undertake the practice of his profession. ® ® ® There has been a great deal of heart-burning about decorations, and the usual criticism has been made that those who have done most work have been the least recognised. The following good story is told of Sir Reginald Brade, who is one of the most efficient of the War Office staff: "They were talking about the erection of monuments. The horse claimed one becau&e he had led the Army to victory. The bullock said he should have one because he had fed the troops. The ass said he ought to have a> monument for running the War Office at which Reginald brayed." <® ® ® Mr. Gunson, the Mayor of Auckland, who has been on an interesting though rush tour of America, has, of course, been asked his opinions on bone-dry conditions iii # that great country. Mr. Gunson is reported to have said: "As to the personal impressions. arising fiom my own observations, I would say that the adoption, of prohibition has proved one of the greatest blessings that ever happened to the Americans as a country. In the quarters inhabited by th<p. poorer people the children, are better !fed and clothed than tbey were when parents spent their means upon liquor. The money that formerly went to the hotels is now \ised in the maintenance and improvement of the homes. That, I may say, is the universal observation on the subject. In other words, the Americans are

finding more advantageous methods of utilising their means than wasting it upon liquor that perishes in the use."

On the other.hand, Mrs. Gunscm, who lias accompanied the Mayor, is reported as saying that she had not time to take any interest in the public life of the people, although she, as well as the Mayor, has been quoted as an authority on the benefits of "bone dry" in U.S.A. «' • • There frequently arrive in all countries tourists who often stay as long as six months —and return to their own country, able, ready, and willing to write a book. As Mr. fJunson was not in America very long, and probably had no more time than the Mayoress to "take an interest in the life of the people," it is. suggested that his Worship; is not necessarily an authority ion "bone dry." ® © $ "Norn de Guerre" writes:—Australia has a most excellent law that the journalist who writes on political subjects or politicians within a certain time of an election must sign his name to his writings. Thus in an Australian paper which comments on politics one may find the names of a dozen journalists, and the editorial "we" doesn't count in the slightest. If the idea were copied in New Zealand (where it is much wanted) the constant repetition of the same name in some papers wotold make the reader wonder what time the scribbling gentlemen had for sleep. ®> &> &■ Curious how an election softens the heart of the Brass Hat and of the Political Pea under the thimble. Here is a bit of evidence published a day or two BEFORE the elections: Two Napier soldiers who suffered serious injuries at the front were recently discharged. A day or two later both received urgent telegrams stating that their discharges had been cancelled. Both men are to remain under medical treatment and their discharges may be delayed for months.

Amidst the successes gained by the party of sound progress all over the country many things are worthy of remark, not least the substantial majority of two thousand votes secured in Dunedin West by tylr. Downie Stewart, who has been a particularly prominent and convincing advocate of the national readjustments' in politics for which the election has don© so much to clear the way.—Wellington *1)o»----minion."

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