People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 3 January 1930, Page 8

People and Their Doings.

Providential Mischances : Children In Another False Fire Scare : Knights Bachelor : Record Sale Of Autobiography : * A War Story

HOW OFTEN do we hear of persons who have been spared from

some great disaster by what appeared to be mischance at the time, but which has afterwards been catalogued as providential ? There is a very, very old lady living in Australia to-day who was greatly disappointed at missing the illfated Tararua on the outward voyage that ended so disastrously at the Waipapa Point, not so far from the scene of the Manuka’s wreck. And there are several recorded instances of Christchurch people who intended to go Home by the ship Matoaka (whose complete disappearance was one of the tragedies of the early days), but were dissuaded at the last moment. WWW 'J'HE TRAGEDY at Paisley recalls to Mr T. P. Sewell, of St Albans, the disaster at Sunderland, in June, 1883. A children’s ball was being held in the Victoria Hall, fully 2000 being present, and the entertainment having ended, the children were leaving the building, when a false alarm of fire was raised. A panic ensued, and a rush was made for the staircase, in descending which many fell and were trampled upon by those following. The outlet became blocked, and before the panic could be allayed, and the staircase cleared, 180 had been crushed to death and many others seriously injured. Mr Sewell was one of those who were to have attended the entertainment, but when the time came he was unable to do so, for which he was afterwards very thankful. w w w

rpHE PRINCE OF WALES appeared at the historic hall of the Middle Temple one evening recently to dine with the Benchers and the barristers of the Inn where he is privileged to wear the long gown of a Master Bencher. He is always delighted with the atmosphere of the hall in which Queen Elizabeth witnessed “Twelfth Night,” and takes a great interest in the ancient ceremonies, one of which is the handing round of the loving cup with that mysterious drink the ingredients of which only the Middle Temple cellarkeeper knows. The Duke of Gloucester who of all the four sons of the King most resembles his Majesty, deputised for his brother, Prince George, at the Printers’ Pension Banquet, and enjoyed the occasion as much as anybody.

HONOUR of Knight Bachelor which has been conferred on the Hon T. K. Sidey does not constitute a Royal Order. It comprises the surviving representation of the ancient State Orders of Knighthood. The Register of Knights Bachelor, instituted by James I in the 17th century lapsed, and in 1908 a voluntary association under the title of “The Society of Knights” (now “The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor” by Royal command) was formed with the primary objects of continuing the various registers dat-. ing from 1257 and obtaining the uniform registration of every created Knight. The design for a badge was approved and adopted in 1926. 3$ 23? THE SALE of “Good-bye To All That,” Mr Robert Graves’s autobiography, is as sensational as its comments on the war. Although priced at half a guinea, it has sold 20,000 copies in the first five days of its existence. For an autobiography this is easily a record. In the meantime. Mr Graves has migrated to Mallorca where he proposes to live for the rest of his life. 9 9 W J)URING THE WAR Mr Graves was consecutively reported killed, died of wounds, and wounded. His book reveals the fact that Mr Seigfried Sassoon was recommended for the Victoria Cross, but was not awarded it because the relieving troops failed to hold the strong point he had captured almost single handed. Mr Sassoon was known as “ Mad Jack ” in the Seventh Division. He and Mr Graves were both attached to the Ist Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. W 9 , A NEW ZEALAND pressman who has just returned from Canberra reports that Mr W. M. Hughes is improving greatly in his i golf, but that he still has exas-j perating moments when he loses a ball j in the rough. The story is told of Mr i Hughes that, when i laying with Sir George Pearce one day, he lost his ball. Tired of the hunt, Sir George dropped a ball from his bag, and a few seconds later announced that he had found “ Billy’s ” ball. The ex-Prime Minister j picked it up, and looked at it, then an-

'nounced, “No that’s not mine,” slipped it into his pocket, and went on looking for his own ball. Of course, there may be no more truth in this story than in the tale that Mr Hughes, having had a few balls taken by Canberra’s famous thieving crows, accused the golf professional cf training the crows to steal balls, so that the takings of his shop would be increased! W “TOM" QUEALY, who has just died at Kaituna, was notable for his Irish hospitality. That hospitality was never more charmingly employed than in the days of the old Akaroa County Racing Club, when each meeting was a veritable picnic, and the secretary, with his soft Irish accent, had an ever-ready welcome of the right sort waiting for his guests. When rules and regulations had to be observed, Mr Quealy attended more and more to the purely social side of things, and an assistant from the C.J.C. looked after the racing. This rearrangement was necessary, because on one occasion, after the Rules of Racing were altered to provide for the payment of jockeys’ fees at the scales, it was discovered that two or three races had been run, and no fees had been collected or paid. “The club has nothing to do with it.” was the secretary’s airy assurance, “let the jockeys collect the fees for themselves.” Mr Quealy was the only person of that name in the South Island, but I think he has a brother in the priesthood in the North Island. 9 9 9 TVrUCH WAS ACHIEVED by the ITA soldier in the Great War, but one single triumph of a lance-cor-poral in a North County regiment should not go unrecorded. He became much enamoured of a mam’selle in St Omer. and one morning waited on the battalion padre with a request to marrv them “tout suite.” The padre thought he was rushing things a bit and reasoned with him. “Now this young lady is French. Can she speak English?” “Oh, yes,” said the corporal. She can say, ‘War no good and ‘English soldier good.’” “H’m,” continued the padre. “And can you speak French?” With pride the corporal informed him that “Apres la guerre” and “Napoo” were easy to him. “Now,” said the padre, “there is religious question. “The young ladp> is, of course, a Catholic and you afß Protestant.” Then came the triumphant remark: “Ah! She was a Roman Catholic, but I’ve explained it all to her. Now she's Church of England.”