People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 8

People and Their Doings.

A Surprise For Autograph Hunters : An Americans Admission : The Lind rum Sensation : A Tourist Pilot.

A UTOGRAPH HUNTERS have a good many setbacks. The Rev M A Rugby Pratt tells a good story of the Rev Mark Guy Pearse, whose death has just been announced When Mr Pratt was a boy in Australia he attended a lecture by Mr Pearse, and after it a number of autograph books were submitted to him. Laying them all out open in front ot him, he took thick pen and splashed a big blot on each book But iusl when the owners were beginning to wish they had tber books back he started to work on the blots, and produced a serfts of the most beautiful pictures under which V placed his signature.

J R TEMPLIN, who pays periodical visits tc America to fep abreast of temgs electrical, was

.asked after one of his early visits how ht liked his own country again And his reply was amusing He said it was too full oi foreigners Mr Templin is one of those Americans wh. dc much to create a good un erstanding among the English-rpeak

ing peoples. He .s n enthusias. regarding the u~e of elec tricity in lightening the '.! housewives, and he will never rest con tent until in New Leaiand as in \merica. the bulk 01 the hard work if housekeeping is done with the aid r.t electricity.

JMIE HATRY financial sensation in London recalls the stir caused by jabez Balfour’s crash in 1892 In "These bfty Years," a posthumous volume 01 eminscenses lust issued. General Bram well Booth tells a most- arresting story about Balfour, who was sentenced to, fourteen years’ penal servitude in con nection with the Liberator Building So •iety frauds Balfour built many 01 the great London hotels and mansions and had been a member of Parliament He escaped to Sov«i America, but was brought back and tried When he came out of prison, crushed and destitute, he turned to the Salva tion Army, and was handed over to Col onel (now Commissioner) Unsworth,

who undertook to find him a job. He was sent to a City magnate, who had interests in an Indian silver mine, and offered Balfour the job of building houses for the staff He took it. With tears in his eyes he said, “To think I should be trusted again." But he was fated. When he arrived in India the manager was informed (by the police apparently) that this was the notorious fabez Balfour, and. shuddering at the >dea of being associated with such a man, he threatened to resign unless Balfour were recalled. So the hunted mtcast had to return home. The benefactor was incensed at the police hounding Balfour down, and undertook to find him a place despite evervthing He sent him down to Wales to build houses. The story con rinues:— “Tears flowed down Balfour*; cheeks, but he was joyful at heart We had prayer—and Balfouf prayed - prayed for himself. Then came the, hurry of departure Off he went with his little bag The guard undertook to waken him at his destination, and Balfour, happv and hopeful at last tried to sleep “It was a ong sleep When th* guard came to waken him, Jabez Bal four was dead.” % m - yyALTER LINDRUM. the Austra

lian billiards genius has created more than a sensation in England where he has been acclaimed as the greatest exponent of the game who ever picked up a Cue He is a brilliant specialist in cl'jse cannons, and scores at great speed at the top of the table but he is at home in all phases of the game. Commenting on his. early appear ances in England. Mr Harry Young said: “The statement that a billiards player is in existence capable of beating Willie Smith by 7983 in a level game would

have appeared in

credible a month ago. This is the margin by which the Australian left-handed player, Walter

Lindrum, triumphed over Smith at Leeds in the game that finished on Saturday night. “ With the game made far more diffi cult than it was in John Roberts’s days, it is astounding to realise that the present school of players are at least aalf the game better than that wonderful man at his best. Roberts made but one thousand break during his career, whereas Lindrum has made over 60 with restrictions on the number of cannons and hazards, which were all free to Roberts. Left-handed billiards players of the super class are rare, and the best that can be called to mind is Hugh M Neill, who flourished between 40 and 50 years ago.” €? *€? D R E MARKHAM LEE, an English musician, has come to Christchurch to give a series of lectures on music and on composers. He himself is composer, author, lecturer, and pianist. Of late years he has given much of his time to composition, particularly works of an educational character. Most of his 200 published compositions arc for the pianoforte, designed to instruct, as well as to interest He also has composed part-songs for equal voices, such as “The Dream-seller” and The Shepherd’s Holiday,” and hat arranged adaptations of standard works for the junior pianist. He has carried out practical examinations in New Zealand for the Associated Board R.A.M and R.C.M.. London, and is giving vacation lectures to teachers of music Although he has visited the European Alps about twenty times and has just enjoyed a visit to Mount Cook, his recreation is mainly in his work, which, he finds, provides infinite recreation, variety, and amusement. ? 4S? VISCOUNT and Countess Craigavon passed through Christchurch on their way to the Franz Josef Glacier this morning, they were accompanied by Mr Richard Ardell, of the Department of Internal Affairs. He has now had a great deal of experience in piloting visitors of note, and as there is little of New Zealand that he is not acquainted with, tourists have a delightful time in his charge Among the visitors for whom Mr Ardell has officially cared are the crew of the Southern Crpss, who were the guests of the Government when in New Zealand, while he had a great deal to do with the arrangements for the tour of the Duke and Duchess of York.