People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19003, 24 February 1930, Page 8

People and Their Doings.

When Rugby Was Played in Cvanmet Square How “ Dutchy ” Evans Got His Nickname : Mr J. C. Prudhoe’sLone Hand : Women In The Press Gallery,

MEMORIES of happy days at the Normal School are recalled by Mr F. T. Evans, in speaking of the late Mr C. W. Garrard, who died suddenly at Auckland on the eve of his retirement. Curiously enough both of these men, who played football together on Cranmer Square as schoolboys over forty-five years ago, became school inspectors. Cranmer Square was then the principal football ground of the Christchurch Club, the only club. The old caretaker, Davis, was rather decrepit, and the boys used to gather the flags in for him, and also climb to the top of the goal-posts to put up the flags that were always placed in that position. In return for this service he would let them have the ball for five minutes, and in those days a football was an expensive luxury, and the boys were simply wild with delight.

these two lads were in the Canterbury team together —“Dutchy” Evans at the age of nineteen, and “Potter” Garrard at about the same age. “Potter” got his nickname because he was one of the best goal-kickers in New Zealand, and on one famous occasion kicked a goal from half-way against Otago University. There were three notable boys in that little Normal School group, Wally Pearce being the third. He was a Merivale Rugby player, and a Canterbury representative cricketer, who got the nickname of “Biffer,” so it is said, because he “biffed them in fast” when he was bowling.

WWW “J)UTCHY" EVANS was asked this morning how he got his own nickname, and he said that in his schooldays he had to go to East Christchurch School past the Masonic Hotel in Gloucester Street, and there was a drunken old rouseabout there—a Dutchman —who used to chase the boys. He went rather in fear and trembling of this old character, and spoke about “Dutchy” to such an extent at home that his brothers fastened this name on him. As a matter of fact, Mr W. G (“Gun”) Garrard says that Mr Evans was never in very much fear of anybody, and used to call out “Dutchy” at the old rouseabout for the thrill ol getting a chase.

reminiscence of Mr C. W. Garrard is mentioned casually by Mr C. T. Aschman. Canterbury were playing Otago, and Tommy Reese and Arthur Sims were knocking off the runs for a win, with Charlie Garrard sitting with the pads on and hoping and praying that he would not have to go, in to bat. When Mr Aschman got up to go away Mr Garrard implored him not to move, or he would break the luck. So he stayed on, and surely enough, Reese and Sims made the runs.

This incident will have no little significance for sportsmen who believe that concentration from the pavilion can indeed work wonders. A firm believer in this psychic phenomenon was Miss May Speirs (now Mrs Dykes). When she was watching a tennis match in which she was greatly interested she would concentrate her mind in favour of the player she wanted to win, and so effective did this practice appear to be in notable instances that nowadays it is no uncommon thing in tennis circles to see a group of girls concentrating on their favourite player. The Society for Psychical Research would probably be able to say something interesting on this subject, on which it is not safe to dogmatise.

WWW "YEOMEN journalists in Parliament were the subject of a. paragraph on Friday relating to Mrs E. F. Allan (nee Henderson), who is now lady editor of the “Argus”. A friend writes to say that Stella Henderson and the late Nellie Kelly (a sister of Mr John S. Kelly of the “Press” staff) worked together in the gallery. It was on July 17, 1895, on the motion of the late Mr F. Pirani, that the House Committee was requested to set aside a strangers’ gallery for women, but no explanation was given by the mover as to the intention to put women journalists in this portion of the House. It is interesting to recall that Mr J. S. Kelly gave evidence before the House Committee in support of provision being made for women journalists.

W W 9 AN ACTRESS who has sat on the throne of England, with “ next to noddings on,” too! It seems incredible. Yet the former Savoyard, Jessie Bond, who created many Gilbert and Sullivan parts, tells the tale in her memoirs just published. According to Jessie, who is now seventy-seven and past blushing, it happened when her company were commanded to play “The Gondoliers” before Queen Victoria and the Empress of Germany at Windsor Castle. The dressing-rooms were curtained cubicles in the throne-room, and hers adjoined a high-spiked railing enclosing the throne. She says, “ I was an incorrigible joker, and decided that I must sit on

the throne, but it was too dangerous to climb the spikes, so I flattened myself out like a cat, and wriggled beneath them. I caught my clothes and stuck fast, then wriggled on, shedding garment after garment. We wore lots of undies in those days. | “ The girls looked on half-horrified, and half-amused. I made a last effort with nothing left but a tattered vest, in which I clambered on to the golden throne, where I sat shivering with cold and excitement.”

EVERYBODY in touch with the Bible-in-schools movement knew Mr J. C. Prudhoe. He stood alone in his attitude towards this question, maintaining that the repeal of the provision in the Education Act providing that the teaching in schools should be entirely secular, was the first step that should be taken for the cause. At a time when many advocates of Bible in schools were prepared to compromise he would make no concessions. His attitude led to many heated discussions at Methodist Conferences when the matter was brought up. He was courageous, but he stood quite alone. At the 1924 conference his amendment to a resolution on Bible in schools did not receive a seconder. At his own expense he circularised teachers and various organisations throughout the Dominion, and even conducted a ballot of the parents. Mr Prudhoe was also a strong Prohibitionist. He was a prominent member of the Cashmere Hills Methodist Church, and had an active part in the management of the church and Sunday school. WWW “ T SEE YOU ARE to operate on Mr A Henderson. I hope you will kill him.” This was the text of an anonymous letter addressed to the eminent specialist, Sir B. Mo3 r nihan, a day or two before he performed an operation on the Foreign Secretary, Mr Arthur Henderson. But the writer who thus envied the surgeon his opportunity with th« knife was disappointed, for Sir B. Moynihan, who tells the story, adds, “ I had got to know Mr Henderson a little and t determined not to fall a victim to my correspondent’s persuasive words.” Apropos of correspondence concerning Mr Henderson, since the present Government has been in office he is suffering a change of title. When permanent officials refer to the political chiefs of their departments in official documents it used to b« the invariable rule to call them as “ his Majesty*® Secretary of State.” Now the Foreign Secretary is becoming merely " Mr Secretary Henderson.” This follows the American practice of describing principal State officers as “ Mr Secretary.”