People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 146, 22 June 1931, Page 6

People and Their Doings.

Ordinary Things of Life that are Omitted even from Newspapers Two Shipping Companies have Vessels with the Same Names : Mr A. M’Lagan is Keen Fisherman.

THAT “ the ordinary things of life are A not handed down,” as Professor Shelley says in his reference to historical records, is a fact that lends interest to homely facts such as we find in Pepys‘ diary. Everywhere there is evidence of the loss of a record of ordinary things. Fo* instance, in old Christchurch newspapers (say, in the “Star” of sixty years ago), many things are taken for granted. Meetings of the City Council were reported with “ his Worship the Mayor ” presiding, but who the Mayor was is not so easily found, and it might be necessary to go back to the date of election to discover his identity. Sixty years ago this week there was a somewhat hectic meeting of the parishioners of St John’s, “ the incumbent presiding,” but the identity of the incumbent is shrouded in mystery. Newspapers nowadays do not take such local information for granted, and it will be noted th,at the Mayor’s name is almost always repeated after his title. 9 9 W “JJURNING HISTORY" is how Mr 11. G. Ell describes the destruction of some of the “ ordinary records ” of life. Recently he wanted to obtain a list of the names of voters for the Christchurch municipality under the old plural voting system, but he found that they had been destroyed. Mr Ell, however, had taken the precaution of securing a copy of one of the last rolls, published in 1599, and he considers it is the only one in existence. In those days one man could have five votes, and could vote in four wards. A certain Christchurch ratepayer, indeed, had the privilege of exercising nineteen votes. Those old days are gone, thanks in part to Mr Ell’s activities. Si? sS? 3JISS MARGARET PRICE, of Rodehhurst, Oxted, Surrey, who has worked in the office of her father, an auctioneer, has gained second place, out of G9B candidates, in the final examination of the Auctioneers' and Estate Agents’ Institute, and is now a fully qualified auctioneer. She is the first woman to pass the examination with honours. Miss Price said recently: ‘‘A woman’s voice need be no bar to her acting as an auctioneer. Mine would carry all right, I think.”

T. H. CHUDLEY, who died at Wellington on Wednesday last, was a member of the Royal Naval Reserve. He took a keen interest in the work of the Wellington Navy League, and was president of that body until last year. Captain Chudley joined the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, and was junior officer in 1890. His first command with the company was that of master of the Maori. The Rangatira was his next charge. In 1907 he took command of the Ivia Ora, bringing her out to New Zealand on her maiden voyage. lie next had command of the Pakeha, and was master of that vessel when he was apoointed Marine Superintendent for the company at Wellington, in May, 1915. Two of the Union Company’s ferry steamers, the Maori and the Rangatira, have the same names as the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s steamers referred to. The Union Company’s new vessel Rangatira is due in New Zealand from the shipbuilders in October. © sS? ROMANTIC MARRIAGE of 144 years ago, which established a claim to a title by descent from a brother of Jane Seymour, Queen Consort of Henry VIII., and mother of Edward VI., is recalled by the death of the sixteenth Duke of Somerset, who was Sir Edward Hamilton Seymour. When the fifteenth Duke died, in 1923, there were three claimants to the dukedom, which dates back to 1546. The sixteenth Duke's claim was upheld in 1925 by the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords, before whom was revealed the story of the marriage of one of his ancestors to the daughter of a Woolwich publican in 1787. 3F q? MARRIAGE was the sequel to the rescue in London oE Leonora Hudson by Colonel Francis Seymour, grandson of the eighth Duke of Somerset, from two seamen, one of whom was her husband, John Hudson. As the result of a world-wide- search of records a ship's register showing that John Hudson had died in 1756 was found. Sir Edward Seymour had to prove that Colonel Francis Seymour was lawfully married to Leonora before thi birth, in ITS®, of Frincis Edward Seymour, great-grandson of the eighth Duke. The Committee of Privileges decided that the marriage was valid. T he sixteenth Duke entered the Army

in ISBO, and had a distinguished military career. His heir is Lord Seymour, who is forty-nine years of age. SCgS 3JR A. M’LAGAN. secretary of the United Mine Workers’ Organisation, is one of the big men in the miners’ industrial movement in New Zealand. He is a Scot, but by no means a dour Scot. His words, carefully chosen and aptly delivered, have the caution and precision of the Scot, but the smile that is so easily provoked might be Irish. Mr M’Lagan is a man who looks much younger than one feels he can be, for it comes rather as a shock when he makes casual mention of having been at work over twenty years ago. Ilis enthusiasm for the miners’ organisation keeps him always busy, but he loves fishing. Like many others he started at the bent pin stage when very young, and later thrashed the streams in his native Scotland. The Grey River now yields him plenty of sport when opportunity offers, though,” he said ruefully, “ when it starts raining here you wonder if the river is ever going to become clear again.” In his fishing and his rambling he has an enthusiastic partner in Mrs M Lagan, who loves these pastimes as much as does her husband. 3$ @ \EARS AGO.— (From the “Star” of June 21, 1871): Lyttelton Borough Council.—The report of the Retrenchment Committee was read. It recommended that all outdoor labour be dispensed with; that the lighting of the town cease after the present contract expires; and that no material be purchased except in cases of necessity. The English press has denounced the Communists, who, however, are praised by Mr Auheron Herbert, M.P., in a republican speech at Nottingham, in which he declared for a commonwealth, as conducing to higher national life. Mr Goldschmidt, the husband of Jenny Lind, has obtained £2COU damages against some London papers for copying American ■paragraphs charging him with gambling and extravagance. After a month's despotic rule, the Pans Commune is more powerful than ever. The energy of the ruling tyrants and the courage of the National Guards have won over thousands of men.