People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 457, 19 May 1932, Page 8

People and Their Doings.

The Kirk-Windeger TeamtoMeet a Formidable Quintette in Wellington : Rana Wagg’s Lapse : What Mr J. T. Lang’s Speech Revealed : A Stranger’s Message to the “ Star.”

rfHE LATE MR JONAS MASTERS, of Stratford, was at one time a resident of the West Coast, and was interested in mining work. He was afterwards in charge cf tunnelling operations in connection with the installation of the Stratford electric lighting scheme by a private company, of which his son, the Hon Robert Masters, was afterwards chairman of directors. Mr Jonas Masters opened a grocery store in Stratford when that township was just emerging from its swaddling clothes, long before the remains of forest giants had been removed from even its more important streets. He was a keen business man and very energetic. He served as borough councillor "and as Mayor for several years, and his term as chairman of the municipal works committee saw great improvements in Stratford’s roadir.g. lie was also associated with the Chamber of Commerce and the Retailers’ Association, a hard worker for the Stratford A. and P. Association in its early days, a prominent member of the Methodist Church and a popular bowler. His contemporaries will regret the loss of a genial soul and a valuable citizen. Nearly every Masters boy played football for the Stratford Club, and the amber and black jersey of the Tarahaki representative team hung on more than one occasion in a Masters’ wardrobe. STRANGELY-ADDRESSED picture postcard arrived at the “ Star ” office yesterday from New York. On the space reserved for the address were pasted three headings clipped from the “ Star ” —By the Way, the Christchurch “ Star,” New Zealand. A brief written message ran:— “ Overseas fraternal greetings from a stranger who happened to notice your column in the 4 Star.’ May it always shine brightly.” The writer, Mr A. C. Hall, of 275, Rutledge Street, Brooklyn, is thanked by “ the Boys ” for “ obeying that impulse.” They are glad to have the Hall-mark of approval.

rpIE NEW ZEALAND amateur golf champion, Rana Wagg, was beaten on Saturday on the Miramar links, Wellington, by J. H. Drake, two up, in an interclub match between Hutt and Miramar. Wagg was two up at the thirteenth, but Drake took the fourteenth in an eagle two, holing out a mashie shot to the green. Drake also won the fifteenth, halved tfie sixteenth and -won the seventeenth, thus standing dormy one. An exciting finish, was expected, and it came, though in an unusual form.

Wagg sliced five balls in

succession out of bounds —which would be a terrific performance even for the veriest dud—while Drake went on to play a par four to win two up. Harold Black played a first-class game to beat W. K. Cook three up. Black had five threes on his card, including an eagle three at the “Hillside” (415 yards). A match is being arranged between the New Zealand Kirk-Windeyer team and a strong team of Wellington players on the Hutt links on May 29. Horton, Duncan, Drake, Whyte and Collins will probably represent Wellington—a formidable quintette, who should extend the representative team.

© iff r £ I IIE WRITER who described Mr J. T. Lang as the possessor of a thin, squeaky voice and a limited vocabulary, was right only as far as the second half of the description went, for Mr Lang’s voice, heard on the news reels describing the opening of the harbour bridge, was neither thin nor squeaky. But it was the voice of an illiterate man. It seemed obvious, too, that the speech which he read very lamely and haltingly, had been written by somebody else, for many of the words were stumbled over and mispronounced, and hardly an “ h ” was sounded from one end of the speech to the other. The performance, indeed, was thoroughly unimpressive.

QAPTAIN JOHN BONE, who died in Christchurch yesterday, came out to New Zealand in 1870 as an apprentice on the City of Auckland, the ship on which the late Mr William Massey came to the country. The two men struck up an acquaintance on board, and this soon developed into a friendship which continued till Mr Massey’s death. Captain Bone’s first command was the New Zealand Shipping Company’s full-rigged sailing ship Rakaia which he took charge of in 1880. Afterwards he was appointed master of the company’s first Ruahine, which was the leading liner in the company’s fleet. 3$ y? gIXTY YEARS AGO (from the “Star” of May 19, 1872) The Police.—The Hon Colonel Brett has given notice of his intention to move the following resolution in the Provincial Council on Wednesday next: “ That this House considers it inexpedient for Inspector Pender to retain his present appointment attached to the police force at Christchurch.” Colonel Brett has also given notice of his intention to ask the Government whether they intend to station a constable in the Courtenay district. Lyttelton Winter Readings.—The committee of the Colonists’ Society are to be congratulated upon the success that attended the second of the series on Thursday evening; indeed, with such a programme as presented, it would have been singular if there had not been a crowded hall. The announcement that Miss Colville would read “ Mary Queen of Scots ” drew a large number of persons to the hall. Acclimatisation Society.—The chairman said that the hon secretary told him that Mr Bills had stated that he could bring out as much black game as desired, without any greater difficulty than usual with birds. Mr Williams said that the curator had informed him that he had several people in Scotland preparing grouse by hand in readiness for being brought out to this province this season.