People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 833, 5 August 1933, Page 8

People and Their Doings.

Dogs and Burdens ate Both Prohibited by an Archaic Domains Board By-law : Bishop Mowll’s Life was Threatened More Than Once by Bandits : "Jimmy” Walker, Journalist.

A F TER a long period of silence, the Anglican Church of Sydney has been formally notified that its appointee, Bishop Mowll, of Western China, has accepted the Archbishopric offered him in Sydney, and he is now on his way to take up his duties Bishop Mowll had as his diocese in China a great province containing 14,000,000 people, of whom only 10,000 are Christians, lie has held office in one of the most chaotic regions of China, and his home has been robbed and his life threatened more than once by bandits. It took the bishop three weeks to go from his own headquarters to Peiping, to make arrangements for the transfer of his diocese to his successor. He must go next to England to strengthen the organisation of the China Inland Mission there, and he -will probably go to Australia by way of Canada, arriving in Sydney early next year. Bishop Mowll. is a member of an eld English county family, a fine athlete, a distinguished scholar, and a successful organiser of mission work in the face of almost insuperable difficulties. He has a splendid personal reputation. egp 'JHV O of the most important of the women who were in London for the World Economic Conference were Mile. Louise Weiss and Mile. Tabouis, known as the. Dolly Sisters of the French Government. Mile. Weiss is probably the ablest woman journalist in Europe. About fifteen years ago she started a weekly journal called “ L’Europe Nouvelle.” She had little but courage with which to make a start. Now the journal is considered the most influential of any behind French politics. French politicians quail at Mile. Weiss’s drastic leaders. She is a large woman. She enters a room like a ship in full sail. She has a wide, illuminating smile. She always wears black and white. Mile. Tabouis, who is her constant companion, is short. She wears tartans and sometimes red velvet. She has beautifully groomed iron-grey hair. She- is a personal friend of nearly every important French Cabinet Minister.

CURIOUS FIGURE among the reporters at the World Conference in London last month was ex-Mayor “ Jimmy ” Walker, of New York, who used to be called America’s best-dressed Mayor. That was before misfortune overtook him. In those days—less than two years ago—“ Jimmy” came to London in state, and the Lord Mayor sent his gold coach to meet him, and the reporters crowded around to take note' of his clothes and cable his wise-cracks. Now “ Jimmy ” is literally “ one of the boys ”, with this difference, that whereas the ordinary reporter reports for his salary, and is not ashamed of the fact, “ Jimmy ” Walker is doing it primarily for love—of country. The dollars are just incidental. “ I am here,” he said, “ to rouse interest and public support for the World Economic Conference throughout America. I shall serve 300 newspapers, and place the situation of European finances before the farmers of the Middle West, who would never read such stuff were it not for the name of Walker. The high purpose of this 3°b appeals to me more than the sum I shall be paid in dollars.” Still, the dollars will no doubt come in useful. 9 9 “ THE MUDDLERS, LONDON.” “Try ■*" the War Office.” These words, and an Army postcard, formed the subject of an amusing story told at the Philatelic Congress in London. Mr I. J. Simons, one of the delegates, stated that thirty or forty soldiers who were stranded at Archangel after the war had jobs at home waiting for them. They had been promised a speedy passage. but after many weeks there was still no sign of a steamer. Finally, they sent home an Army postcard saying that they were there. It was addressed simply, The Muddlers, London.” The Post Office, being very intelligent, wrote on it: “Try the War Office”! “If you do not believe the story,” added Mr Simons, “ I have got the postcard.”

'JMIE discussion of the Domains Board’s by-laws in regard to dogs is a reminder that these by-laws are out-of-date and archaic, for one of them provides that no person shall carry burdens in the park or gardens. This may be a survival from the days when men substituted for packhorses, and perhaps it was thought that messengers between the city and Riccarton would wear tracks across the gardens in their immature state. However, these mysteries may never be solved. It is akin to the mystery of why the board should tolerate dogs on a leash in the park, where there are hundreds of sheep, but should claim the power to snoot a dog at the end of its master’s leash in the gardens, where there are no sheep. It will be news to many people that there is no gun at the gardens, for many years ago it was necessary to have guns to shoot rabbits in the gardens. In fact, a tragic incident occurred there once when a gardener's dog, which had been taken out to start up rabbits, was shot instead of the rabbit in the excitement of the chase.

of is SIXTY YEARS AGO (from the “Star” of August 5, 1873) :

District Libraries.—The time for sending in applications for grants from the £SOOO voted by the Provincial Council expired on Saturday last, and up to noon on that day the Government had received seventy forms, setting forward the amount desired by the respective districts. It will be some days before the mode of dividing the vote can be made known.

Telegraph to Godley Head.—ln the House of Representatives on Thursday test, Mr Webb asked the Premier whether it is the intention of the Government to establish electric telegraph communication between Godley Head Lighthouse and the town of Lyttelton. Mr Vogel must give a similar reply to that given to the similar question asked yesterday. The line would not cost much. He thought the province of Canterbury would find it to its interest to construct it.