People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20281, 16 April 1934, Page 6

People and Their Doings .

Mr W. H. Henning, of Akaroa, was an Old Identity of the Cultured School : His Library had Some Quaint Books in It : Flattery is a Potent Weapon in a Lawyer.

JTORMAL OBITUARY NOTICES cannot give even a faint idea of the character of an old identity like Mr W. H. Henning, who died at Akaroa on Saturday in his ninetieth year. There have been many popular figures there, foremost among them being the old Greek Dominick, Bill Stuart, who is now living in Christchurch, old Etaveneaux, the Frenchman, and several others, but these were men known to every tripper, whereas Mr Henning, while always interested in the visitors to Akaroa whom ife met, was a courtly and educated old man almost of aristocratic bearing. He was an extremely well read man, and of an ingenious turn of mind, having something between a laboratory and a museum in the old colonial house that still stands behind the poplar trees near the tennis courts as you enter Akaroa. To friends visiting Akaroa the old man w’ould often turn up unexpectedly on his bicycle with a magnificent basket of peaches or some other fruit in season. ® 9 ® ANY YEARS AGO Mr Henning, who w'as the writer of many interesting letters to the newspapers, and who had something of a literary style, made a present from his bookshelves to a Christchurch journalist of an “ Everyday Book of Modern Literature,” which provides a daily short reading for those who have little leisure for study. Its 365 extracts from the writings of various authors were arranged in such a way that the subject of every seventh day was suitable for Sunday 'reading, and in this heavily annotated book Mr Henning had written in old-fashioned phraseology, that “ anyone so reading the work should contrive that Sunday subjects shall fall for reading on that day.” From a marginal note in his slender handwriting alongside an article on the " Great Era of Scholasticism ” one reads: —“ The world has surely seen no more lamentable waste of time on the part of educated men than that of the lives of thousands of the best minds devoted throughout to the study of theology. And in the end these monks (for such for the most part they were) knew no more about the Almighty, and probably were no nearer to Him, than the

most illiterate but thinking peasant. This waste of educated manhood has been going on for some 2000 years, yet finds us still professing belief in a Christian creed that is absurd and impossible of belief by any who, ignoring the priesthood, thinks for himself.” KARO A was once quite a seaport, and two or three Red Funnel steamers called there each week. Mr Henning was for many years local agent for the Union Steam Ship Company, and handled big outward cargoes of wool, cocksfoot, cheese and fruit. There were no motor-lorries in those days, and Akaroa’s imports and exports passed over the wharf, whose warning light was the care of another old identity and contemporary of Mr Henning’s, Captain Thomas, one-time skipper of the Red Rover. Those were the days, too, when many of the travellers between Christchurch and Akaroa chose steamer transport, the favourite outward boat leaving for Lyttelton on Sunday mornings. Mr Henning also ran the steam launch service between Akaroa and the inner harbour bays with the Piraki,” successor to the old steel pinnace “ Pioneer,” recalling the names of Mftt Wight, James Bruce (engineer), “ Dominick,” and Jack Vincent (engineer). It seems only a few' years since a trip to Christchurch entailed six or seven hours’ travelling by road and rail, whereas two or three hours are sufficient to-day. <§? 3JK W. R. HASELDEN, a retired District Judge and Stipendiary Magistrate, who has died at the age of 85 years, was a very picturesque figure in Christchurch thirty years ago, in the days when Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., succeeded Mr Beetham, for he was stationed for a year or so off and on in Christchurch. Mr Haselden was a tall, handsome and \#ry slender man, who might have been described as a bit of a dandy. The boys asserted that he dyed his moustache, but whether he did or not he was very point devise, and car-

ried his finical manners in dress into his very phraseology on the Bench, for it was precise, haughty and almost over-cultured. An old Christchurch journalist, now resident in Wellington, once drew an amusing contrast between Magistrates when he pictured the shock that the late Mr Michael Donnelly got when Mr Bishop first ascended the Bench after a period of Mr Haselden s regime. Mr Donnelly succeeded verv often with flattery if other means failed, and when a man of his eminence in the legal profession addressed Mr Haselden in such terms as “ I need hardly tell a Magistrate of your experience and erudition ” that such and such is the case, Mr Haselden positively purred. But when Mr Bishop came on the Bench, as this witty journalist remarked, he simply lowered his bald head at Mr Donnelly “ like a bladder of lard,” regarding him steadfastly under lowered eyebrows in a manner that caused the old campaigner to throw flattery, at any rate, overboard. 9 9 9 SiIXT\ YEARS AGO (from the "Star” of April 16. 1874): Wellington.—The University Council vesterdav agreed to the new University Bill then drafted. The motion for affiliation of Christs College was granted. The application on behalf of Canterbury College was postponed. Extract from \t ellington Message.—Xt has been arranged to grant free passes on the railway to members of the General Govcrilment, the Superintendent and the Provincial Executives, also to members of the Assembly and Provincial Councils during the session. The Census—The following interim official report has been issued bv his Honor the Superintendent.—March 1, 1874. Christchurch 5337 males, 4929 females, total 10,265 Timaru. 1096. 913, 2009. Kaiapoi. 501, 501. 1002. Ihe increase over February 27, 1871, was as follows: Christchurch. 2334; Timaru. 591; Kaiapoi, 134.