STRAIGHT TALK

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 17, 24 February 1894, Page 1

STRAIGHT TALK

Mr. W. L. Eces was in town last week from Gisborne, whore he is now living. Mr. Rees says he has clone with polities for good. He intends, in future, to stick to his profession—he is one of the cleverest special pleaders in the colony—hut he will still take a great interest in the settlement of the Native lands of the colony. A good many hard things have been said against Mr. Rees from time to time, but he is a genial, warm-hearted man, whose personal friends are many, and who always speak in the highest terms of his sincerity. He has had too many big ideas, has floated too many big schemes for the regeneration of everything and everybody; but he is a thoroughly honest enthusiast, and he has been a good friend to the Natives.

Years ago Mr. Eees was a Congregational minister on the other side. He afterwards took to the law, and many a good yarn can he tell of Aspinall and other legal “old timers 1 ' in Victoria. For years he has been a great personal friend of Sir George Grey, who, it is well-known, has a great regard for him. He has written a very decent novel—“ Gilbert Leigh’’—and a “ Life of Sir George Grey,” and in his day has been one of the best cricketers, tennis players, and all round athletes the colony has ever seen. His two sons —Arthur and Lincoln—have also done good work as athletes. Both are lawyers, like their father. Mr. Bees is accompanied by the famous East Coast chief Wi Fere. The pair have been interviewing the Government on Native land matters, into the details of which we do not care to go. « a The N.Z. Tablet, Dunedin Catholic organ, liketh not that Knight of the Cheap and Muddy Glory, Sir Kobert Republican Prohibition Stout. Commenting upon the gushing address given by Stout at the reception of his political supporters, the Tablet likens Sir Robert to a veritable Pecksniff expanding at Mrs Todgers. In their plain, unvarnished humbug,” says the

Tablet writer, “his words aro about tho best thing wo lutvoovor seen —even from him.”

Dunedin, although far ahead of .Wellington in matters educational, has no froe library, and we are glad to notice that an active agitation for the establishment of such an institution has been started in the Southern city. One of tho most enthusiastic advocates for a free library is Mr. Mark Cohen, tlio energetic and clever editor of tho Dunedin Krcniiuj Star. Whatever enterprise Mr. Cohen throws himself into generally succeeds, and we have no doubt that tho pressman will eventually see his desires accomplished. It certainly is an anachronism that so go-a-liead a city as Dunedin should lack an institution which is to bo found in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The Government have nuulo a good appointment in selecting Mr. Lee Smith to represent the colony at the Canadian Reciprocity Convention. Mr. Smith is essentially a shrewd, practical business man, a good public speaker, and a thoroughly straightforward man, which is saying a great deal of one who has mixed so much in politics. He has stood for tho House twice but has not been successful. In Dunedin, however, ho is very much respected, and he may be trusted to look after outinterests at Ottawa in a very intelligent and useful manner.

By the way, talking about Government appointment!#, wlion is the North Island to have a turn ? At present the fixed determination of the Government appears to bo to give anything and everything they have in the way of patronage to the South Island men. It’s as bad as it was in Macandrew's days. When Mac was in power, no one had a chanco of getting a Government billet who did not hail from down South, and did not speak broad Scotch. Whenever anyono was wanted, even a messenger, Mac would lay his shouldor-of-mutton fist on the Cabinet table and say, “ Ah’ve the verra man for ye, he comes fra Otarger.” And he generally got the billot. Is Jock McKenzie emulating the departed Macandrew? It looks like it. There’ll be a big squeal from Auckland if, this sort of thing goes on much longer. ‘ "

Ml 1 . Morrali was a native of Essex, and sixty-four years of ago at the time of his death. In 1851 he came out to Melbourne where he entered as a clerk the service of the Bank of Australasia, with which until his death remained identified. His abilities soon won for him promotion to the position of accountant in the Geelong branch. In 1859 ho became manager of the branch at Beech worth, and seven years later went to Christchurch to act in a like capacity there. A few years afterwards the position of manager at Ballarat became vacant and Mr. Morrali received the appointment. In July, 1875, he returned to New Zealand to act as inspector of the various branches of the bank in this Colony. He settled in Wellington, and from that time up till his death continued. to make Wellington his place of residence. He served the bank for the long period of 42 j ears. He had earned his retirement some years ago, but, at the express request of his directors, retained the position. The late Mr. Morrali leaves a wife and 18 children (nearly all grown up) to mourn his loss. He was on the Commission of the Peace, and was a regular attendant at St. Peter’s Church, where he will be greatly missed. He is supposed to have died, from failure of the action of the heart.

Messrs. Collars and Cuffs, of the Bed Tape and Sealing Wax Department and the Junior Toffs and Snob Club, is like many of his fellows, always “ dressed to kill,” but he doesn't always pay his tailor as speedily as Mr. Snip would like. Mr.

Collars and Cuffs has, as Mr. Snip says, the “ cheeh of the d -1 himself. “ Mr. Snip laid in wait for him the other night at the Opera House, and bailed him up with the roughly spoken enquiry, “I say, when are you going to pay me that bill?" Mr. Collars and Cuffs was not in the least abashed. Hej calmly lit a cigarette and replied, “ Look here, Snip, you put me in mind of a little child.” Mr. Snip: “ Oh, I do, do I. And why ?”

The debtor slowly flicked the ash off the end of his cigarette and replied, “Because a little child can ask questions that the wisest men can’t answer.” And then he walked away leaving the unfortunate tailor, to use that worthy tradesman’s own words, “that there taken aback as I couldn’t say a bloomin’ word. Cheek—cheek’s no word for it; I calls it d d himpudence.”

An example of child-like faith in sisterly affection occurred at Auckland the other day. A sturdy Hibernian waited upon the local dispensers of charitable aid and asked that his passage money might be paid to New South Wales, where his sister, who, he said, was perfectly devoted to him, would receive him with open arms. A sceptically minded member of the Board then asked why, if that were so, she had not already sent for him. The ready-witted Pat said she did not know where to send. In answer to another inquiry, he stated he had not seen her for nine years. Then a wave of cold liard-heartedness passed over the Board. They evidently concluded that the loving sister, who had not -written to her brother for nine years, was hardly likely to rush into his arms and kill the fatted calf for him, and so, to quote the brief, cold newspaper report, “ the request was declined.”

There’s been a deuce of a rumpus at Home in certain circles because a clergyman is introduced into a piece called the “ Gaiety Girls,” now running at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre. The Standard, the Conservative Granny of the London press ) waxed very virtuous over the injury done to the morals of the community by fun being poked at the “ cloth” (the Standard’s a great “Church” paper) but it has been pointed out that this very virtuous organ admits “ assignation” advertisements to its columns, which undoubtedly assist immoral practices. One witty writer says—

To stage a clergyman is most improper, Tire Standard says so, and it must be true ; It’s moral influence should put a stopper On all that seems cerulean in hue. Was ever so much virtue for a copper ? How much that noble journal u’ies to do To chasten and reform the erring stage— For “ assignations’' see the outside page.

“ Yellow Jack” is giving Bio Janiero a turn. The Yankeo fleet has gone out to sea in consequence. A wise thing to do. How about the so-called rebel fleet ? It may be that “ Yellow Jack” may kill the wretched civil war that has been going on so long. Brazil is one of the finest countries on God’s earth, hut the politicians ought to be crowded on to a big man-of-war, taken out to sea, and made to walk the plank with a parting salute from [the ship’s company, and from the people of Brazil, of “ good riddance to bad rubbish.”

The subject of this sketch is the youngest surviving son of the late P.evd. William Woon, Wesleyan Methodist Missionary, and one of the first missionaries to New Zealand and the Friendly Islands. Mr. Woon was born on the 23rd December, 1838, and after spending the first eight years of his childhood in his native place—Mangungu, Hokianga—he accompanied his family to Auckland in January, 1846, to which place they and a large number of settlers were taken in the Government brig “ Victoria” by order of Sir George Grey, then Governer of New Zealand, in consequence of the hostilities with “ Johnny” Heke, the celebrated Ngapuki rebel chief who commenced the war in the north by cutting down the flagstaff at Kororarika, Bay of Islands. In April, 1846, Mr. Woon accompanied his parents to New Plymouth, (Taranaki), and in May to Taranaki South, where his father was stationed for some years as missionary to the Ngatirnanui tribe. In November, 1847, in company with an elder brother (deceased) he left Wanganui for Auckland to attend school there. Up to 1849 the two boys attended the Auckland Academy, and afterwards matiiculated at the Wesleyan College, where the youngest boy remained until 1853, when he left and was apprenticed to one of the largest businesses in Auckland, the head of which, however, died nine months after, thus leaving the youth free. After remaining with friends in Auckland for some time, and picking up enough as clerk in a store to keep him going, he left Auckland under orders from his parents, and rejoined the family in Wanganui in October, 1855. At this time Woon oined the

Civil Servico as clerk in the Post Ofiico at Wanganui. In 185 he was appointed olerk in the Customs Department under the late Captain Charles Sharp, collector at Wanganui, and remained in that position until 1863, when Captain Sharp was appointed President of the Marino Board at Wellington, and recommended the Government of the day to appoint Woon, acting collector at Wanganui, in his plaoo, This recommendation was given effect to, and as Mr. Woon satisfactorily discharged his duties as Collector of Customs, Postmaster, and SubTreasurer of the Goneral Government during a very trying timo he was confirmed in the appointment and made full collector, etc., in 1865. In June of 1878, Mr. Woon was transferred to Greymouth, West Coast, ho being succeeded by Mr. David Lundon, since retired upon- ponsion. Mr. Woon remained in Greymouth as Colloctor of Customs until September, 1890, when he was transferred to Hokitika, whore ho remained until March, 1892 when, along with several other Collectors and Officers of Customs, ho was retired upon pension. Before leaving Greymouth Mr. Woon was prosentod by the business people and the leading citizens with a handsome gold watch, locket and chain. For many years during Mr. Woon's residence in Wanganui, whore he is best known, he took an active and leading part in musical circles, having been choirmaster of Christ Church (Anglican) for several years, a member of the Philharmonic Society as flautist, secretary, etc., utul for two years beforo ho loft Wanganui conductor of tho Harmonic Society. Beforo leaving Wanganui in 1878, Mr. Woon was presented by tho loading citizens, amateurs, etc., with an illuminated testimonial and a purse of sovereigns in recognition of his services in the causo of music generally. When he left Greymouth in 1890, he was presented by tho amateurs there with an illuminated address. During the 12 years that ho was in Greymouth lie was choirmaster of Trinity (Anglican) Church 10 years, and conductor of tho Choral Society two or three years as well. Since Mr. Woon’s return to Wanganui in September, 1892, after being compulsorily retired from tho Government service by the late Premier, John Ballanco, ho lias entered into business as a customs and commission agent, etc. He still takes a lively interest in musical matters and is at the present time ‘conductor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church choir, and a member of the Orchestral Club, etc.