Mr. Theodore H. Ritchey.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 20, 17 March 1894, Page 4

Mr. Theodore H. Ritchey.

The subject of ouv sketch is by birth an Irishman, and was educated at the Royal Military Schoo 1 , Dublin, having been originally intended for the army, but, owing to defective sight, failed to pass the physical examination. He then took to a scholastio career, and coming to the colonies, for some nine years acted as instructor in the High School and Government schools of the colony of New Zealand. Even as a boy Mr, Ritchie was deeply interested in music. He was one of the choristers at the Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, and shortly after his arrival in New Zealand joined the choir of St. John’s in Christchurch. While in Christchurch he was a prominent member of the South Canterbury Liedertafol, and has been an active member of the Wellington Liedertafel since its inception. Mr. Ritchey has been one of the moving spirits in the forthcoming musical festival, for which he is acting as Hon. Secretary. As a musical enthusiast there are probably very few in New' Zealand who have devoted so much time and energy to the effort to foster and introduce the best class of music in Wellington. Mr. Ritchey is the chief agent for the A.M.P. Society in Wellington.

The Pahiatua correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard has a paragraph on a recent letter concerning the various attempts made by strangers at the pronounciation of “Pahiatua. ’’ He says that some residents call the place “ Pa-tu,” or “ Pa-tua” but adds “ events show that there is more truth in these forms than in the uphonious (sic) and perhaps paradisiacal “ Pahiatua.” “ Uphonious” as Polonius would have said is good 1 The correspondent then proceeds, “ For is not Pa a fortified place or pomp? And is not 7m- the god of war? Also doesnt Patua

mean to strike ? What name could be more expressive of the bellicose and belligerent disposition which, like some foul contagion, is ever at work in a small community?” And then he goes on to quote a local squibble, which he entitles “ A Maiden’s Quarrel,” which is no doubt an “uphonious” way of designating a local female scrapping match. * * *

Huddart Parker and Co. mean business with their Pacific mail service. Four twenty-knot boats, with ample cold storage, are to be put on between Vancouver and Brisbane, calling, we hope, at Wellington. We hear, by the way, that the Tasmania is paying fairly well, and will be kept on. What is wanted is that the company should have a bigger cut in at the coastal service. More opposition may be bad for the Union Company but the public will rejoice. N.B.—The public ought to warmly support the Tasmania whenever they can. * * *

We are continually reading of the deriiand for land and the difficulty of obtaining it, but there is a hard nut to crack for the carpers against the Lands Department in the fact that at the beginning of this year no less than 1,222,471 acres of land were open for selection in the ten land districts of this colony.

The family name of Gladstone used to be spelt with a final “ s” —Gladstones. The birth register of the English G.O.M. reads thus—“ December 29, in Liverpool, the wife of John Gladstones, Esq., of a son.” Thus it was written in the year 1809, in which year William Ewart first saw the light of day. It was not until 1885 when the G.O.M. was M.P. for the historical Newark that the father dropped the “ s” and Gladstones become Gladstone.

Only sixty names have been struck off the Wairau electoral roll since the general election. Evidently very little interest is to be taken over Blenheim way in the coming licensing elections, and this despite all the rautings and ravings of Isitt some months ago in the Marlborough capital,

The Taranaki Her aM has gota grievence against the Government. It says : “ Government take all the good men from New Plymouth, Ergo—those who are left, including, of course, the Herald scribe, are bad men.” Poor New Plymouth, it must want a ship load of parsons. We can spare a few from Wellington; little Lewis, for instance, and some others of the teetotal howlers. New Plymouth is welcome to them.

In New Zealand, at any rate, marriage is hardly a failure. There were 4100 weddings in 1593. How many eases of twins ?

The Glasgows are having a good time up in Auckland, but sn’t it time they turned up in. Wellington again ? What a farce Government by imported governors is to be sure when the representative of Her Gracious Maiesty can stop away from the seat of government for months. When is New Zealand going to recognise the folly of paying a high salary to a titled nobody. An elective governor should be one of the foremost planks in the democratic platform of the colony.

There was an amusing scene on a Newtown tram car one morning last week. The car was pretty well jammed up with passengers by the time it had ..got to Cuba-street, and all the way down tlrat thoroughfare until the quay was almost reached they were in stifled roars of laughter over the troubles of a fellow passenger who was wearing a most palpable wig. The trouble arose this way. A very cheerful looking old gentleman got in near the corner of Abel Smith and Cuba streets, and the car being •full he clutched hold of a strap, hung on and surveyed his fellow passengers with a pleasant air of cordiality and good humour. Presently he spotted the man with the wig, a thin man sitting tightly wedged between two stout men. To him the cheerful old gentleman presently broke forth in a most confidential but perfectly audible tone, “ That’s a pretty good wig you’re wearing, mister, but anybody can see that it’s a wig ” “ Sir! ” “I say it’s a pretty good wig, as wigs go, and I’m a judge of wigs. I’ve tried at least a dozen of them.. Not on my own head, of course. I never had any occasion to use anything of the kind, But my grandmother ” "‘Confound your grandmother, sir ! ” “ That's what I always used to say. She was rather hard to get along with. Nobody could please her. When she was about sixty years of age she took a notion into her head that her hair was too thin, and she must have a wig I argued with her, but it didn’t do any good, she must have a wig ”

“I should like to know, sir. what difference all thi s makes—” “ What difference ? Bless you soul, it made a difference to me of £SO. I had to buy her ever so many wigs in trying to suit her, and when you’ve worn a wig awhile there is no market for it. W 7 igs ain’t returnable, you know. Finally she took a notion she’d be more comfortable if the hair that grew on her head was cut clean off. To humour her I lathered her head all over and shaved it as clean as a billiard ball. She seemed to like the feeling of it, and I had to shave her head regularly. It only made the hair grow faster and thicker. One day I had a fall and broke my right arm. I couldn’t shave her head for six weeks, and she wouldn’t let anybody else do it. At the end of that time she had a crop of hair as| thick and abundant as" Paderewski’s, only it wasn’t so long, you know, and it stuck straight up, as stiff as prize- fighter’s. She couldn’t wear any of her wigs. The bristles stuck up through them like porcupine’s quills. If you would just get some friend with a good razor to —” By this time the car had got almost to the Post corner and with a snort of rage the passenger rushed from the car and darted into the Empire like a hunted animal, doubtless to call eagerly for a big brandy and soda to soothe his angry feelings. Meanwhile, the cheerful old buster who had been so generous with his advice, looked anxiously round the car, as if fearing he was blamed for the other’s sudden exit and then said with a charming naivete : “ Well, he is huffy—that’s all the thanks a man gets for trying to do some fellow being a good turn.”

Mr3.Ballance, widow of the late Premier, has left for Sydney, en route for the Old Country. She will visit her late husband’s relatives in Ireland, and will afterwards make a lengthy residence in London. Mrs. Ballance is a woman of exceptional force of character, and was everyway a vase and able helpmate to her much regretted husband. We trust she may have a' .very pleasant trip Home, and that she may benefit by a change of air and scene.

The inside track of the Sydney Btdletin, as shown by an article by Tigho Ryan, in the Revie wof Reviews :—“ Do not do* pend on names,” said Mr. Archibald once, in advising a young editor; “if the Angel Gabriel came down from heaven and offered me bad stuff, I’d say, * Take it away 1 Toke it away, old man 1”’ The Bulletin's rule is to treat copy on its merits. The office is open to anyone who has anything to say and oan say it well. Like-Voltaire, the editor tolerates everything but dulness. As the father confessor of dissatisfied spirits, he receives hints and confidential messages from all quarters. He is the centre of a large’and many-coloured circle of Bohemian life. The well* known contributor, “ Boiling Billy," is a swagman. BBsteflbrts arrive on scraps of duty paper and in a torriblo sorawl, but they are usually satisfactory and need only punctuation. One of the Bulletin poets slept for over a year in a vacant house attached to the Exhibition Building Sydney, and did his morning toilet at a neighbouring water hole. Ho bolongs to a good English family, was educated in European Universities, and in his youth was a favourito of the lato Professor Freeman. The Bulletin pays for everything, hence the multitude of writers. “ Scotty the Wrinkler," a name whoso writing has becomo of muoh interest in-the back blocks, once held a commission in the array, and is now a station rouso-about. Tho editor proclaims that every man has a story to tell and that ho wants that story, but he accepts only three per oont of the proso and two per cent of the poetry sent in for publication; the remainder is eithor dropped silently into his immonso waste papor basket, or lashed in the correspondence column by himself and Mr. Edmond. There aro only four salaried writers on tho papor, including Sappho Smith,and the representative in Melbourne. > Literary talent, tho Bulletin finds, is increasing rapidly in Australasia.

Talmage, tho champion “ tub thumper” of Amorica, has thought better of his determination to resign tlio'pastorship of the Brookh n Tabernacle. There was a torriblo to do whon the Rev. T. De Witt, for that is his Dutch like front name, announcod his intention to resign. An Amorioan papor says :—“ Tho announcement was as sudden as it was startling. Dr. Talmogo gave no warning of it in his discourse, and whon it oame the vast audience was as if stunned. Thoro was a doath-liko stillness through tho church while he was speaking, and nearly a minute passed after tho Doctor had finished boforo it was broken. Then subdued murmurs were hoard, which were taken up in every pew, and most widespread comment was begun. The closing hymn was sung in melancholy tones, tho congregation filed out, and Dr. Talmago loft tho Tabernacle. The church, despite the fact that it represents tho largest congregation in eithor Brooklyn or Now York, has had a hard and rough road to travel, and is now far from a quiet harbour of prosperity. Dr. Talmage has been its guiding star through many a storm. ■llis managing power, tact, and eloquence havo drawn thousands to the church. Tho church is several hundred thousand in debt. Russell Sage is its chiof creditor, in tho sum of 125,000 dollars. , He demanded his money a fow days ago, and it is bolieved that financial troubles led Dr. Talmage to resign, though, for the past few years he has donated his salary to reduce the indebtedness of the church-” Talmage for over fifteen years has enjoyed, ah income of 20,000 dollars a year from his church, and at least as much more from his lectures and his newspaper work. For years he was editor of the Christian at Wvrk. He is duo to come out to Australia and New Zealand in May under engagement for a lecturing tour to the much-travelled Smytho. How will the Tabernacle folks put up with his absence? *