People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 51, 21 December 1905, Page 10

People We Hear About

Mr. C. A. C. Hardy, the successful candidate for Selwyn, is ne\er happier than when he is riding his hobby-horses. He keeps several ot them, and he de\otes to them the keenest enthusiasm. One of them is the collecting of walking-sticks. He has a unique Assortment of these articles, numbering hundreds, and leinesenting many nations. He has sword-sticks, gunsMeks, flask-sticks, and many other contrivances in the form of walking-sticks. The specimens range from thick and knotty clubs wielded by Samoan chiefs to slender canes used by civilised dandies, and many of them have very interesting histories. The Nobel Peace prize has been awarded to an Austrian, Baroness Sutincr, the authoress of a novel entitled ' Lay Down Your Arms.' The prize for Medicine has been awarded to Dr. Koch (treatment of tuberculosis) , physics prize, Professor Leonard, of Kiel (researches in Cathode rays) ; chemistry, Professor Baeyer, of Munich (the producer of artificial indigo) ; literature, M. Sienkicwics, the Polish novelist. The pri'/A 1}:1 }: lett by the late Dr. A. 15. Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, are worth about £M)(J() each. They arc open to all nationalities. Lord Avelnuy is president of the FJnglish Nobel Prue Committee ill. E (i. Fitzgibbon, C A I G , Chairman of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board ot Works, whose death was reported last week, was a native of County Cork, Ireland, 'where he was. born m 1825. Pruu to coming to \ lcioria oxer fifty years ago, he was employed under the Committee of the Privy Council on Education in England. He had had a varied colonial experience— gold miner, reader to the Legislative Council, Assistant Town Clerk and Town Clerk ot Melbourne, and Chairman of the Board of Woiks. lie was noted tor his wit and humor, which made him a delightful conversationalist, while he also possessed literary skill of a very high older On November 3 General Sir William Butler attained his r.7,th birthday, and, under the age limit, retired from active service alter 17 years m the army of conspicuous public serv^e, both administrative and in the field. The stoiy ot what at the time was practically his military mar ivi dom in South Africa is well known He not only foiesaw the lighting strength of the Boers, but also mi. sti usted the capitalists of South Africa and all their \\.i]i and v. oiks Finding himself in hopeless antagonism to the policy ot the Government <md the UUgh Coinmissionei , Sir William resigned Before two years had elapsed his 1 rehabilitation m the opinion of the public was grudgingly confirmed by the Government. The lollovvmg remarks regarding Sir Antony MacDonnell, the Irish Undei-Secrel.uy, by a vvnter in ' \anity Fan,' seem particularly apropos at the present time v\ hen a Libeial Ministry has come into olliee '— Tlicie die tv\ o Sii. Viitony MacDonnells The one is a just adiuinislialoi, ll with an inclination to seventy. Vttei Ihu ty-eu'hl veais of distinguished service he leun hed to his own country Theie was no mystery about his opinions, though his appointment is still a prob--Uin o\ei which I nionists pondci The burden of Ulstercloni was becoming too gieat to bear. It required the one woid, Devolution, to preupitale the avalanche which so iieaihj destroyed him Sn Antony is a man without, hobbies He hates Society Amongst si i angers he iti lac Hum lie has not the tact to sufier fools gladly, lie h in favoi of Home Rule, a Catholic University for. liel.'iid, and other lelorms The Conseivat ives having resigned, King Edward has .ippioved oi the lollovvmg as a Libeial Ministry: Premiei and FirM Loid of the Treasury, Sir II CampbellBanneiman , Lend Chancellor, Sn Robert Reid , Foreign Seeictaiy, Sn Edward Grey, ( haneellor of the Exchequer, Mr \squith , Sefietaiy for India, Mr John Moiley, Secretary for War. Mi R B Haldane ; Colonial Secretaiv, Lonl I'Av.in , I- list Loid ot the \dmirally, Lonl Twedniouth , Home Seticl.iiv, Mr. Herbert, Gladstone, Piesident ot Ihe Council, the Earl of Cievve , Pi ivy Seal, Lord Ripon , Seciei.uv lor Scotland, Mi John Sinclair (M.P lor Foi faishire) , President ot the Boat (1 of Tiade, Mi Lloy d-George ; President 1 of the Local Government Hoard, Mr John Burns; I'iesidenl ol the Hoard <>l \giiculluie, Loid Cainngton; Piesident of ihe Boa id ol Education, Mr. Augustmc Bin ell , Postmaster-General, Mr Sydney Buxton , Chancelloi ot the Ouchy ol Lanca^tej, Su 11. If. Fowler; Secretaiy for Ireland, Mi , Limes Brvce. The following <ire outside the Cabinet — Lonl-Lieufenant of Ireland, the Eail ot \bcrdeen , Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Mr. Justice Walker , First Commissioner of Works, ' Mr. Lew is ITareoui (.