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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3

[trade dispatches]

page 5

The fine classic series of initials, by Otto Weisert, of Stuttgart, running through our first two volumes, has been greatly admired by our readers. The handsome initial A in the present issue is from an alphabet brought out about ten years ago by Genzsch and Heyse of Hamburg, and which has never been surpassed by any other series of the kind. The heading « Typo » is in the new « Amoret » series by Poppelbaum, of the Krebs Foundry, Frankfort on the Main.

The Nelson Mail of 3rd January says: « There was a discussion at the Education Board to-day—it is unnecessary to specify the subject—which we believe ought, in the interest of the public, to be reported fully, but we have had nearly enough of reporting the proceedings of the Education Board, and therefore are compelled to refrain from letting the public know that with which, under a more satisfactory condition of the laws which at present muzzle the press, they would certainly be made acquainted. But 'once bit twice shy.' The member who brought the matter forward suggested that it might be advisable to go into committee to discuss it, but so far as he was concerned he did not care whether they did or not; he should speak hrs mind plainly without fear. 'Yes,' replied Mr Shephard, 'that's all very well, it is not you who need to fear; it's other people.' »

Mr Joyce, we are glad to learn, intends to take up the matter of libel law reform next session, and to introduce a bill modelled on the provisions of the new English statute. The two recent libel cases are suggestive of defects in the present law with which the English act, so far as we know, does not deal. It would be well to enact that in all cases of alleged newspaper libel, the case must be heard in the place of ordinary publication of the journal concerned.—The Welling-ton Post regrets that Mr Joyce has taken the matter up. With all respect, it considers that as a private member his standing is not high enough to enable him to carry it through successfully. It suggests that the press should formulate its views as to the amendments required, and submit them to the ministry, who could then bring in the bill as a Government measure. This is very well—if the press is willing to wait until a New Zealand ministry chooses to introduce a measure of reform!

The death of Pellegrini has removed from artistic circles a man of unique talents and undoubted genius. It is not too much to say that the success of the cynical and bitterly sarcastic paper Vanity Fair has been due to its weekly cartoon by « Ape, » the singular pseudonym adopted by the late artist. His portraits were unmistakeable—cruel in their fidelity to every weak point or mannerism in the subject. The turn of the head—the characteristic way in which the coat or hat was worn—every wrinkle in the garment—were represented—all with a touch of exaggeration, but never such as to destroy the likeness. For nineteen years a celebrity has been every week thus placed in the pillory, and the Vanity Fair gallery includes every man who has in any way distinguished himself during that period. The artist in all cases worked from observation of the characters themselves, and his portraits were invariably drawn from memory. In most instances they were sketched promptly; but not necessarily, as he has been known to produce a marvellous likeness three or four years after he had seen the subject and taken mental note of his peculiarities. His style was not that of the good-humored satirist—the utter absence of kindliness or human sympathy in his work is very noticeable, and causes a feeling of pain to any one who turns over his gallery of portraits.

A contributor to the Berlin Neue Musikzeitung elaborates the theory that the character of a man is to be predicated from the special vowel which predominates in his laughter. For instance, persons in whose laughter the letter a (sounded as ah) is dominant are open jovial honest folk, who delight in noise and movement. Laughter in e is an indication of the phlegmatic and melancholic. Children almost invariably laugh in i, and this is also observable in persons of a naive, docile, modest, or undecided character. Laughter in o, which the writer regards as the most dignified of all the laughing tones, is the mark of noble and bold tempers. The worst of all the laughters is that in u, which is the characteristic of the misanthropical.—Last year the editor of this paper devoted some study to the subject of the mental effects of vowel-sounds as exemplified in language, embodying his conclusions in a paper read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute last August, and briefly summarized in Typo, vol. ii, p. 67. It was suggested at the meeting that the principles laid down, though they might apply to the English language, could scarcely be of general application. It is therefore interesting to find that the German writer, following up a different line of investigation, attributes to the vowel-tones as characterizing laughter, precisely the same mental effects as the present writer assigned to them in language.

Referring to the late libel case, the Mataura Ensign says:— « We cannot help asking what the money is for. A gentleman was, under misapprehension, accused of meanness, but as soon as the truth appeared he received full and most public apologies. Can it be contended that he has suffered to the extent of £500?.. Everybody is amazed. If this case correctly expounds the law of libel, it is high time that that law was the subject of some considerable amendments. »

We are sorry to read that the Auckland Free Library is being plundered; the thieves being apparently possessed of some amount of education and literary taste. The « run » is chiefly upon Maori grammars and lexicons and the rare old works relating to the early history of the colony—in fact it has been found necessary to place the latter in a special apartment under lock and key. Sir George Grey's magnificent collection has not been spared, Captain Cruise's Voyages in New Zealand (1824) having recently vanished.

A « shield » of photo portraits of New Zealand press men was one of the exhibits of the late Melbourne centennial exhibition. It was reproduced in lithography by a Melbourne firm—apparently not very successfully. The editor of the Hauraki Tribune, who has seen a copy, says: « We hope for the sake of humanity that they are nct all good likenesses. » The Marlborough Express says: « Where the features are distinguishable they are hideous. For ferocity, villany, and imbecility, they would be hard to match. » One « amiable and cultivated gentleman with a slightly æsthetic touch about him, » comes out « like Captain Kidd, the pirate » !

A large Auckland firm has a somewhat primitive letter-box to their warehouse—a slit in the door through which letters fall to the floor. Towards the end of the present month, an employé, noticing some scraps of paper at the entrance to a rat-hole in the cellar, picked up what proved to be a fragment of a cheque for £21 12s. Other scraps showed that the cheque had been sent by one of the firm's travellers in the south; and fragments of orders for goods were also discovered. During the New Year's holidays, while the premises were closed, the rats made free with the correspondence, and but for the fortunate discovery of the fragments, much trouble would doubtless have arisen.

Our Government has original ideas of economy. Formerly, the Customs officials were equal to the task of checking invoices and assessing duties; now a retired draper has been appointed as an « expert » at a salary of £800. He wanted £1000, equal to the salary of the Premier; but the Government appear to have thought the income of an ordinary minister of the Crown sufficient for a gentleman who combines in his newly-created office the duties of landing-waiter and private detective. Acting on his advice the Government have lately seized a shipment of pianos, and sold them at a good profit, the unhappy importers receiving ten per cent, on invoice value, or less than actual cost landed in the colony. The ex-draper probably knows as much of pianos as he does of printing-machines or brass-rule; but there seems to be no appeal from his decisions. Trade should flourish under conditions like these!

The telegram editor of the Colonist expanded the message relating to the death of a celebrated writer, in a way which, (says a contemporary), was calculated to make angels weep. Here it is: « Obituary—Lawrence Oliphant, diplomatist, the author of Cancer on the Lungs, from which he suffered intense pain during the last five months. » —The humorous comp. of the Wanganui Chronicle, finding in his copy that « the edge of the footboard was across the nape of Mr Thain's neck, » substituted « footpath » and « nave » for two of the principal words.—A press directory may be misleading, if the editor has not his wits about him. Commenting on the Sir Robert Morier incident, a contemporary says, « The Cologne Gazette, a journal which, although probably of hardly the same standing as the Zeitung published in the same city, is still an important German organ » —oblivious of the fact that Cologne Gazette and Kölnische Zeitung are synonyms.—A South Island paper refers to a « mauvais suet. » —A lawyer down South assured the court that he spoke « without a cedilla of exaggeration, » and a local paper remarks that the word « scintilla, » which was probably intended, would have been equally misplaced.—The « Néue Freie Présse » of Vienna, is quoted by a contemporary whose ideas of accentuation are original.—A country paper demands the removal of a school inspector on account of his « glaring impartiality. » Some people are indeed hard to please.—Another country paper makes the startling announcement that « an insect resembling a waiter » has been discovered at Ormondville. By the « waiter » is probably meant the Hemideina deinacrida, a very large insect of terrifying appearance, known as weta by the natives.