PERSONAL ITEMS PROM LONDON.

[from our OWN correspondent.] London, November 19. The Rev. T. Colenso, of Napier, has been elected an honorary member of the Royal Geographical Society. Dr. and Mrs. Kemp and their family have returned to England from the Continent, and have taken a house at Dulwich for a term. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert de Pinto and Miss Beresford left by the Orotava last Saturday for a lew months' holiday in New Zealand. Jlr. Kersey Cooper left London on Saturday morning last for Plymouth, where he joined the Orient s.s. Orotava for Sydney; there he will transuip for Auckland. Mr. C. W. Kennaway has been giving a lecture at Hastings on "New Zealand: Its Industries and Scenery." For the occasion lantern slides were lent by the Agent-Gene-ral. Mr. R. Hastie, late secretary to the New Zealand National Association, is in Glasgow. I gather that he is doing fairly well with some companies he brought over for promotion. Miss Emily Johnston, of Wellington, has been staying for some time at Folkestone. Miss Johnston appears to spend most of her time alternately at Dover and Folke- | stone. In the passenger list of the P. and 0. s.s. Oriental, which has arrived in London, I notice the names of Mr. E. Clissold, Mr. 0. Clissold, and Mr. D. White as Laving booked from New Zealand. Mr. Seddon's" success as a politician may have something to do with the a ttacks made upon him" is half suspected by the Echo, who thinks New Zealand' Premier " the incarnation of triumphant democracy." Mr. Donald Reid, I am glad to leam, lias quite recovered, and is now walking about,, as. he says, "quite well." The rapidity of his recovery after so severe an operation is little short of marvellous. Mrs. Coote, widow of Major Coote, who wa« formerly well-known in New Zealand, died recently at her residence in Sussex. I understand that her illness was of short duration, and the end somewhat sudden. The personal estate of the late Mr. James Temple, managing director of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, has been valued at £195.975, and the gross value has been estimated at £199,450 for the whole estate. Miss Neave, of Cbristchurch, who arrived in England about six months ago, has decided to remain until the spring, when she will return to New Zealand. She has been paying a, round of visits among friends.

Major-General Lionel Smith Warren u,ed this week of peritonitis. He served in tue Maori war 1860-4, being present at Taranaki, in operations in the Waikato, and at the storming of the Gate Pa. He was mentioned in the despatches, and was awarded the New Zealand war medal.

Sir Edmund Leclunere, who passed much of his later youth in New Zealand, is about to undertake a "big game" expedition in Africa, Lady Lechmere accompanying him. Sir Edmund's first wife was a very charming Christohurch (New Zealand) girl, but she died at the early age of 28.

Miss Greenwood intends leaving England about the end of December on her return voyage to New Zealand. She will join the P. and O. s.s. Britannia at Marseilles, and will spend several days in Paris en route. Miss Greenwood is at present on a visit to Mi-s. Tancred, at 22, Norland Square, North Kensington.

A marriage has been arranged, and will take place early in January, between Benjamin Edward, eldest soil of Mr. Charles Todhunter, of Westerfield, New Zealand, and Ethel Christine, third daughter of Colonel Pemberton l'igott, late of the 44th (Essex) Regiment, and of Slevot Castle, County Wexford, Ireland.

Recently I met Mrs. George H. Otway, of Dunedin, who arrived in the Mother Country some little time back. She told me that she and her daughter had been spending tiie summer with friends in Devonshire, and lias now settled down for the present at tug"gate, the hilly and salubrious northern suburb of London.

A Melanesian stall was a feature at the bazaar held at the Church House', Westminster, on Wednesday and Thursday, in aid of Home and Foreign Missions, the opening ceremony being performed by Princess Henry of Battenburg. The stallholders were Mrs. J. R. Sehvyn and Mrs. Wilson,

Mr. D. McGill, of Wellington, New Zealand, called on me a few days ago. He hopes to be able to leave 011 his return to New Zealand in the course of the next two or three weeks, but that will depend upon the progress of his business. He "tells me he has been very successful in bringing out his refrigerating machine, about which I may have something to say in another column,

Miss Bridgen (Wellington) has returned to London after spending some months with friends in various parte of the kingdom, chiefly at Wimborne, in Dorsetshire, and at Bournemouth. She is at present residing in one of the Bayswater Squares in the West End of London, and is enjoying a very pleasant course of concerts and other entertainments.

Canadian papers contain notices of the departure of Professor A. J. Ruddick and his wife and daughter for New Zealand, where the first-named " has been appointed Dairy Commissioner, and where he will supervise the manufacture of butter and cheese in 320 factories." Professor Ruddick was for many years superintendent of the Kingston (Canadian) Dairy School.

The A r en. Archdeacon Harper did not fail to fulfil bis promise that, he would go down to Devonshire to give a helping hand in the cause of the S.P.G. He preached at several churches, and spoke at several meetings 011 behalf of the fund, making his headquarters at the residence of the Rev. Thomas Flavell, the indefatigable secretary to the society for the dioceses of Exeter and Truro.

On tile 12th inst. the death is announced as having occurred of Mr. Miles Palmer, who evidently had some connection with the colony, for attached to the various obituary notices, is the request for New Zealand papers please to copy. Mr. Miles Palmer was the eldest son of the late Miles Rook Palmar, of Holloway, and his age was 53. His death took place at 3, Forster Road, Tottenham.

Lady Gore-Browne, widow of the late Sir Thomas Gore-Browne, who was Governor of New Zealand in the late "fifties," has left England intending to make a tour in New Zealand. She is accompanied by her son, whose health is somewhat weak. The party number eight in all, including Captain Stewart, formerly A.D.C. to the Governor of New Zealand, and a great friend of Lady Glasgow. The intention is to begin the tour with the Southern lakes, and then to proceed northward.

Among recent victims to bicycle pirates is Mr. W. P.' Reeves. Asa rule the AgentGeneral rides his wheal to Victoria-street, and one day this week, as usual, left his machine inside the Agency-General building, but outside his own office. One of the prowlers who haunt London entered through the front doors, of course with an excuse ready should he be accosted. But no one being about for the moment, he easily appropriated the "bike," and rode off with it.

Mr. William F. Crawford, of Gisbnrne, is Home on a visit after an absence of 35 years. He has been through the United Kingdom sight-seeing, and is at present staying at Fortfield, Templewore, Tipperary,

and intends coming to London in January next Early in the following month he will leave this country' on his return to New Zealand.

Bishop Wilson left for New Zealand on his way back to his diocese yesterday. He was present on Tuesday at the successful annual meeting of the Melanesian Mission, held at the Church House, Westminster, when the chair was taken by the Bishop of Stepney, among the speakers being the Rev. W. Selwyn and the Rev. J. H. Ellison. On Wednesday a farewell service was held at St. Margaret's, Westminster, to bid adieu to Bishop Wilson, the sermon being preached by Dr. Mason, Canon Residentiary of Canterbury.

In conversation the other day with Mrs. W. F. Parsons, of Wellington, she informed me that her daughter, Miss Phoebe Parsons, is making excellent progress at the Guildhall School of Music. Her special instructor, Signor Visetti, has formed a very high opinion of her capacities, and she has already been called upon to undertake a prominent part in some of the performances by the pupils. Mrs. Parson's other three daughters, all of whom are musical, are steadily pursuing their studies in the vocal art.

| Referring to the concert recently given by Madame Cecilia Staunton (Goldenstedt), a London weekly paper says: "Madame Cecilia Staunton, a soprano from New Zealand, had every reason to be satisfied with the success of her debut at St. James' Hall on Monday afternoon. She had a clear, bright, well trained voice, so perfectly under control as to be capable of the tenderest expression. It was a treat to hear Schubert's 'Gretchen am Spinnade,' Massenet's ' Sou-venez-vous Vierge Marie,' and Vidol's ' Printempts Xouveau' rendered with such artistically graduated feeling."

Reviewing Dr. Garnett's "Life of Edward Gibbon Wakefield," a London paper says:—"lt is with the colonisation of New Zealand, the finest of British settlements, that his name will always be associated. The history of his struggles is contained in the latest volume of this series, and is faithfully set forth by Dr. Garnett with museumlike minuteness. We are not quite sure that these literary tabloids are to our liking, but this is the age of compressed foods of all sorts. They are a little hard of digestion, but serve a useful purpose." Mrs. W. P. Reeves gave a New Zealand afternoon tea last Thursday at her new residence, 41, Campden House Road, Kensington. Among those present were Mrs. Duncan Cameron, Mrs. Tancred, Mrs. Sidney Johnston, Mrs. Rons-Marten, Mrs. Kennaway, Miss Kennaway, Miss Naive, Miss Greenwood, and Miss Willes. Several | invited guests were prevented from being present by the dense log which prevailed during the greater part of the day; these included Lady Vogel, Mrs. E. J. Reid, Mrs. Levin, Miss Levin, Mrs. Worthy, and Miss Worthy. Mr. James Grace is at present in Manchester. He writes to mo that since we last met lie has been very busy visiting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and other places, receiving everywhere a most kind and cordial welcome. He will shortly visit his native town, Bilston, near Wolverhampton, where he is to have a public reception. On Monday he leaves for Ireland and will visit the cities of Dublin'and Londonderry, returning to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Mr. Grace's present intention is to start on his return for New Zealand in January next, leaving his family in the Mother Country for two years. He finds a number of young men are anxious to go with him to New Zealand; he has accepted several good agencies for New Zealand.

In the list of successful competitors for scholarships at .Cambridge there appears the name of Mr. Leo H. 5. Greenwood, of Canterbury College. New Zealand, who takes the Laurence Saunders Scholarship of £80 for classics, at King's College. He is a son of Mr. Graham Greenwood, and only recently arrived in this country. He had not intended to compete seriously for the scholarship this year, as lie had not been in good health lately, but meant to go up next year. His coach, however, advised him to go in for the examination, just as a sort of trial trip or a test of his powers, also that he might see what the examination was like. Much to his own surprise he came out with flying colours as winner of the scholarship.

By the s.s. Rimut-aka, which lias sailed for the colony, the following passengers were booked:—Mr. and Mrs. S. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Fitzherbert, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Hole, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Knight, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Merrick, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Money, Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Similer, Air. and Mrs. P. Wotton, Mesdaines E. Aspinull, Blacklock, Dalrymple, K. Everton, D. H. Hornby, M. Lovett, M. M. Pearson, A. C. Smith, and Wvlie, Misses M. Atkins, K. Baldivon, I']. P. M. Beanie, F. Burdin, A. J. Crjssfield, F. Donald. C. L. S. Forbes, C. Guilbert, K. Husband, Hurley, G. Hole, M. Kelly, Knight, Lovett (4), A. Lyle, Newman, Pearson (2), B. Power, A. Reston, E. Snith, J, Stevenson, R. Taunt, M. M. Wotton. and D. Wvlie, Rev. J. H. Sykes, Dr. li. E. Porritt, Messrs-. H. F. Acocka, A. D. J. Atkins, J. Allday, F. E. Allen, D. P. Bagnall, 0. Collier, T. G. Crossfield, 11. Cowan, C. P. Dove, Eli Dove, E. R. Evans, W. B. Grant, W. Handford. T. Harrison, F. Jackson, J. Kellelier, A. G. King, F. Livesey, A. Lovett, J. L. McKec, C. Oakey, M. J. O'Dwyer, J. Plye, H. A. Richards. W. Rogers, 'J. W. Smith, Masters Everton (3), and Masters Meyrick (2).