ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1887, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Odb London Corrispondent.)

London, February 4.

PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

The Australasian rights of " Sophia " and ■' The Butler " —both very successful plays —have been acquired on behalf of Messrs Kobert Brough and "Dot" Boucicault, of Melbourne, by Mr Cope, their agent. "Sophia" ought to "take" in the colonies, but "The Butler" I'm not bo sure about.

Despairing of getting the Marringe with a Deceased Wife's Sister Act through tho House of Lords, Lord Dalhousie and hi" friends hnve determined to do the next best thing, viz., recognise as legal in England marriages of the kind that have boen lawfully contracted in the colnniea. Your erstwhile acquaintance, Stephen Massett, has turned up again in London — this time trom the Barbadoes, where " Jeemes Pipes, of Pipesville," has been reciting with great effect. Mr Richmond Henty'B " Australiana ; or My Early Life," was very favourably reviewed in Saturday's " Times."

THE TICHBORNE CLAIMANT DOWN

ON HIS LUCK,

The unfortunate "Claimant" has at length reached the lowest rung of Fortune'sladder, bar the workhouse. He is exhibiting himself in a travelling caravan in the States, in company with a " bearded lady" and a " deformed dwarf," for a penny a show. A N.S.W. "squatter" who knew Captro years ago at Wagga Wagga came across this show at Chicago (I think he said), and went in to sco if he could recognise bis old acquaintance. He found the erstwhile burly butcher a broken-down old man, hopelessly weary and despondent. The Australian came to the conclusion that

(whatever was the case originally) the Claimant firmly believed him3elf to be Sir Roger Ticbborne now. He has acted the lie till it has become solid reality to him. The one thing all who have ever met Castro (from Sergeant Ballantine and Guildford Onslow in his most prosperous days, down to Davitt and other prisoners at Dartmoor) unite in saying is—that drunk or sober, no temptation would ever persuade him to confess his impersonation of Tichborne a fraud. Even now he will tell you "his name and his honour are dearer to him than life." With a view to setting the Tichborne question finally at rest, and guarding future generations of the family from the annoying pretensions of the Claimant's progeny, Sir Edward Tichborne recently, I am told, instructed his solicitor to offer " Sir Roger " a email annuity if he would make an affidavit (for publication after his death) of the true facts of the Orton-Castro conspiracy. The offer was scornfully repelled.

SIMS REEVES'S COLONIAL TOUR,

The friends of Sims Reeves are very doubtful whether he is acting wisely in visiting Australia so late in life. Here, people who recollect what a glorious voice the great tenor bad twenty years ago, are ready enough to applaud its remains; but I question much whether your colonists will be equally complaisant. What with Charles Matthews, Creswiek, Kistoii, and others, youhave, perhaps, had a surfeit of antique artists who have worn

out- their welcome in Europe and America. tJima Keoyos himself is said to have qualms, and has in consequence bo arranged that, whether the tour (commencing in

September next) pays the iinprbaaario or not) it will pay him.