ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 184, 6 August 1890, Page 8

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

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(From Oub Special Coebespondent.H

London, June 20.

AN AUSTRALIAN MILLIONAIRE.

Mr A. W. Robertson, the Australian millionaire, who has taken Lord Aberdeen's house for the season, gave the most regal musical parby which has ever been attempted even in London at the palatial residence in Grosvenor Square on Friday evening last. Mr Augustus Harris, to whom bhe arrangements were confided, had carte blanche, and broughb from Covenb Garden tha prima donnas Melba and Nuovina, Madame Scalchi, Mr Lassalle, Edouard De Reske, and Signor Bevignani (with a select orchestra), as well as engaging such smaller try as Mr Ben Davies, Mr Barrett, and Mr Frederick Cliffe. Rumours of the Arabian Nights-like nature of the coming entertainment permeating "society" beforehand, every smarb lady resolved to be presenb bhereab or die. The resulb was that Mr Jno. Towneley and Mrs Ansbruther Thompson, to whom the issuing of invitations was entrusted, found themselves besieged with requests for cards. Instead of adhering to certain well-defined and clearlyunderstood rules, these ladies were weakly good-natured. They ißeued far coo many invitations even for a large house like 27, .Grosvenor Square, and the consequence was a most unholy and mixed squash. The Duchesses of Abercorn, Leinster, Abhol, and Sb. Albans, the ever young *« Maria, Lady A," the beautiful Lady Helen Duncombe, Lady Becbive, Lady Shrewsbury, Lady de Grey, and bhe creme de la creme of the beau monde found themselves elbowed by a m3 r sberious horde of *' heaven - knowß-who-my-dear." Australians, strange to say, did nob seem bo be in greab force, though I daresay Mr Robertson's private friends were somewhere aboub. The concerb more than fulfilled expectations. Melba was in superb voice and sang three songs, for which she received £150 and a lovely braceleb. The remuneration of Nuovina, De Reske and Lassalle was on an equally generous scale, and I daresay the experienced plutocrat overheard between the songa estimating the cost of " bhis splash " at '• nob a penny under five thou " was tolerably near the mark.

The Duke of Edinburgh came early, and between- the songs gossiped in the friendliest way wibh bis hosb, who is ono of those genial, unassuming, simple-minded creatures all sorts and conditions of men take to. The smarb folk who arrived late fared badly in the matter of seats, and towards twelve the crush was so great and the scent of the floral decorations co overpowering bhab several ladies all bub fainted.

The Prince of Wales had intimated his intention of being present, but a little bird conveying to him bhe nature of bhe parby, he senb excuses, and stayed at Lady Brookes's, where bhe Marlboro House seb were gabhered bogebher. This was hard on Mr Roberbson, bub served the ladies who so prodigally gave away invibabion cards quite right. 1 saw two which were nob even filled up. I will say nothing aboub the supper or the decorations, though both were on a colossally sumptuous scale. Despite bhe crowd, bhe former was perfecbly served. THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS. Nottinghamshire folk have good reasoj? to feel proud of their county's recor d against the various colonial elevens. With the match that finished on Saturday Notts achieved bheir fifth victory over an Austratralian team, and againsb this there are only two defeats and four drawn games. Ib is still more to the credit of bhecounby bhat bhese two reverses were sustained in 1882' and 1884, unquestionably the two years when the colonials were mosb sbrongly represenbed. On Saburday Nobbs had accomplished a briliianb performance, defeating bhe redoubbable Australian beam by an innings and 26 runs. This result, however, by no means proves thab bhere is thab amounb of difference bebween tbe beams. The Home side had more than a fair share of luck, having to play the major portion of their single essay on a hard and true wicket, whereas the visitors had to go in after bhe ground had been rendered extremely difficult by heavy rains. At the conclusion of the play on Thursday, Notts had compiled 159 for the loss of four wickets, Shrewsbury and Gunn being the principal contributors to thab number wibh 61 and 43 respectively. Heavy rain fell during the nighb, rendering bhe wickeb rather difficult, and Turner, taking full advantage of his opporbuniby, dismissed bhe remaining babsmen for' an additional 56 runs, the full total of the Home team roaching the respectable one of 215. Abtewell and Shacklock, making bhe besb of the treacherous state of the ground, dismissed the Australians in less than two hours for the paltry aggregate of 62. Attewell captured four wickets for 21 runs, and Shacklock 6 for 38. The colonials, of course, followed on, but had lost Bix wickets for 76 runs ere play ceased for the day. Thus when the game was proceeded with on Saturday the visitors with four wickets to fall required 77 to avert a single innings defeat. Turner and Gregory, the overnighb nob-oubß, played steadily for a time, but the former was caught ab the wickeb when appearing well-seb. Walbers hit freely and compiled 21, bub the innings was all over ab ten past one, Nobts being left wibh a victory by an innings and 26 runs. Abbewell again captured four wickets for exacbly the same runs as in bhe Australians' first abtempb, bub Shacklock's single wicket cosb42 runs. Turner's analysis for bhe Nobts innings reads 6 for 75. Lyons and Ferris each oaptured a cquple of wickets for 25 and 78 respectively. . The " Daily News " regards the chances of the present team againsb a

representative English eleven as rather slight, bub opines thab under cerbain conditions Mr C. T. B. Turner might turn any match, for on a wicket that has been injured by rain he has proved himself probably the greatest bowler bhab has ever appeared^