MAIL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 77, 3 April 1899, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

(VIA BEINDISI).

PERSONAL NOTES

'(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, February 24,

Though Sir George Bowen's final illness was an attack of bronchitis, which carried him off in a couple of days, he had been failing for a long time," and quite given up going into society. Almost the last occasion I can remember seeing him in public was at one of the big affairs in Jubilee year, and he then looked very, very frail. Sir Geo. Bowen and Sir J. Fergusson were almost the sole survivors of the old sort of colonial viceroys. It is the custom to belittle this defunct school nowadays, but the new one has yet got to show us a Sir George Grey or Sir George Bowen. The latter was an exceedingly able man, and, as his 'Thirty Years' Colonial Government' proves, took no small part in building up the Australasian colonies. But what he excelled in chiefly was the art of gubernatorial deportment-. Never did proconsul understand better the subtle nuances of the vice-regal bow. Whether conveying through the beginners bend his gracious approval Pi new surroundings or executing the State curve at a levee, or inflicting the Crown cut on a delinquent, he was c-uite inimitable. Of carefully assorted smiles and speeches he had too a noble collection. The latter were sometimes a shade too long, but they were always"admirably phrased and delivered. But Sir George was really best of all at private dinners, where ids brilliant flow of conversation ami inexhaustible reminiscences rendered him the most delightful of guests. He had been for the last three or four jnonths in correspondence with the Agent-General for New Zealand, to whom he had written interesting recollections of the colony's early history which however unfortunately arrived too late to be utilised in Mr Beeves' book. Mr Beeves was at the old statesman's house only a month «£o, and found him bright and ch_ery. The 'Chronicle' in the course of some obituary notes about Sir G. Bowen says: 'He was a typical Irishman in efflorescence of speecn and perennial gaiety of spirits. He mignt have vegetated for life as a schoolmaster in the lonian Islands if Mr Gladstone had not met him in the course of his mission to that group. Bowen was a splendid classical scholar, and Mr Gladstone found him a congenial companion as well as the supplier of serviceable information. The result of the acquaintance was that- Bowen was made first Governor of Queensland at the age of thirtjei The funeral of Sir George Bowen is taking place this morning at St. Mark's, North Audley-etreet and Kensal Green.

Amongst the most frequent visitors of Sir George Grey during the years immediately following his return to England was Mr James lilr.e of the 'Daily Chronicle.' He loved to hear the Grand Old Man taLc of his experiences, and Sir George seeing his interest often good naturedly chatted ou and on for hours together. Mr Milne made copious notes of these conversations, and they are now to be thrown into book form under the title "The Romance of a pro-Consul: Being the personal Life and Memoirs of the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, KC.B.' The reminiscences review in a chatty, gossipy way Sir George's unique career, and included in them are anecdotes of the celebrities he knew. Froude said that Sir George Grey's life had been a romance, and the aim in this volume has been to weave from these memoirs with a slight biographical setting the story of that romance. The publishers are Chatto and Windus, and there will of course be a colonial edition. It was largely through Mr Milne's efforts that Sir. George was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral. Neither AgentsGeneral nor Anglo-Colonists had thought of it as feasible till the 'Chronicle* took up the matter and Strongly urged the propriety of the step.

The Hon. W. P. Reeves is the class of man who must (come weal, come woe) burn the candle at both ends-, still I think Mrs Reeves might be wise to insist on a reasonable modification of the process. The AgentGeneral has been looking far from well lately, and I do hope his influenza attack may induce him to take an obviously much-needed holiday sway from all professional and literary temptations. ..

Among the recent arrivals in London from the colony are Mr IST. Alfred Nathan of Auckland and his son^ Harold, who arrived last week by the Arcadia. They were voyagers to Sydney by the Mo^na when she made her jrecord trip to Sydney and landed her passengers in the Harbour City on New Year's Eve. By the Arcadia they had a pleasant trip as far as Port Said, but *twixt there and Marseilles, where Mr Nathan left her, the Arcadia met with very bad weather, causing her captain to forsake the usual route through the Corsican Straits in favour of the open sea route north of the island. From Marseilles Mr Nathan and his son catne straight through to London. The object of the visit is to place Harold Nathan at Harrow, and the boy is now undergoing the usual preparation for the preliminary examination which must be passe^d by intending students of the famous school. Mr Nathan proposes to leave for the colony in the middle of April, and will take the Canadian Pacific route home. He purposes spending -i lew days in the leading Canadian centres of industry, but has no intention of sampling the beauties, scenic and otherwise, of Klondyke. The Christchurch Meat Company have just opened an establishment for the sale of Canterbury mutton and lamb at that popular South Wales centre, Cardiff. The site is an excellent one, being in the heart of the city, and in the great thoroughfare, Queen-street. The shop is fitted up fa a pleasing fashion, the walls bein§ covered with Stafford tiles, on. which are hand-painted representations of Antipodean pastoral scenes. The ventre promises to be an entire success, both as regards the shop itself and its ulterior object, which is to induce the local butchers to take an interest in high-class New Zealand mutton. The

stand, intend to exploit several of the provincial centres in the same fashion. I wish, them every success in their plucky venture.

Mr Gerald Russell, of Christchurch, who is studying at Guy's Hospital, has passed his matriculation exami^nation.

Mr A. O'Brien, his old school fellow, has, I regret to say, been laid up for some time with a broken collarbone, the result of the rough play for which the Hospital Cup matches are famous. He is now quite himself again, and hopes to be a strong factor in securing the Cup for Guy's.

Mr J. D. Enys, formerly of Castle Hill Station, has come up from Cornwall to town for a few days. He has been seeing the Rembrandts, and looking up old friends, and intends spending a day or two in Sussex next week.

There was a quiet Anglo-Colonial wedding at St. Pancras Parish Church on Wednesday last, when Mr William Rew, of Auckland, who came Home some three or four years ago on mining business, took to wife Miss Jessie Graham, daughter of the late Mr

Alexander Graham, of Edinburgh. After spending their honeymoon at Brighton the happy pair will take up their residence at Chelsea.

The law's delays have postponed the action of Lubbock v. Wilson for vet another week.

The Agent-General lectured at Toynbee Hall last Saturday on the working of Old Age Pensions and Female Suffrage in New Zealand.

T hear that a little book, 'Reflections on Political Economy in New Zealand,' by a New Zealand colonist, has been by a good many attributed to the Agent-General. So far from being the author, he has never even seen the book.

Some fifteen provincial papers have based leading articles on the AgentGeneral's paper on Old Age Pensions in the 'National Review.'

Mr Louis Bulau has been appointed overseer of a sugar plantation in Mauritius, for which he leaves to-day.

Mr 'Joe' Gould, leaves town again in a few days for the Norfolk Broads, where he is to undergo a new experience in the shape of coot-shoot-ing.

'Land and Water' devotes a long article to the acclimatisation of Salmonidae in New Zealand.

Sergeant A. H. Wright arrived at the beginning of the week from Monte Video with Mr Joseph Myers in his custody. The Scotland Yard authorities will put both of them up for a fortnight or so pending the departure of the Wakanui, in which they will sail for New Zealand.

'Scottish Life,' edited by the Earl of Rosslyn, records the timely erection of a monument at Dunedin over the grave of the last of the Glengarrys, a fitting tribute to the last of the noble clan of Glengarry, who is now

'Lying on a foreign shore,' and gives a brief history of the Macdonnells of Glengarry.

Mr Edward Walker has contributed to the March number of the 'British Workman' an article on the colony's temperance laws, entitled 'An Object Lesson from the Antipodes.'

Captain Boyd is still at Leeds, and under observation by the specialists there. I hear his condition continues rather low.

Among the Arcadia's complement of passengers was the erstwhile manager of the Kapai Vermont mine, Mr Hornibrook, who, I understand, came Home with a view to exploring certain alleged rich gold-bearing tracts in Abyssinia on behalf of a London Syndicate.

Mr F. Satchell Clarke, of Auckland, who left New Zealand in June last for British Columbia, arrived in England recently for the purpose of purchasing gold dredging machinery on behalf of an English syndicate who are about to exploit the bed of the Fraser River. Mr Clarke expects to get all his machinery ready for shipnient in a couple of months, and will then return to British Columbia.

Many people in New Zealand will regret to learn of the death at the early age of 46 of Mr F. Bradley Bennett, who departed this life after a lingering illness at Malvern Link, Worcestershire, on February 18. Deceased was the eldest son of the late Rev. John Bennett, sometime Rector of Ibstock, Leicestershire.

Among the young New Zealanders at present studying music in the Old Country is Miss E. H. Cole, daughter of Mrs Cole, of Timarn, who came to Europe about a year ago with a view to studying the pianoforte, and languages in particular and music in general. After a visit to Germany, however, Mrs Cole decided that her daughter's musical education could be just as well accomplished in London, and for the past eight or nine months Miss Cole has been a private pupil of Mr T. B. Nott, Vice-Principal of the R.A.M., under whom she is, I hear, making most satisfactory progress. It is". Mrs Cole's intention to remain with her daughter in England until the period of study is completed, which will in the ordinary course be a couple of years hence.

In the city the other day I ran across a young New Zealander in the person of Mr A. C. Henderson, of Christchurch, who since leaving that city some twelve months ago has seen more than a little of 'this wicked world' under the aegis of his uncle, Mr Edmund Dangerfield, of 'Cycling.' Mr Henderson had only just arrived back from a trip to the States, where he saw many things of j interest, including many war-worn veterans who had never smelled powder, witnessed one little incident in the Hobson Kissing Campaign, the great six days' bicycle race at Madison Gardens, and occupied a fourdollar 'stand-up seat' whilst Mr Sharkey and Mr James J. Corbett decided which was the better man of the two at the noble game of punch and be punched. He came to the conclusion that, though invisible, Mr Arrangement' was one of the principals in the fight. Mr Henderson is now up in Scotland, and has several other trips in view before returning to the colony, where he expects, however, to eat his next Christinas dinner.

In the will of the late Mr James * Weir, of St. Cloud's, Blackrock, Dub- ' lin, who died on October 30, 1893, the ! testator recited that some of the persons who might be entitled to legacies under his will were, he believed, resident in Australia and N.Z., and with a view to giving these' far-off j claimants a fair-chance of hearing; of their good fortune, and at the ■ same time preventing the undue pro- J longation of his executors' responsi- j bilities. inserted a clause declaring i that every person entitled to a legacy under his will should within a period | of three years from the day of his death send in to his trustees a claim j in writing, and that any person fail- i ing to do so should absolutely forfeit | all benefit which he or she might j have claimed under the will. Among the legacies in the will are the following: One thousand pounds to Mrs Rachael Sandiland; one thousand pounds to the children of the late Andrew Brown; one thousand pounds j to each of the seven children of testator's wife's sister, Isabella Fallow, namely, James Fallow, "William Fallow, John Fallow, Gavin Fallow, Janet Fallow, Mary Fallow, and Agnes Fallow; one thousand pounds to Mrs Grace Barr, formerly Steele; one thousand pounds in equal shares amongst the children of John Steele, son of Mary Steele; one thousand pounds to the issue living at the death of the testator of James Weir, who died in his life-time; one thousands pounds to each of the six children of testator's brother, Thomas Weir, deceased, namely, James Weir, Francis Weir, Andrew Weir, Agnes Weir, Elizabeth Weir, and Margaret j Weir. \

The executors believe that they already possess the addresses of the above named legatees, but for extra precaution anc? in pursuance of their testator's directions particularly request each named* or indicated legatee to send in a formal written claim without delay to their solicitors, Messrs. Findiater and Company, of 53 Dame-street, Dublin.

In replying to a query on the subject by Mr J. F. Hogan on Mon daylast, Mr Hanbury said the question whether Australian branches of the Iloyal Mint should have permission to coin silver had been again under consideration by the Treasury, and it had been intimated to the Colonial Office that if the practical difficulties attending the grant of the permission could be surmounted by the colonial authorities to the satisfaction of the Treasury, the loss of Imperial revenue should not stand in the way of acceding to the wishes of the Australasian colonies.

With a view to promotiug a knowledge of Greater Britain in this right little, tight little island, the British Empire League have made arrangements for the free delivery of illustrated lectures upon the various colonies. The lectures are designed mainly with a view to impressing the multitude at Home with the commercial importance of the colonies to the Mother Country.

According to one of the halfpenny papers a prospectus is being privately circulated of the Thrift Bank, Limited, an undertaking which is formed to apply the penny-in-the-slot principle to banking. The idea is to set up automatic machines in public places, into which depositors may drop pennies and receive in return receipts. When they have deposited as much as 5s they can receive a book from the bank in which their amounts will be entered, and when their particular account reaches a clear sovereign they will receive interest at the rate of 2_ per cent. The idea is not a bad one, but as 'tis well to be cautious re 'private and confidential' prospectuses I don't propose to apply for shares.

Nothing has been heard of the once famous Connie Gilchrist since she abandoned the stage to become Countess of Orkney. Apparently, however, she is still very much alive, as I read that whilst out with Lord Rothschild's hounds at Aylesbury on Monday the little lady met with a nasty accident. She was as usual leading the field, and in taking a stiff double fence her horse fell into an outside ditch. The animal rolled over her, and Countess Connie's knee is said to be badly hurt. This, I fear, means no more hunting for her tiil autumn.

Tha Colonial Secretary, whose health is not what it was, has suffered specially of late, passing from a sharp attack of gout to a severe seizure of influenza. The latter epidemic seems preparing for a season of special ravages. Already few. houses, can boast of immunity, and the after results—especially the leaden, hopeless depression—are almost worse than the illness itself.

Sir James Fergusson's eldest son, Major Fergusson, of the Grenadier Guards, who was severely wounded in the Soudan, has now quite recovered. He got home very comfortably from Egypt and feels, he says, no ill effects whatever from his wound.

The Duke of Portland has hitherto observed an attitude of contemptuous indifference to what he calls 'Anna Maria Druce and her antics,' but 'tis nevertheless shrewdly suspected in many quarters that he is finding the sinews of war for the parties resisting the opening of the grave. The action of the Home Office in the matter will now be watched with considerable curiosity. The Government are strong, but the Bentinck influence, both in London and the Provinces, is considerable, and not a thing to be cast aside lightly. I confess I can see no cogent reason why Sir Matthew White Ridley should refuse his fiat for a reverent opening of the grave. Mrs Druce's allegations are clear and specific, and a ten minutes' examination would settle them finally. One would have expected the defendants, if sure of the falsity of the plaintiff's statements, to jump at the chance of finally muzzling her. But I'm bound to say there seems small jump in them. It is certainly all very odd.

Nellie Stewart's success at Drury Lane "has been sufficiently pronounced to induce the managemesnt to reengage her for the next two pantomime seasons. I believe it is a fact that despite the wear and tear of the double show daily Miss Stewart has never been absent from a single performance. That's the sort of 'principal boy' manager likes. Miss Stewart visits Australia for a part of the present year.

<What Happened to Jones' is still running so healthily at the Strand that Charles Arnold talks of postponing his Australian tour if Mr Lohr permits him to do so.

Mr W. J. Holloway's daughter Dora has just taken unto herself a husband

in the person of Dr. W. J. Robertson, of the R.M.s. Briton. The pair met, of course, on board ship when Mr Holloway went touring in South Africa. Madame Amy Sherwin has joined the already large colony of AngloAustralians . who live on the Grove Road side of what frivolous persons call 'The Grove of the Evangelist. Her new villa is in Circus Road, close to Mr T. Haydon's, Mr Horace Lmgard's, Madame Minnie Fischer's, and Mrs Brown-Potter's. In presiding over the ordinary general meeting of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand the other day, Mr Henry E. Grenfell took a hopeful view of the future, and expressed himself confident of the continuance of the present profits. The regular debentures have been increas-^ ed from £488,000 to £502,000, those issued or renewed being at the reduced rate of 4 per cent. The guaranteed mortgages have fallen in the year from £23.000 to £3,000. The net profits amount to £9,646, whioh, with the £2,647 from the previous year, leaves a balance of £12,294 to dispose of. From this an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum has been paid, and it- is now proposed to pay a further dividend at the same rate free of income-tax, and carry forward the balance of £2,962. Mr W. S. Davidson, who has lately visited New Zealand, informed the shareholders that he considered the company occupied a stronger position to-day than ever before. j

The report of the directors of Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons contains the unpleasant intimation that the sum of £2.277 will have to be written off as the result of errors in the accounts of previous years. The blame for these mistakes must, of course, fall chiefly on the auditors, but the Board cannot hope to entirely escape censure when they face the shareholders next Monday. The report states that the profits earned for the year ending 31st December, 1898, after providing for interest on the debentures, amounted to £5,051, which, added to the balance brought forward, would have given a sum of £6.397 available for dividends but for the aforementioned errors, which have reduced the amount available for distribution to £4,119. Out of this the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 1/3 per share, tax free, requiring £3,750, a balance of £369 being carried forward.

Mr F. G. Ewington writes a long letter to the Newcastle 'Leader' as a rejoinder to that of Mr G. Fowlds, which appeared therein, the middle of last year. Mr Ewington writes 'in the interests of truth and of workmen who might otherwise be deluded into coming over here expecting 12/ per day, when they might not fare as well as they do now.' He asserts that there are 17,000 unemployed breadwinners in the colony.

The 'Echo' understands that the "Vienna Government will invite the Imperial authorities to abrogate the New Zealand Kauri Gum Industry Act on the ground that it amounts to a breach of international law.

Poor Mr Stead! If there is one person on earth whom he has exalted in season and out, that individual is Count Tolstoi. Nobody—he has told us again and again—understands Russia half so well as this apostolic Slav. And now, lo and behold! the graceless Tolstoi turns and rends him. For the poor little Czar's good intentions the Count expresses scant respect. Let him open his ears to the wails of political victims rotting in filthy Siberian prisons if he really hungers for peace. Charity begins at home, and an ounce of practical mercy and justice would be more to Russians than a hundredweight of academical discussions on practical impossibilities. Tolstoi, in short, says the Peace Crusade is all pickles, and only very foolish persons knowing naught about Russia will waste breath discussing it.