PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 144, 20 June 1899, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, May 12,

New Zealand artists will be glad to hear of the success of Miss Dora Meeson in Paris, who this year has a portrait of her sister Ruth well hung in the Salon, just above the line. She had half finished another portrait intended for the same destination when influeaxa and pneumonia compelled her to lay aside the brush.

Miss Ruth Meeson has been contributing some bright articles to the London papers, and finds an abundance of copy in the French capital.

Mr John Meeson has been travelling widely in the South of France, and at Nimes had the novel experience of witnessing a bull fight. lie intends to return via Tarasc.on (immortalised by Tartarin), Avignon and Geneva, so as to be back in Paris early in June, when the whole family will go to the seaside in Brittany.

Among- those returning1 to the colony are Mr and Mrs Brigham, by the Oruba. on the 12th; Mrs Dcvonish Meares, and Mr and Mrs Alex. Sclanders, by the Gothic, on the 11th; and Mr G. 11. Buekeridge, by the Britannia, on the 18th.

Mr N. H. Garland, who in 1889 resigned a lectureship at Cambridge to accompany Lord Onslow to New Zealand, in charge of his son, Lord Cranley. and who in August last went- out again to the colony in company with Lord Northland, returned with the latter to England in the Gothic. Mr Garland has now rejoined the school at St. Cyprians, Eastbourne, which lie owns in partnership with Mr Yaughan Wilke's. Tie is now writing1 some chapters on colonial public law for an important German publication. It will probably be several years before he lias another opportunity of visiting New Zealand, to which he became much attached.

Australasians are represented at the International Exhibition of Impressionists at Knig-htsbridgo. this year, though sparingly. The somewhat gushing writer of the Personal Notes in the 'British Australasian,' by the way, has rather given away Messrs Arthur Strecton and Bertram Mnokennal. After mentioning the fact, that Mr Streeton has a fine pastoral painting at the new English Art Club, the writer goes on t-o say that Mr, Streeton ha.s sent "Harvest," "Hill and Cloud," and a chalk design of 'Venufi and Adonis," and Mr Mackennal the marble bust of Melba, which is authoritatively described as "an ideal effort, in sculptured portraiture" to the International Exhibition, "where acceptance means a very special compliment, sinco none but work of indisputable merit is ever shown there." But. nlas, the par proves somewhat premature, for neither the "ideal effort" nor one, of Mr Streeton's pictures are to be discovered in the International! This, of course, does not mean that they were rejected because they didn't reach a sufficiently high standard. The members and guarantors of the society sent such a number of their own works, in addition to those of European painters of established repute, that no doubt the pictures of outsiders like the colonials were simply "crowded out."

However, Mr Mackennal is represented by one small marble relief, "Good Night," a little girl kissing her brother good night on his brow. Mr Rupert Bunny's "Storm" is on the line in a conspicuous position. A tall, slim girl, clad in a thin black and white striped dress and holding tight to her broad brimmed straw hat, is hurrying home across the sands from the rain storm, which is blackening the waters of the bay behind her. Mr Bunny has succeeded in painting a good portrait and a breezy bit of subsidiary landscape.

The only other Australasian, Mr George Yon Haast, shows a clever little water-colour sketch of a Scotchman in bonnet and kilt seated in a chair reading a book. Mr Arthur Studd is scarcely an Australasian, but the subjects of his pictures and pastels, South Sea Islanders, have a distinctly Southern flavoTxr.

In the Paris Salon, by the way, I hear the Australian contingent comes out well, Messrs Bunny, Coats, Officer, Inim and Miss Dora Meeson all being represented.

Miss Grace Joel (Dunedin), who arrived by the Gothic, has been visiting the numerous art exhibitions that are now open. She much enjoyed her inspection of the Duke of Westminster's fine pictures in Grosvenor House, including- Gainsborough's 'Blue Boy.' Miss Joel was fortunate in having an interview with Mr G. F. Watte, who rarely sees anyone, but who was very kind, and spoke in high terms of her work. Mr Solomon J. Solomon also spoke in encouragingl terms of her artistic promise. She is now staying at Ashfield Tower, Gosforth, at New-castle-on-Tyne, but leaves next week for Paris, to see the Salon and to study there. She expects to stay in Paris over the Exhibition of 1900.

The. bust of Gladstone, which Mr 11. C. Fehr has just executed to the order of the Art Memorial Company, West Norwood, and a replica of which is to go out to New Zealand, is now on view at his studio in the Fulhani Jload. The sons and friends of the great statesman have expressed great satisfaction at. its life like appearance. The bust is a little larger than life size, and represents Mr Gladstone in h.is L.L.D. robes at the time when he was pressingl his Home Rule Bill.

Mr Brooke Warren has written to the "Daily Mail" on the subject of the Californian pine at Kew, which requires fire to open the seed cones. He says that he remembers in his early days several of these trees in his father's garden in New Zealand, the cones of which were knocked down and placed in an oven, when numerous small brown almond-shaped seeds were disclosed, "which were, greatly relished by us as a most delicate and agreeable comestible."

The marriage of Mr Harold Rathbon<\ elder brother of Mr Wilfred Itathbone, of Auckland, and manager of the Delia Robia. Art Pottery, to Miss Alice Maude Cunningham, of Annfield, took place at the celebrated high church of St. Marguret's, West Derby, on May Bth, the incumbent, Mr Wakeford, officiating. The wedding was, by the wish of the parties chiefly concerned, very qiriet, and the bride simply wore her travelling gown —a dress of the new shade of pearl grey Liberty cloth with shot silk linings and trimmings, and boa a,nd muff of silver fox fur. A large picture hat, with a profusion of grey ostrich feathers matched, and the whole, was set off with some rare old Florentine silver jewellery, necklace, brooch, chatelaine amd bracelet encrusted with turquoises. No invitations were issued for the occasion, but the church was crowded, and the happy pair have already received about 115 presents, which are increasing as the news of their union trickles around Liverpool. Mr and Mrs Harold lUthbone, after the usual social formalities, left for London on Monday afternoon, en route to Sark, where the honeymoon will be spent.

The Plymouth Western 'Daily Mercury' has a couple of columns chat with Mr L. M. Tsit-t, who has just concluded his temperance mission at Plymouth. The interviewer describes the toxnpcran.ee reiormer thus: —"A man of abundant charity, manly to his innermost fibre, there, is nothing mawkish about him; no sickly sentimentality; he is a downright, f«irless Englishman. As his physical frame speaks of a vigorous constitution, so his face betokens a powerful individuality. There is strength in it and eagerness; it is the fact of a man of decision. There is sympathy in it also, and a wistfuJ tenderness plays about these candid eyes with their unwavering look. Clearly a man this who loves his fcllownTPn, and a man, too, marked for leadership."

Mr Isitt expressed his well-known opinions on New Zeala-nd freely and outhusiast ically.

The Te. Aro House Drapery Company (Limited) was registered on the. f.f'Th April, with a capital of !;:;0,000 in C 1 shares. Its objects arc: To acquire and carry on the business of drapers and furnishing and general warehoupe*-rm-n carried on at To Aro House, Wellington, as James Smith and Co., ami to enter into an agreement with W.

H. Caru-r

The well-bred stallion Cyreninn, a son of St Simon and Daisy Chnin. is boin/r shipped to New 7-crvland by the Rakaia a fortinglit honor, having bean purchased by "Mr E. J. Emtm." CyrenJan should malce an excellent, mate for Musket mares.

Mr 11. Beckwith Leefe, fclie British Vice-Consul at Tonga., writes to tlie. "Pali Mall Gazette" to contradict a quotation from that paper in the "Auckland (Weekly News" t.hat King George, I. of Tonga "Was chiefly remarkable, for his being able to drink more whisky than any mat) white or black in these seas.'' Says Mr Leefe: "No more abstemious ninn than the late King of Tonga ever oxistod. If any man ever deserved the title, of 'Grand Old Man' lie did, and lie was in all respects an honourable man and a consistent Christian gentleman."

Some, sad farts wore disclosed at the inquest held last Saturday at Kiup-s- ---! ton-on-Thames upon Mr James Gridley, th" son of an ex-Mayor of KingsJ ton, who was found dead in his bed from the effect® of opium poisoning at Ham on 29th March. Mr Gridley was 25 years old, and in the service of the Shaw, Savill line. He had failed in his examinations and seems to have, worried over this, especially as this failure would delay his intended marriage to Miss Emily Gait, of Ham, to whom he had been engaged for three years. Miss .Gait, who gave evidence, saw Mr Gridley the night before his death. He then seemed very ill, and said to her: "It may be a very wicked thing to say, but I have been poisoned." The Coroner intimated to Miss Gait that he had read her letters, and that he thought she had been rather hurrying the dead man on too rapidly, keeping him a little too much up to the mark. Miss Gait admitted that she wanted Mr Gridley to marry her and take her to New Zealand, but she didn't consider she worried him to get married. The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

The Key. W. H. Fitchett had scarcely set foot in London, whither he has come to see through the press of the proofs of his new book dealing ■with the Napoleonic wars with England, when he was "nulled" by an enterprising "Daily News" interviewer and persuaded to speak a few words about his "Deeds" and about Australia in general. Mr Fitchett, says the interviewer, "is very modest over his great Imperialist work He tries to convey to one, with evident sincerity, that really anyone mig-ht have done the same had tirey hit on the subject and treated it popularly." Mr Fitchett explained how the "■Deeds" originated in a suggestion of Admiral Bridges to Mr Haddon, and how Mr Sti-achey of the "Spectator" was so pleased with the copy sent him by Mr Fitohetrt that he took the book arfc once to Smith and Elder, who became Mr Fitrhett's publishers, and treated him "all through most generously and kindly." Mr Fitchett believed that he had been specially influenced in style by De Quincey, and

Mr W. WUMnlson (ChristehTtrch) is feeling much better at St. Leonards, the fresh air of which should do much to set him up.

then the conversation turned to Australian topics. Mr Fitchett is likely to get into trouble abroad if he talks in this .strain too loudly. "The English stock is flavoured with other white races. In Africa with the Dutch, in Canada with the French. In Australia we have escaped the over-spill of cheap European races." He was on safer ground when he anticipated that the Australian climate would make the Australians a nation of artists, lie thought it well said that "the Australian will become an Italianated Englishman," evidently not agreeing in this respect with the Elizabethan writer who declared that "a;ii Italianate Englishman is the devil incarnate." Gambling he declared a scandal and a menace to the future, Tattersall's sweeps a curse, larrikinism to be decreasing, and local option a failure. "1 believe," he said, "the one thing for us to aim at is the complete elimination of private profits from the trade.". On the question of taxation Mr Fitchett said: '"You have rather spoiled us. Years ago, you lost the American eollnies because you taxed their imports. Now you retain your Australian colonies by suffering them to impose a tax against your tax on colonial wines, when the Australian colonies maintain such heavy imposts on imports from England?" Mr Fit-* chett wound up by a eulogy of Australia's "enthusiastic loyalty."

Lieutenant H. E. Nefrve (Christohuroh) has been appointed Captain of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Mrs G. H. Merton (Christehureh) arrived a few days ago by the Victoria, coming overland from Marseilles and spending a week in Paris eri route. She. leaves for the country on Saturday, and goes up to Scotland in June.

Mr J. L. Adams has an article in the "Field" on "Burning Bush in New Zealand."

Mrs Grace Neild is still in London ajid studying the English charitable aid system, for which facilities arc being afforded by the Government Departments. She expects to visit the House of Commons one evening this week.

Mr George yon Haast has a clever little impressionist study of a. Highlander in the International Exhibition at • Knightsbridge, "run by" Messrs Whistler and Lavery.

Mrs Ballance intends shortly taking her adopted daughter to Dresden for her musical studies, and tni-velling on the Continent herself.

Mr F. 11. Hobbs (Christehurch) ba.s just returned to town on the close of the Cunningham Opera Company's tour, in the. course of which he earned much kudos for his drama.tic rendering of the characters of Felton and ■Roehfort in the company's operatic version of the "Three Musketeers." Mr Hobbs is likely to devote himself to opera for some time to come.

The. N.Z. Government Insurance Commissioner is advertising in the "Times" his inttuitjon to issue copies of the policies on the life, of Waiter Herbert Kay, formerly of Hawera, unless noiicr be lodged forbidding: the same by 11th. July.

Miss Therese Sievwright was very suecesful in the two numbers she contributed to the first of the series of sacred concerts at the Graud Theatre, Fulham, last Sunday.

j Miss Belle Hitchings will be play- | ing in "The Sign of the Cross" at Surbiton on Whit Monday and Tuesday, and on 28th she will represent Princess Nndiiie in "Moths" for a week, alter which she hopes to have a rest, until August.

The New South Wales Lancers are to take part in the Koyal review of Uie London volunteers on the evening- of July St.li by tho Prince of Wales in Hyde Park. It is expected that 30,000 men will fall in. ancl it has been suggested that other colonial volunteer forces and even some of the crack volunteer corps from the U.S.A. might be invited to join in the display.

M. Lempriere Pring-le took the part of the King in the performance of

"Lohengrin" that opened the Covent Garden Opera season on Monday night. 4iHe showed much dignity,'' says the "Times," "and his firm voice toid well, although it was occasionally sadly out of tune."

The London Missionary Society began its series of anniversary meetings last Saturday by an animated children's demonstration. Missionaries in many coloured raiment from many climes, where every prospect pleases and only man is vile, recited texts and sang hymns in a variety of confusing tongues, the Samoan chant being perhaps the most melodious. Then there was a displays of' huge cubes to show the proportion of missionaries to population, sentences recited by the audience to impress the leading facts of missiona.ry work an their mind, and lively songs to march time taken up by the throng of juveniles with spirit. Exeter Hall will soon become one of the most popular resorts for entertainment, if its religious demonstrations a>rei to be conducted on such attractive lines.