PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Issue 311, 31 December 1900, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Prom Our London Correspondent.)

I/OjSTDON, November 23.

Sir Montague Nelson's second son, Mr Harold Nelson, is making a tour of the 'Australian colonies in the Interests of the meat companies (of which he is a director), and left Liverpool en route for Brisbane via America.

According to ..'the "Glaisgow Mail" the memory of Mrs Mitchell McLachlan, of Auckland, who died recently at the age of 93, has been honoured by conferring an annuity of £5 on the oldest inhabitant of Duns- Mrs McLachlau was born at Kidshielhaugh, Duns, and the annuity, which is apparently a permanent affair, has in the first instance fallen to Miss Eliza Johnston, of Newton-street, Duns.

Among the passengers by, the NorthGerman iiiTtr Darmstadt, which leaves on the 10th December, are Mr Jiistice Denniston and his family, Mr and. Mrs T. Broham, Miss Sybil Maude and Miss Beswick. all of whom are returning to the colony. Mr and Mrs Broham will join the boat at Naples, after visiting the chief towns of Italy!. '

I understand that the rehearing of Mr Jellicoe's appeal to the Privy Council against his three months' suspension by the Supreme Court, of the Colony has been postponed until next March.

The Law Soeietj'- has at last commenced its inquiry into the proceedings of Mr W. H. Flower in connection with the "Mokau" Jones affair. Mr Lawson Walton, Q.C., is representing Mr Jones, and the investigation!, will probably be a. lengthy one..

Mr J. .T. Sutherland, who left Auckland in the fall of '98, in order to get a glimpse of the world outside "King Dick's" fair dominion, arrived in London, recently i'rom America, whither he went in the first instance. Full up of wandering, he is leaving to-day for home, sweet home by the Orizaba.

Lieut.-Colonel Francis comes up to the Hotel Cecil at the end of this week from Brighton. His doctor does not give a very encouraging report of his state of health.

Mr Bowen (Christclvureh), who is enjoying fifteen months',leave from his responsible duties in the Federated Malay States, will be a passenger by tlio Gothic to New Zealand, where he will spend some months, before returning probably via Japan, Manila, and Hong Kong.

Lady yon Haast is spending the winter at Siedliska-, in Poland.

The challenge, issued recently by James Wray and W. A. Barry to double scuirany oilier pair of professionals over the Thames championship course, appears to be a mere piece of bluff. Wray on his own showing has completed all arrangements^, .for an early departure for America, and beyond George Towns and Tom Sullivan there are no sc\illers on thisl side who could find £200 for a race against Barry and Wray. Sullivan would certainly not entertain the proposition. lie has indeed publicly expressed through the "Sportsman" his final decision not to "identify myself personally with anything with .which Wray is connected." It would be interesting to know whether Sullivan has anything against Wray beyond mere personal prejudice.

George Towns is to be the victim of a complimentary banquet early next month, and advantage is to be taken of the occasion to formally hand over to him the "Sporxsmair' Challenge Cup, won whin lje defeated Wray for the charapionsnlp, and a gold watch presented by the proprietors of the "Sportsman, 5 rto which a gold albert has been added by personal friends of the scullek