PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 165, 14 July 1902, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Pur Special ■ Correspondent.)

June. 6.,

BarnrcQat'e character sketch of Mr Seddott In the •■jeinpire Review" for June wilt not teJl'lSew Zeajanders much that they do not know about Mr Seddon.. She ranks your Premier among the first three colonial statesmen in the Empire, considers that he could hardly know more about mining nor have a better grip of. colonial questions, but that he does not ao niinself justice when'he-lays down the law about foreign (Uirairs. She points out—what English people are too apt to forget—that the land policy was due to Sir John McKenzle, the labour policy to Mr Keeves, and considers tiiat New Zealand owes Mr oeucion most gratitiiue ipr his action in supporting xne jjank or >\ew -^eaiaua. iihouesian m iris methods of talking about money, iiismarckian —at lease outwardly—xo the numerous on mm and nis policy,"lie surrounds xuniseif by mediocre xuen and uoes not leave enougu work io his suDorctin--aces. But lie is "the one reaUy remtirKaDle man in .>e'W Zeaiamt ac the .present day."

Mr T. C. L. Holroyd, Ist iNew Zeaiaiut contingent, is gazetted as .Lieutenant m me ozuu i>attoiion of iiiijjcrmi ieonuuiry xv aouin zviiica, wivn me temporary rauit vi iixeuteuanii in me Ai'uty.

Mrs Alex. Sraufc (Auckland) and Mi's J. Towusend (i'liames) are oft to ciantortlshire, where fney were born, and after the Coronation will travel in Scotland and Ireland. Airs Townsend is making some enquiries ,inco lier late husoand's claim to some property here.

The wife of Mr N. Alfred Nathan, of Auckland, gave birth last Wednesday to a daugnter at iO, I'orcnester Terrace.

Colonel POle-Penton, former Commandant of thb New Zealand Forces, has been appointed Chief Staff Officer of Major-Crener'al Cooke, who is to command the colonial troeps at Alexandra I'alaee.

Mr W. F. Utting, Auckland, enjoyed his trip Home by the Vancouver route, and the short sojourns at Toronto, Niagara and Montreal. His journey is mainly connected with his business in the Friendly Islands, and he expects to visit Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, nrid to take his departure shortly after the Coronation, if his business negotiations are concluded by that time.

Mr T. E. Taylor has been spending a week in Grimsby, making a thorough investigation of the methods of torn trawling, and of the conduct of the Business connnected therewith. He Avas much impressed by the imrnen.-dty of the operations. Four hundred steam trawlers coming and going almost daily and a quay half* a mile long packed with fish are calculated to make an impression on even the most impassive New Zealandcr. Mr Taylor believes that he has succeeded in making arrangements for a bout for the New Zealand industry.

At the King's levee and investiture on Monday morning the following presentations were made:—The Hon. ■W. Pember Beeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, by the Secretary of State for the Colonies; Mr Joseph P. Studholme, by Mr S. B. Boulton.

The following New Zealanders having passed the necessary examinations have been admitted members of the Royal College,of Surgeons:— J. V. Arkle, University of New Zealand and St. Thomas'; F. J. Borrie, University of New Zealand and Middlesex; C. L. Nedwill, 8.A., Cambridge and St. Bartholomew's; J. H. Neil, M.8., Ch.B., New Zealand; W. M. Shand, M.8., Ch.B., N.Z., St. Bartholomew's and Charing Cross.

Of the colonial institutions which decorated in honour of peace, the Itoyal Colonial Institute, with its large flag, "The King and United Empire," and its two lines of colonial flags across the street, made the bravest show. The Agents-General hung out their respective flags in Victoria-street, and the crystal Coronation devices of Canada and New Zealand were erected in time for illumination.

"New Zealand's Greeting" -.encircles the border of the New Zealand device, and encloses the four stars of the Southern Cross. At Ludgate Circus prominent features of the patriotic display were the large Union Jack and New Zealand red ensign, both in correct bunting, which waved from this office.

The subscriptions to the Seddon Testimonial Fund this week total over £400. Birt & Co., Sydney, KZ.'Land Association, and N.Z. and Australian Land Co., Ltd., each give ten guineas. ' . .

Mr Charles Eous-Marten read a very interesting fljiper on "Some Twentieth Century Locomotives? before the Society of Engineers last Monday. Mr JlousMarten is recognised as one of the leading authorities on this subject.

The two New Zealand athletes, G. W. Smith and H. Simpson, made their first public-appearance in England at the IJersham sports, Wai ton-on-Thames, last Saturday, and the former managed to secure a pot by winning the 120 yards open hurdle race, in hollow fashion by ten yards in 16 4-ssec. The opposition ag-ainst him was weak —indeed, the best of those who started bi**ng- L. F. Tremeer, of the Polytechnic, and J. B. Ben sham, of the South London Harriers, to either of whom an average champion would be asked to concede from 12 to. 15 yards. What Kraenzlin would be called upon to give them would be probably nearer SO. Smith, minus any incentive to go for -all he was worth, and on a rough crass track, naturally,, failed to perform well according to the clock. As it was ho finished as Tremeer landed over the final hurdle, and Densham, who tumbled at the penultimate obstacle, ambled home a poor third. Simpson's essay was quite inglorious. With 70 yards start, in the open mile ho failed to make any show in the race, which AVasnvon by G. L, Garland of the Mbseley Club (130 yards start), with Jjiiekorn, of the S.L.H. (i 05-yards) ,second, a yard away, arid J. Binks, of the; Unity A.C. (20.yards) third,'another yard behind. The time of the race was 4min, 26 4-5 sec,

As the King was proceeding to St. James's Palace aii accident took place which might: have had serious consequences, The driver of a hansom evaded the police and collided with the Royal/carriage. The horse was thrown dawn, and lay struggling .for some mpraents beneath .the King's coach. His Majesty stepped but, and without being , in any way discomposedi stood on the pavement whilst the cabman's horse w%s extricated from its The* State coach was slightly damaged, and has been sent to the coachbuilders to be repaired.

Thus the "Essex Weekly News" on the golden wedding of Mr and Mrs Joseph Smith, of Parnell, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1874, with a family of ten children, have noyv IS children, 35 grand-children, and 1 great-grandchild: "Anyone in Coggeshall who recollects Mr and Mrs Smith will, I am sure, congratulate them upon the 50th anniversary of their wedding day, and also note with pleasure that they and their descendants have done—and, apparently, are still doing—their best to increase the population ,of our thriving , colony in the South Pacific Ocean."

Lord Wolseley unveiled last Saturday a memorial tablet in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral to the memory of the famous war correspondent, the late. Mr Archibald Forbes. The tablet is of green Brazilian onyx, with a bronze portrait medallion in the centre surrounded by a wreath of laurel and olive, tied with a ribbon of silver. Above is a representation of the German Iron Cross, presented by the Emperor William I. to Mr Forbes, the only Englishman who possess-ed the decoration. Below the portrait, which is by Mr H. C. Fehr, is the inscription: — "In memory of Archibald Forbes, LL.I)., war correspondent and military historian. Born IS3S; died 1900. This tablet is placed by his friends at home and abroad." After drawing , aside the. Union Jack which covered the memorial Lortf reminded the gathering of the value to Mr Forbes of his five or six years' experience as a soldier in a drag-ook regiment, which gave him" a knowledge of military movements, and of his talent for sitting down under a heavy fire, and writing- a clear and vivid description of what was going on around him. • The tablet is opposite the memorial of the seven war correspondents who lost their liv&s in the Soudan, 1883-85.

New Zealand was much in evidence at the annual meet-

mo- of the National Women's Temperance Association, presided over by Lady Henry Somerset, lunx xu«sua.y jdigiit.; Although Mr Taylor is under doctor's orders to refrain from all public speaking, he could not resist saying , a word for the cause from the platform oil which Gladstone, John Bright, Cobden and Chamberlain had stood and addressed great meetings. It goes without suying that his language was freer than we are accustomed to in this country, and caused some sensation. After describing- the temperance reforms that had been brought about in New Zealand he said that the Church of Christ would alter the present condition of things in England in ten years if it was in earnest. As it was they had brewers,building churches and murdering the people with their manufactures. Thanks to the industry of these men, more harm was done in twelve months than the Church of Christ could undo in twelve years. The only way to undo the miscliief was by the vote; they must give the women liberty to vote in this country. Every drunken swiper in the streets who was 21 years of age was qualified to govern the destinies of the country, but cultivated women were not permitted. If the English were to be an Imperial people they ought at least to pay respect to those whom they governed by being- a sober people. The Rev. L. M. Isitt .followed, and believed the nation was on the "uptake" so far a.s temperance reform was concerned. To a certain extent the evil was working its own cure, for the very magnitude of the devastation was scaring- moderate drinkers, who, though they felt no danger for themselves, saw that the nation was in peril.

The Wellington correspondent of the "Times," ..writing , on 24tn April, says the Government, which has always had the right to acquire the Manawatu railway under methods, but has failed,to do so, "is adopting , , retaliatory methods, which action, in view of the rig-ht they ..staljl possess of acqtiirinff*Nl<he line by fair means, is regarded as unfair and revengeful. The new tactics involve the termination of the agreement under which the company has the rig-ht to connect! with the Government stations at each end of its line. This frill cause serious inconvenience and IoSvS, not only to the company, but also to the important district at the northern terminus of the line. The object is, of course, to divert tile west coast traffic from the direct route to Wellington via the Manawatu line, on to the roundabout route followed by the more inland Government lines."'

The Hon. Wm. MeCulloch, wHo lias ;just'arrived in London to represent Victoria at the Coronation, told a ".Pall Mall' interviewer the other day that he strongly favours preferential trade between the colonies and the Mother Country, and is confident that if any arrangement of the kind can be come to at the coming- conference it will be most popular in Australia. "I feel," he said, "that the time has come when something- of the kind should be brought about. We are one people, and we should support oup another. At present g-oods from France and Germany are allowed into Australia on exactly the same footing- as gt>od.s from ouj , own kith and kin in' Great Britain. And it is the same on til is side. I believe I know Australian opinion a-s well as most men, and I confidently state there will be; no difficulties in the way with us if j the Government and the people here ng-ree to adopt a system of preferential trade. The corn duties are a seep ill the rig-h't direction- If only.en eourag-ement is given.'to the-cOlonJe-s in this way, th* ; area under wheat HVill be,;.jnxyreas&d, and the consumer, except possibly- ibr a sh-ort timo at ■first, will not have to pay more."