PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 9 January 1905, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

I (From Our Special Correspoß.fl.ent.) LONDON, December 2. Professor Ernest Rutherford. FJLS,, of Montreal University, who is a New Zealander. is one of the eight distinguished medallists honoured this year by the Royal Society. He has been awarded the Rumford medal on account of his researches on the properties of radio-active matter, in particular for his capital discovery of the active gaseous emanations emitted by such matter, a"nd his detailed investigation of their transformations. In the absence of Professor Rutherford the medal was handed to Lord Stratheona at the annual meeting of the Society en Wednesday. Speaking at the banquet in the evening the Canadian High Commissioner said the award ■would be highly appreciated, not only by that University of which Professor Rutherford was an ornament, but also by the whole people of Canada. It was well that they had in the colonies and in the first confederated nations wit Kin the Empire distinguished men working so worthily in the line po long pursued "by the Royal Society. It was well, also, that they had spirited and generous-minded men who had given the facilities which had enabled Professor Rutherford to accomplish what he h;id. From one gentleman alone. Sir W. MacDonald, the Applied Science Department of McGill University (Montreal) had received more than one million sterling; while to the cause of technical education he had also given largely and well. It was. indeed, highly satisfactory that the Mother Country and the colony were coming together in this way. to carry on the great work of the Royal Society.

Miss Bessie Laird, of Parnell. Auckland, -who arrived by the Aihenie last •Tune, has since then been staying with her aunts, the Misses Maegregor Larrd. at Folkestone. Making that her headquarters, she has visited various parts of England- and latterly has crossed to Ireland to visit some relatives there. Miss Laird is on a pleasure trip, and has greatly enjoyed her holiday. She. expeet3 to return to New Zealand about June next.

Xew Zealand papers are asked to record the death of Mr Louie Victor Cooper, aged 31. the second son of Mr and Mrs William Cooper. Deceased lived at Brighton, bat at the time of his death, which took place on November 23, he was at South Norwood, SJE.

The Bishop of London, Dr. Winnington Ingram. ha<* been pleased to accept the dedication of Mr P. A. Yaile"s newbook en modern lawn tennis players, ■which is* shortly to br published by Maemillan" and Co. The style and strokes of the leading exponents of t'no game are analysed by Mr Vaile. and some fifteen new strokes are illustrated and explained. The book will be plentifully illustrated with photographs of well-known players making their characteristic strokes. Mr Vaile's nr=t book. "Modern Lawn Tennis,"' has been translated into German, and the "Allgemeine Sport-Zeitung." a leading German sporting journal, publishes a very eulogistic review*of the volume. '"Never," says this paper, ""has the forehand drive been so -clearly and convincingly set forth, and never Las the American service— that continual source of argument—■ been so hit-idly explained. ... It seems to us we should have to quote from every chapter in order to do justice to this thoroughly excellent hook.'"

Mr Walter Kirby, an Auckland tenor, congratulated by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, principal of the Royal Academy of Music, upon his rendering of "Angels Guard Thee" at a concert given last week at Covent Garden in aid of the Musicians' Society.

Callers at the Agent-General's office this week: Mr and Mrs C. S. Willimoth (Wellington). Mr and Mrs Hannibal Canter, Mr E. G. Jellicoe "(Wellington).

Lord Stratheona, thr '-COM.' , of Canada, who represents the Dominion in London as High Commissioner, has again found it necessary to contradict the rumour of his impending retirement. Although in his 85th year, Lord Stratbcona is more active than many a man of half hie years. One day last week, for example, despite the bitterly cold weather, be travelled from London to Liverpool, opened a volunteer bazaar, and returned to London the same day. The following morning he was at his office , by half-past ten. and did not leave off ■work for a minute till eight o'clock in the evening. He has declared that he has not had lurcheon for sixty years!