PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 53, 2 March 1907, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, January 26. News has reached London of the sudden death, at San Remo, of the Rev. Harry Woodford St. Hill, formerly Canon of St. "John's Cathedral, Napier, New Zealand. Mr. St. Hill, who was in hia 80th year; died on the 15th inst. H.R-H. the Prince of Wales, as President of the Royal Colonial Institute, has consented to preside at a banquet (in substitution for the annual dinner) at which it is hoped to entertain the delei gates to the Colonial Conference. The date will be announced later. The Earl of Elgin has been elected a vice-presi-dent of the institute. Professor Richards, of Aberystwyth College, Wales, who was appointed a few days ago to the position of Professor of Mathematics at Otago University, has had to resign on account of the dangerous illness of his mother. The Select Commission are now considering other applications for the post. Mrs. F. W. King, of Auckland, who arrived by the lonic on the 17th ult., spent a few days in Plymouth, and then went to Bristol for Christmas, and Qr to London for New Year. Mrs. King is now spending a little time with her brother, the Rector of Stoke, prior to leaving for Rome and Northern Italy. She purposes returning to London via. the Riviera. Recent callers at the High Commissioner's office:—Mr. W. Lancelot Moore (Christchurch), Lieut.-Col. E. N. C. Chaytor (Wellington), Mr. O. EarpThomas (Wellington), Mr. V. T. Hitehings, Miss Etchings (Levin), Mr. John S. Adam (Dunedin), Mr. John W. Palmer (Kosemont), Mr. A. C. Williamson, Mrs. E. Button (Dunedin), Mr. E. C. Barnett, M.R.C.S. (Leeston). Mr. J. W. Winton, the ventriloquist, and hie popular ""McGinfcy," who toured New Zealand with Cinquevalli in 1902, opened at the Alhambra last week on a week's engagement.. On the first night the performance was bo highly succesful that Mr. Winton was immediately booked to appear for a period of six weeks. Mr. J. A. Gilruth, chief bacteriologist to the New Zealand Government, has arrived in London. Mr. Gilruth has received sis months 5 leave of absence in order to bring himself up-to-date with the latest developments of bacteriology in England and on the Continent.

The forthcoming marriage of Miss Helen Cathcart to Mr. Neil Forsyth, the well-known manager of Covenfc Garden Theatre, is of interest to New Zealanders, since the bride's father was that sterling actor, the late J. W. Cathcart, whose long association with the Australasian stage rendered his recent death a matter of widespread regret. By the New Zealand Shipping Co.'s Turakina, which left London on January 24, the following were saloon passengers: Mr. G. D. Ashby, Mr. J. and Miss K. Conoley, Miss D. Martin, Rev. Canon O'Mahoney, Mr. J. B. and Mrs. Roberton, Miss N. J. Wells, Mrs. G. Winslow, Mrs. A. Worthy, Mr. R. P. Bacon, Mr. W. A. Baines, Mr. A. E. L. and Mrs. Bertling and family, Mr. and Mrs. J. Brindle, Mr. F. Britton, Mr. and Mrs H. Cavendish, Mr. A. Eyles, Miss K. Fox, Mr. H. A. George, Miss F. E. Hagearty, Mr. W. Hartnell, Mr. G. Heathcotf, Mr A. Henwood, Mr. W. E. Hurley, Mr. and Mrs. H. Jackson, Miss M. M. Lester, Mr. J. Morrish, Mr. W. Newell, Mr A J. D. Nunns, Mr. B. R. S. J. Palmer, Mr! F Pardoe, Mr. G. Pott, Miss R. M. Poynder, Mrs. A. Sturrock, Mr. A. Telford Mrs. Wells. In the steerage there were about 80 passengers. The striking- on the Goodwin Sands of the P. and O. liner Moldavia in Saturday's fog was an unpleasant experience for those on board. The Moldavia a vessel of 9500 tons, was on a voyage from Sydney to London when she grounded on the Goodwins in proximity to one of the lightships. The distress signals from the lightship caused assistance to put out to the Sands from Deal and Walmer. The lifeboat from the latter station was launched and proceeded to the Sands. Tugs were also despatched from. Dover, but the captain of the Moldavia refused any assistance. The liner had, fortunately, struck on a spit of the Sands, and with the rising tide she was able eventually to get off by means of her own engines. It is pointed out in shipping circles that this mishap to the Moldavia could not have occurred if the system of submarine bel signals had been in use on the Goodwins. This system has been successfully experimented with between the Goodwins Lightship and a Trinity House steamer, the signals being very distinctly noted on board the steamer several miles away from the Sands. It has not, however, gone beyond the experimental stage on these dangerous sands, although the system has been adopted and proved very successful at the entrance to the Mersey and elsewhere.