Pars about Notabilities.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 67, 19 March 1910, Page 15

Pars about Notabilities.

The Emperor of Austria is another monarch of simple tastes who confines himself to good soup, grilled fish, and plain joints. Of late years 'he has taken kindly to light puddings, which, of course, must be ascribed to his great age. In his younger days ihe was noted for 'his liking for purely German dishes; and to this day he is occasionally permitted •by his doctors to make a hearty meal from a hot knuckle of bacon, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. The Master of Elibank has had some doubts cast on the legality of his title. The Sheriff of the Lothians refused to allow it to be printed on the polling cards used in the Parliamentary election for Midlothian. The Sheriff, in fact, insisted that his Dame should appear as t-he Hon. Alexander ALuxray. This was printed on the polling cards in the election in Peebleshire four years ago, but when the Master contested Midlothian in 1900 he was designated by his usual courtesy title. One afternoon recently Monsieur Briand, Prime Minister of France, who had. been to the theatre with friends, -was getting into a motor car with them when two working men slouched up. "All, Citizen," said one of them, "you would refuse to come and have a drink now, I suppose, as you're a Minister?" "No, I tvould not," said M. Briand. And leaving his friends he went oil arm in arm with the two men to the nearest wine shop. He probably enjoyed himself less than he would have done elsewhere, but these things mean votes. His Majesty King Ed-ward mil remain at his favourite spring re- ! sort, Biarritz, for about three weeks, when he will travel to Marseilles to meet the Queen and Princess Victoria upon the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert. Their Majesties will then take a lengthy trip in the Mediterranean. His' Majesty will subsequently leave the Royal yacht and return to England, arriving during the first week in May. Her Majesty will then go to Denmark, and does not expect to be in London until quite three weeks later. This yachting trip is being taken at the advice of his Majesty's physicians, who consider the change will have the effect of bracing him up for the London sea-; son, which imposes a greater strain upon both the King and Queen than is gene- : rally realised. While in Biarritz his j Majesty occupies his special suit of rooms in the Hotel Kegina. The King of Spain will pay him two or three visits. M. Lotrbet has been relating some remi- 1 niscences of his relations with crowned ' heads, in the course of which the exPresident tells a capital story of which King Edward is the hero. M. Loubet referred to one of the King's official visits to Paris soon alter the Boer war, when an anti-British feeling prevailed among the Parisian population. Extraordinary police measures had to be taken to ensure the King's s«iiety and prevent annoyance. M. Loubet eaid: "The day after the gala performance at the Theatre Francaia the King was so tired that he could not keep his eyes open. 'Pinch me,' -he said to mc. 'Pinch mc, M. Loubet, or I shall fall asleep.' And so 1 kept on pinching Ilia Majesty and whisjermginjus,.ear, 'Sire, bow to the right; Sire, bow to the left.' The King bowed and smiled automatically, and the good people were delighted." Captain Julien Viaud, having reached the age limit of sixty, has 'been placed on the retired list. In other words, Pierre Loti—his comrades, in the early days of his literary career, nicknamed him after the modest and vioiot-like Oriental flower—is no longer an oflicer of the French Xavy. It seems diflicuJt to realise that it is now nineteen years since the officers of the Formidable," then stationed at Algiers, learned that their messmate had been elected a member of the French Academy. It was felt necessary to give him some foretaste of the •honours which awaited him at Paris such a rare opportunity could hard'v be thrown away. An old armchair represented the historic "fautenil," palms— plentiful enough in sunny Afric—were freely stitched on to his uniform, and interminable speeches were inflicted on ■the new Academician, that he might learn to listen to prosy eloquence with cheerful grace.—"T-P.'s Weekly." Sir David GUI, whose name has appeared prominently in connection with the new daylight comet, has probably done more work in astronomical science than any living man. Like most Scotsmen, he has been blessed with a fund of dry humour. Speaking not long ago of the number of people who are continually finding new comets, and who never fail to acquaint him of the fact, he told a delicious story, illustrating the difficulties and intricacies that astronomy presents to the lay mind. "There is, for instance," he said, "tha story of the meteorite that fell on a Highland farm some years ago. It was a valuable meteorite, and tho landlord claimed it at once. 'All minerals and metals on the land,' said he, 'belong to mc. That's in the lease.' But the tenant demurred, and pointed out that the meteorite was not on the farm when the lease was drawn up. Here was a pretty point, but the landlord was equal to the occasion, and retorted: 'Well, then, I claim it as flying game.' Here the tenant had a ready answer: 'Bat it has neither wings nor feathers,' he said; 'therefore, as ground game, its' mine.' At this point," says Sir David, "the discussion was cut short 'by the appearance of a revenue officer, who proceeded to take possession of the meteorite. 'Because,' said he, 'it is au article introduced into this corrntTy without payment of duty.'"

Princess Marie of Hohonlohe-Oehxingen, wife of Prince Frederick Charles, has returned from a great hunting expedition in Africa. The Princess is aged thirtyseven, and is the mother of two young daughters. She was accompanied by licr husband, and achieved marvellous result 3. Her 'bag consisted of one elephant, ■two lions, one rhinoceros, three panthers, three leopards, and a vast' number of less dangerous game. The Princess, attired in a male suit of khaki colour, and wearing heavy knee 'boots, was untiring in her hunting expeditions, and stalked -the game at night like a practised African marksman. She had many dani gerous encounters, and was almost run down by a rhinoceros before her final shot killed it. She was also in imminent danger of being mauled by a lion which she had shot and wonndod without killing. The wounded lion sprang towards her and was on the point of reaching her when two simultaneous shots felled hi<m. One was discharged by Prince Frederick Charles, her husband, and one toy the Princess herself. Princess Marie •will write a book describing her exciting adventures and hunting experiences. For a period of four months she was the only woman in the hunting expedition.

Mr. Churchill i≤ an Englishman who may be considered Scotch, says "M.A.P.," by adoption, in right of his election for Dundee. Wonderful, indeed, is the meteoric career which, has made him one of the most potent personalities in the Cabinet at an age when most politicians are only just beginning. When he was taken prisoner by the Boers and escaped, the official description of him observed that "he talks through the nose and cannot pronounce the letter 's , properly." He certainly does pronounce "c" aa if it were almost "she," and "belongs" as if it were "belongsh." He has all the "go" and sanguine temperament of his lamented father, Ivord Randolph, while he has inherited from his American mother a number of charming qualities, including a marked literary ability. Mrs. George Corn\vallL3 West is said to have once confessed: "I am afraid of the pace; it is the Churchill pace." And "Winston" himself is said to have declared when he began Ma Parliamentary career: "The Churchills peg out early; I am going to make sure of my innings." Mr. Churchill's marriage some two years ago to the beautiful Miss Clemen-tine Hozier brought together a most striking assemblage of political friends and opponents alike. It was on thia occasion that a witty poet wrote: This is Winnie the fickle — a baa Httle boy, But a passable mite when he knows yer, lie does not a very good tailor employ, Winnie gcMjs to a beautiful Hosier. Tie King has sent a brooch to Miss Fraser. who has devoted fifty-four years to promoting the welfare o£ the members of the tailoring trade, on the occasion of her eighty-seventh birthday and in appreciation of her valuable services "to a deserving class of His Majesty's sub-

teoric career which has made him one of the most potent personalities in the Cabinet at an age when most politicians are only just beginning. When he was taken prisoner by the Boers and escaped, the official description of him observed that "he talks through the nose and cannot pronounce the letter 's , properly." He certainly does pronounce "c" as if it were almost "she," and "belongs" as if it were "belongsh." He has all the "go" and sanguine temperament of his lamented father, Lord Randolph, while he has inherited from his American mother a number of charming qualities, including a marked literary ability. Mrs. George Goniwallia West is said to have once confessed: "I am afraid of the pace; it is the Churchill pace." And "Winston" himself is said to have declared when he began his Parliamentary career: "Ths Churehills peg out early; I am going to make sure of my innings." Mr. Ctrar-1 chill's marriage some two years ago to the beautiful Miss Clemen-tine Hozier brought together a most striking assemblage of political friends and opponents alike. It was on this occasion that a witty poet wrote: This is Winnie the fickle — a bad Bttle boy, But a passable mite when he knows yer, Though lie does not a very good tailor employ, Winnie go<:s to a beautiful Hosier. The King has sent a brooch to Miss Fraser. who has devoted fifty-four years to promoting the welfare of the members of the tailoring trade, on the occasion I of her eighty-seventh birthday and in ap- | preciation of her valuable services "to a deserving class of His Majesty's subjects." The "Tailor and Gutter," which print 3 His Majesty's letter to Miss Fraser, expresses pleasure at the King's tribute to the tailors of Great Britain, and adds: "We have carefully followed fhe dress of His Majesty for a quarter of a century, and on no occasion do we recall his being dressed in other than the be3t of taste. Like most English gentlemen, he has his idiosyncrasies, and he .by no means always follows the fashion; but he invariably combines a consideration of the demands of tho occasion, the suitability of the style to a figure of his build, with an adaptability to the climatic conditions, so that his garments i are always chosen with good sense, good taste, and a full recognition of the courtesies which can be paid to his host or guests 'by means of dress." There can be no doubt as to the genuine enthusiasm of Lady Constance ■■ Lytton, the Suffragette sister of the Earl | of Lytton, for the "cause." I expect! (writes our London correspondent) the news that she has been imprisoned foil the best part of a fortnight in Walton j Gaol, in Liverpool, under the disguise of | "Jane Wharton," a seamstress, will have j been cabled out to New Zealand,- but the j hard details go to show how very plucky j Lady Constance has been in her desire j to suffer with Suffragettes of lesser de- ] gree. She cut off her long hair, dressed i herself in old clothes and worn-out boots, I and led her audience, after a meeting, to ' Walton Gaol, where she made a violent' protest at the treatment of an impri-1 soned Suffragette, Selina Martin. Sub-1 sequently she was arrested and charged with obstruction and insulting behaviour, and was fined 10/ and costs, with an al- i ternative of fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labour, choosing the latter. She then refused to perform tho work allotted her, an& started a hungeT strike as protest at not being treated as a political offender. After S6 hours' fast, forcible feeding -was resorted to —a gross miscarriage of justice, it seems to the Suffragettes, since as lady Constance Lytton she had in a former imprisonment been released on account of a weak heart. Eventually, before the fortnight elapsed, Lady Constance, "weak and emaciated," was liberated, and she is now being nursed back to health.