PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 149, 24 June 1911, Page 7

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

doings of ;new.- zealandebs. ABROAD.' PREMIER'S BUSY WEEK. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, May 19. Sir Joseph Ward is still kept at high pressure' by the tide of business and. social engagements, and the past week, has been, as usual, a very crowded one. He attended the unveiling of the Queen Victoria. Memorial on" Tiieeday, "and was present on Thursday at the. ceremony of affixing the banner of Sir John. Fortreasurer of' the Commonwealth, in the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George in St. Raul's. Cathedral. With Lady Ward and Ms son and daughter, the Prime Minister attended the Irish Club's concert ou Sunday night) an 4 met there several members of the Irish party. The programme of the concert was a remarkable one, no fewer than 80 artists taking : partj including several members of the Beecham and Carl Rosa opera companies. Sir Joseph and hia family expressed themselves greatly pleased with the entertainment, and remained until a late liour.

Sir Joseph spoke at the annual meeting of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society on Monday, and received a presentation shield from the society which he is to convey to the Waitaki Boys' High School: He dined with Mr. Sidney Buxton on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he attended the luncheon given by Sir George Reid in honour of the Australian Ministers, and dined with the Benchers of the Inner Temple in the evening. To-night he attends the Australasian banquet at the White City. He 'lunched to-day with Mr. Lloyd George.

Arrangements are being made for the Prime Minister to visit Roubaix, in Nor: them France, whire New Zealand has a pavilion in the Exhibition now being held there. It is proposed to have a "New Zealand Day" "at the Exhibition, in honour of Sir Joseph's visit, but the date is not yet settled. The launch of the New Zealand Dreadnought at Fairfield works on the Clyde has been fixed for July 1, and the Prime Minister and his party intend to be present on this historic occasion. The ceremony of naming the warship will be performed by Lady Ward.

During the past week Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward have been the guests of no fewer than four British Cabinet Ministers at dinner or lunch—Lord Haldane, Mr. Herbert Samuel, Mr. Sidney, Buxton, and Mr. Lloyd George. Yesterday Sir Joseph was the guest of the Governor and directors of the Bank of England, and to-night he goes with his wife and daughter to the State Ball at Buckingham 'Palace. Next Monday he dines with the British Prime Minister, and Mrs. Asquith, in company with the other overseas Prime Ministers.

At the unveiling of. the Queen "Vie:, tpria Memorial on Tuebday laat Sir Joseph and Lard Ward were given seats on the dais with the Jcoyal party, immediately opposite the King and the Kaiser. Sir Joseph afterwards was pre- J sented to the Kaiser at Lord Londes--Iborough's garden party on Tuesday afternoon, and had an interesting chat with him. Dr." : Findlay was. also introduced to the Kaiser, and had the pleasure of a talk with him. He was much impressed by ;the strength of personality which marks ,the .German Emperor.

In the crowd of four thousand people who accepted their invitation to ,the reception '■ at the Domhiions , Club last Friday, at which the' King and ;Queen, Princess Louise and the Duke of. Argyll, the Prince of Wales arid Princess Mary were present,-it was difiioult to find New Zealanders, though very many were present. ■''!' ~

Among those there were ,to be noticed. Sir Joseph, Lady arid ;Miss Eileen .Ward, Lady Ward's .sister, Mrs. Boy.s (late of Dunedin), Mr. and Mrs. .and the Misses ■Montague Laing, of Wellington;. :Sir: William, Lady and .Miss Russell, JVlrs. Seddon .and the Misses liubi and Marie Seddon, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Nathan, ot Auckland; Mr. E. C. ,E. Mills (Wellington), Lady .Stout, Mr. .and Mrs. Grey (Taranakij, JVlr. A. Myers (Wellington), Miss Nathan (Auckland), Miss Beetham (Mastertpn), Mrs and Miss Bridge (Canterbury), -Mr; "John Holmes, ■ Madipe Betty Brooke (Christchurch), Mr. Robert Turnbull (Wellington), .Mis 3, Rhind (Wellington), Miss Marjprie Michie (Dunedin),-Miss Ethel .ford (Mendip -Hills)/Mr.. CarrutKers, Miss Lyttelton, and Mr. P. A. Vaije (late of Auckland). ", : ,

The Earl and Countess of Hardwicke (nee Miss Nellie -Russell of Auckland) were among the yuesta at a large' garden party .given at St. -Dunstan's, ;Regent's E;ark, on Tuesday ,afternoon ,by the. Countess of Eondesborough,! to rmeet the leading members of the Victoria League. ~

Sir William Russell has just recovered from a severe attack of influenza which confined him to his" room for eight or nine days.

Three New Zealand officers were invited, to take part in the military ceremony accompanying the unveiling of the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace this week. ' They were Lieut'.-CoL D'Arcy Chaytor, Captain R. J. Seddpn, and Captain.A. M. SamueL Capt. Seddon arrived from New Zealand just in time to take part in the ceremony. He is to be in England for a year's military training.

Brigadier-General R.H. Davies, late of the New Zealand Forces, and now commanding a brigade at Aldershot, was among the callers at the High Commissioner's this week. He is delighted with his new work, and apparently finds it thoroughly congenial.

Mr. Justice. Palmer Judge of the Native Land Court, arrived by the'Otway last Saturday, on a visit to the Old Country. He is accompanied by Mrs. Palmer. Mr. and Mr* Alfred Kidd, of Auckland, were passengers by the.same boat.

Mr. R. Harold Gordon, of the "Auckland Star"—who is visiting "the Old Country on six months' leave, of absence, arrived in London last Friday, having landed from the . s.s. Ever ton Grange at Avpnraouth the previous day. His plans of travel are at present indefinite, but he will remain in London until after the Coronation, and then will probably visit Scotland and the Continent.

Mr. R. Opie, of .Christchurch, the wellknown amateur runner, arrived in London this week. He will be one of the New Zealanders competing at the Festival of-Empire sports. Mr. M. E. Champion, of Auckland, the New Zealand Bwumning champion -and lecord. iolder, has-also arrived, - '' ;r C&

I Mr. J. E. Hall, of Auckland, arrived on May 13 fcpilnl OtwayVon ft. pleasure trop to this country. He will pay visits to Kent and Yorkshire, returning ta London for the Coronation. Later he will visit the South Coast, and return. , .to. "JSew Zealand by the Orvieto, leaving here in September. It is twelve years since Mr. Hall's "last visit, to the Old Country.

- Mr. J. W. Harding, of Waipukurau, ar-' rived in London'at the- end' of April, having travelled Home by way of Canada, visiting en : route Revelstoke, tho Arrow and Kootenay Lakes, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal , , Quebec and St. John's, whence he sailed' for London. Mi\ Harding only' stayed in London a few days and then went to Scotland, where he purchased four pedigree Clydesdale horses for his stud in" New Zealand. He has how'returned to the capital gor tlie Coronation.' When the festivities in connection-with that auspicious event are over he will start' on a round of visits to friends and relatives in the provinces, Scotland and Ireland. He. will also visit some'of the! principal motor works, it being- his intention' to send out'a new lip-to-date car. Thereafter Mr. Harding will leave for the Continent, and will work his way across Europe to join the outward bound P. and O. Macdonia at Port Said early in, September.' "

It will interest the friends in Auckland of Mr. S." W. Trendall to heas that he has recently commenced to practice his profession as a dentist in th& popular South Coast seaside 'resort 'oS Bournemouth,' and is doing very well. Mr. Trendall, with his mother' and sisters, are coining up to London for the Coronation, and will at the'end of June make a brief motor toil; through the West Country

The rectory , of Ford, near Goldstream, to which Lord Joicey has presented Bishop Neligan,'says "Truth," is one of the richest livings in Northumberland, the net stipend being over £800 a year, with a capital residence. Ford ' Castle is a most picturesque old place, which. was for over thirty years the' principal residence of Louise, Marchioness ■■. of W.aterfordi The estate, of about' 6,500 acres, was sold some years' ago by Lord Waterford •to Lord Joicey, who had previously purchased the' , Etal Castle estate, which adjoins Ford.