PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 36, 11 February 1920, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

'" (By Our Own Correspondent^ LONDON 9. Mr. Maurice Van. Staveren, of Wellington, is in London, after a tour of the Continent. He is now making some business visits in England. His sister, (Miss Adelaide Van Staveren, who is among the , leading artists now in London appearing at Covent Garden, as well as at the chief concerts, is anxious to see New < Zealand again, as she has been absent for eleven years. Her numerous engage- , ments, however, prevent her making more than a fortnight's flying visit about the middle of next year. The Rev. R. W. Edmeades (Hon. Capt., R.A.C.D.), has had a most interesting time while on war service. He joined the Imperial Forces from Bengal (where he was working as a missionary of the London Baptist Missionary Society) in August, 1917, for -service as a chaplain in Mespotamia. On arrival in that country he was attached almost immediately to the 17th Division, known as the Babylonian Division, which operated along the hanks of the Tigris from Bagdad to Mosul, and also for a short time on the Euphrates in the neighbourhood of Babylon, through which ancient city he twice marched. He was stationed for a time in Bagdad, and later at Tekrib— the birthplace of Saladin, who fought Coeur-de-Lion in the Crusades. He also visited Nineveh. Ho was in the final operations of the war in Mesopotamia, and his division helped to capture the last 11,000 Turkish prisoners, and to wind up the campaign in that part of the world. In April of this year he left Mesopotamia for the United Kingdom, for demobilisation, but was detained in India en route owing to the suspension of demobilisation due to the Afghan war He came to England by the R.I.M.S. Dufferin in August last,' and was demobilised on August 19th. Since he has been awaiting repatriation to New Zealand, and left England by the e.s. Bremen, his wife and child travelling with him to Renwi'-ktown, Blenheim. Mr. and Mrs. F. Huckerby, jun., of Grey Lynn, have settled down now for some time at The Chestnuts, Hampton Wick, near the famous Court of that name, and will probably remain there till 1921, although Mrs. Huckerby is longing to see the land of milk'and honey again. Mr. Huckerby took his discharge from, the N.Z.E.F. in New Zealand, and then came to England to do munition work. This he did at the Sopwith Aviation wdfks at Kingston-on-Thames until Easter following the armistice. Since then he has been on the staff of the Disposals Board, the Government Department which stepped into the Ministry of Munitions' shoes and is selling off all the vast mountain of left over manufactured and half manufactured materials. '£67,000,000 of this has been sold within the last six months. Mr. Huckerby was the officer chosen to take charge of the motor repair depot in Hyde Park during the la«3t railway strike, when that snot was made the Central Depot for milk supply lorries of London. Sir. Thomas Mackenzie gave an "At Home '■' »£ New Zealand House oirfeViday in order to give Australian Agents-Gen-eral and their wives an opportunity of meeting Mrs. and Miss Seddon prior to their leaving on Saturday by the Bremen. Lady {Mackenzie and Mrs. Macdonald received the guests and others present inclnded Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Fisher. Sir Ceorire and Lady Perley (Canada), Mr. Black (High" Commissioner for South Africa), Sir Newton and Lady Moore (W.A.), Sir T. Robinson and Lady Bobinson (Q.), Sir Frederick and Lady Young, Mr. E. Lucas (&A.), Dr. Robertson (to whom Sir Thomas, on b»half of New Zealand, presented the Hector Memorial Medal), Mr. and Mrs. Hpmar. Mr. T. A. Fraser. Mr. R. Smallhone, of Auckland. 5s now in London, after travelling via Panama. He is now about to visit Great Grimsby, and other parts interested in trawling, with a view to gathering information about trawling and its newest developments. These developments are, of course. with the introduction of steam, of high importance, for it is by rapid transport of fish that food is made available in larger supplies, and therefore cheaper— an important desideratum in a world wide condition of dear food. Messrs. -T. D. and G. J. Crawford, of Thames, who are straym_* a* the Bedford Hotel, will return to New Zealand next month. Mr. .T. Psterson, of Auckland, has just arrived in London, having come via the States and Canada. He is leaving shortly for a few months' hnsiness tour of the Continent, and wiU then return to London. Mr. L. Moritzson, of Auckland, is in London just now for a stay of indefinite length. Mr. .Tohn C. Hill, of Te Puke, i 3 in London this week. Mr. A. B. Ferguson, who is a middy on H.M,*. BemOwn, which has just brought the Prince of Wales back from America, was in London on leave last ivwl'. Caot. H. M. Clarke, of Auckland, who i- staving at the National Hotel in Bins-sell Square, is returning to New Zealand early in January. Mr. .Tames M. .Tack* of Horotiu. Waikato, is in London just now, from Ayrshire, and is staying at Prestwick, the famous golfing resort. He is making a stay of indefinite length. 'Mr. John ('. Hill, barrister and solicitor, of Te Puke. Bay of Plenty, has arrived in England for a •stay of sis or c'eri't months, when he will return to IXfw Zealand via Suez and Tndin. He has been four months on the wav touring Canada and the states, and will during the next few months go on the Continent to visit Franco. Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, nnd Italr. Mr. James Jack, of Horotiu, Waikato, is now staying with relatives in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, and will remain there probably for a year. Mr. .Tack, who was on service from September, 1914, to March of this veiar, arrived last month by the Corinthic. He was ordered by I hir= doctor in New Zealand totakeasea voyage and long rest to relieve the neurasthenia from which he is suffering. The voyage, on which Mr. Jack and his two sons. Eric and Thomas, accompniiieel him. has benefited Mr. Jack's health greatly, but he has to undergo further treatment to effect a cure. Mrs. David Gillies, of Remuera, Auckland, is in London this week. iMr. and Mrs. 'Hetherington, of Thames, are in London. They return by the Tainui. Miss Isabel Mclennan, of Remuera, is staying just now at the Langham Hotel. I