NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9990, 21 March 1898, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ENGLAND.

(FROM our OWN CORRESPONDENT). LONDON, February 12. The Rev. Leonard M. Isitt called on mc a few days ago, looking as well and fit and combatant as ever. He told mc he had already done a. good deal of temperance crusading in the'provinces, and that he was just about to start again on another jpro-

vincial tour, which, In this Instance will occupy three months, so that 1 was not to expect to see him again until the early summer, and Mrs Isitt accompanies him.

With Dr. DeLautour I have just had another chat. He has lately returned from a visit to Dublin, and has also been in tho West of England, and is now devoting himself to studies in the latest developments of bacteriology. A gratifying compliment was recently paid to Dr. DeLautour, and through him to colonial officers generally, by his being requested to act as one of the Board of Examiners at the ambulance competition of the West London Rifle Brigade. The other examiner was one holding high rank in the Guards. I may explain that this compliment was due to Dr. DeLautour's having, as I mentioned some time ago, been one of the exceedingly small and select number of colonial officers passed the War Office general proficiency examination. Madame Goldenstedt (Miss Cicely Staunton), the charming mezzo-soprano singer, formerly of Auckland, arrived m London last week from the Continent. She has been studying for some time in Paris under Madame Marchesi, the greatest of all living teachers, who has formed a very high opinion of her voice, although finding it necessary to inculcate a change of method in certain respects. The result of Madame Marchesi's process has been to infuse a greatly increased beauty of tone with enhanced flexibility and extended compass, while altering its soope to more of the mezzo-soprano range and less of the contralto. The great teacher anticipates a very high position in operatic mezzo-soprano work for MacHtme Goldenstedt, who has already studied roles of that character in several favourite operas, such as ''Carmen,' " Favorita," " Delilah," &c, and I believe she had some tempting offers to appear in Fronch opera, but she preferred to come at once to London.

In addition to her course of study with Madame Marchesi, Madame Goldenstedt has been cultivating German opera at Hamburg under Herr Spengel. She sang at several musical "At Homes" given by leading Hamburg residents, including one at the house of the Burgomaster. She also Bang to Herr Otto Golclschmidt, the late Jenny Lind's husband, who paid the New Zealand singer some gratifying compliments. Mr John Holmes has, I am sorry to say, been prostrated for a time with illness, which he attributes mainly to overwork, but which I suspect to have been also a touch of influenza. To-day he is very much better; in fact, virtually convalescent; and I hope that now he will take things a little more easily. There is no doubt that he has been able to do much good for the colony during his stay here, but I do not think he is called upon to lay down his life in its cause just yet. Lady yon Haast has been in London for a few days after a lengthened residence in Austria with Madame yon Hochstetter, widow of the celebrated explorer and author. Lady yon Haast, who is in excellent health just now, has just left London again for Sclavonia, where she purposes residing for some considerable time.

Dr. and Mrs Mickle have left their Norwood residence, and come into town again. Their present intention is to leave London about the end of the month, and,' after spending a short time with their relatives near Ripon, to take their departure on their return voyage to New Zealand.

This morning I met Mr Baume, of Auckland, who told mc that he intended to leave England for America on Saturday week. He will make a short stay in the United States, and then will catch at San Francisco the mail steamer which is due in Auckland in Mr Baume has devoted a large portion of hia stay in England to the investigation of various questions relative to University management and city corporation work. He says it is impossible to summarise within the limits of a paragraph the varied and extensive information he has obtained, but hopes to utilise it with muoh advantage to colonial institutions on his return to New Zealand.

Mr W. P. Reeves was at Oxford again last Sunday as the guest of the Political Economy Club of the University, and took an active part in a debate on the muchvexed question freetrade versus protection. Sir Robert Giffen was there as the advocate of freetrade, and I strongly suspect that Mr Reeves was specially invited in order that he might champion the other side on the basis of his New Zealand experience. Sir Robert Glflen delivered a powerful speech against protection, which, he declared, had in no case thoroughly succeeded in attaining its avowed objects." It had not resulted in establishing a variety of profitable industries. What beneficial results it might have seemingly accomplished, were little more than apparent, and, in any case, were very small. Mr Reeves, in his reply, set forth the experience of New Zealand, as seen from his view point, He contended that such a measure of protection as had been in force in New Zealand had proved successful, even to the seemingly paradoxical extent of benefiting revenue at the same time that it fostered local industries. He instanced particularly the woollen manufactures, but also adduced other cases inpoint. Among the other speakers, Sir William Hunter expressed much sympathy with Mr Reeves, so far as concerned the question of fostering local industries, but, he contended, New Zealand bad gone the wrong way to work in imposing protective duties, the preferable course, in his opinion, being that pursued in regard .to certain industries, namely, concession of bounties, and the establishment of special departments to watch over and assist the interests of those industries. Sir F. Pollock, the eminent jurist, utterly refuaed to recognise the possibility of any instah c existing in which freetrade would->e other than the right and the wisest policy. Professor Dicey, who presided, remarked that the discussion had, in his opinion, been tbe most interesting one that the Club had ever held.

Mr and Mrs F. W. Strack, of Dunedin, arrived in London recently after an extended and most enjoyable tour through Australia, Ceylon, Italy and Germany. They spent some time successively at Rome, Naples and Genoa, and were thoroughly delighted with their experience. Mrs Strack, who is wellknown in Hew Zealand artistic circles as a member of both the Dunedin and Christchurch Art Societies, is now studying assiduously in the principal picture galleries. Miss Swanhilde Bulan, formerly of New Zealand, who has been settled for some time in London, is now one of the regular members of the staff of the Daily Mail, one of Loudon's newest and most successful "dailies." She is also one of the London correspondents of the Neto York Journal. Mr G. A. Bo wen leaves Marseilles for Lyttelton oh the 25th inst. At a musical party the other evening I had the pleasure of meeting another fair New Zealand singer—Miss Hassell, of Canterbury. She—as I mentioned previously— has been studying for some little time with Signor Panzani, who was formerly associated in vocal tuition with Madame Marchesi. Miss Hassell has a splendid contralto voice, whioh she uses very artistically—in fact, she is already a charming singer. The death is announced of " John Cargill, formerly of Otago, New Zealand," as having occurred at Armstrong, British Columbia, on the 2nd ult. No further information on the subject has reached mc.

On the 30th"alt. the Rev. Edward Shears, formerly incumbent of Havelook, Marlborough, New Zealand, passed to his rest at the age of fifty-three. His death occurred at Rotherfield, near Peppard, Oxfordshire. During the current week Mr John Holmes has paid flying visits to Reading and Witham' respectively, to meet people who wished to confer with him regarding New Zealand produce generally, on whioh Bubject he was _t course able to _fford much valuable information. Also, he was able to pick up several useful hints. For instance, he finds that Canada is able to compete effectively with New Zealand in respect of various agricultural items, such' as peas. His informants tofij him that the New Zealand peas, &c, were of excellent quality, but were not nearly so well " got up '"as the Canadian in respect of sorting and classification.

Sir George Grey continues in fair health, so far as his physical condition is concerned, but his mental faculties show no sign->f recovering former balance. He "has many callers to ask after his health, Lord Stamford being among the moßt frequent. Lady Grey has .been suffering from influenza, but is now better/ '