PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10997, 21 June 1901, Page 6

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

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May 10. Mt and. Mrs- Charles. Ball, of Christchurch, recently arrived, in this country, having traveled from Australia by the Orient steamer Austral, Afcr Ball informs mc that his mission to England cs purely for' the. purpose of qualifying himself as an electrical engineer, .and to gain the necessary certificates. With .-this object in view be has joined the firm of Messrs, Siemens Bros., and is employed at their Woolwich Works.

By the last, trip of the Messageries steamer Australien, Mr and Mrs G. Humphreys, of Christchurch, arrived at Marseilles with their family. They came on through France and readied London about a fortnight ago. For the present they are staying _>t St. Ermin's Hotel* Westminster. Mr Humphreys -tedl- mc that he has been fortunate in placing his son at Harrow— fortunate, inasmuch -as his name had not been previously entered on the list. After remaining a time in tlie Metropolis.' Mr Humphreys purposes going fo Staffordshire and then north to Scotland, bound for Edinburgh. On tttbir return to town Mr and Mra Humphreys will reside for a time at Ealing, where they have secured a house. Probably later in the year they may go on to the Continent.

I hear that Mr Joseph Taylor, late of C-hristchureh, who is in London as Home buyer for the firm of Messrs W. Strange and C 0. ,; has now settled down to a busy life here, and that he has lately been joined by Mrs Taylor and their family, Mr and Mrs Charles Louisson haa-e been staying for a time at Bournemouth. Mr Louisson leaves next week by ulw s.s. Lucania for Amiericsv. He will travel aero*the States to San Francisco, and join the New Zealand steamer there. -It was intended that Mrs Louisson should accompany her husband as far as San Francisco to meet her daughters and her father there on their arrival after their tour in Japan, etc. But she has now decided to remain in England, and await the arrival of the other members of her family. Mr and Mrs Louis Blund-ell and Miss Blundell, arrived in London last, Monday evening. They tell mc they have had a delightful trip, especially enjoying Italy and Switzerland. The only Continental lea* ture which did not come up to their expectations was the River Rhine, which they all agree in declaring—although mort interesting historically and poetically—does not at all compare with the Wanganui River of New Zealand in respect of scenic beauty. I ""must confess that personally I concur in this view, however heretical it may seem.

It is notified that" Captain J. Ponsonby, of the Coldstream Guards,. is granted the local rank of major in South Africa while commanding the Filth New Zealand Regiment.

Mr Wilson Barrett, who is about to make a theatrical tour in New Zealand with a strong company, will not only play a number of standard works, including "Hamlet" and "Othello," but also a new drama of his own, entitled' "The Christian King," which is said to be somewhat religious in character, after the style of his well-known play, "The Sign of the Cross." Yesterday tlie s.s*. Waiwera left London outward bound for New Zealand, via the Cape, and she is to sa.il from Plymouth to-morrow. The following is the official list of her saloon passengers: —Dr. and Mra Mockin, Mr and Mrs J. Baxter, Mr and Mrs T. Carrie, Mr and Mrs G. Child, Mr and Mrs J. Craven, Air and Mrs J. Elliott, Mr and Mrs __. Gates. Mrs Cochrane Browne, Mrs H. Firth, Mrs Gre__iem, Misses Elliott and V. Miller, Messrs T. Bevan, A. Breen, R. Burton, M. do Lisaa, A. Edwards, _\L Elbra, H. Graham, H. Harris, T. Hayes, C. Levien, W. Lyne, 0. Morrish, G. Reed, E. Soott, G. Sleigh, Masters Baxter (2), Craven, Jt-lliott (2), and Gates (2). . '

Mr Gilbert Anderson, of the Christchurch Meat Company, is expected'in London on Monday. It is then anticipated that the racancv caused in the London -staff by ihe death of Mr Randall will be filled.

Recent callers at the Agency-General include Mr D. J. William. Westport; Mr John Banbury, of Auckland; Mr Austin J. Ross, of Wellington; .Mr A. Turnbull, N.Z.M.R., of Napier; Mr H. G. Mansfield, N.Z.R.R., West Eyreton; L Lewis Abfolom, N.Z.R.R., of Napier; Air James Paynter. N.Z.R.R.of Gisbprne; Lieutenant Montgomerie, NZ.M.R., of Wanganui; Mr William A Agnew," of Dunedin; Mr Louis Sehatz, of Wellington; Miss Ethel Heywood,- of Wellington; Mr Woodford Rouse, of Timaru; Mr Andrew Carnahan, of Auckland; Captain Hast. s.s. Star of New Zealand; Mr Peter Hoban, of Christchurch ; Lieutenant-Colonel Montague deck, whose address is the Naval and--.U-tory Club, Piccadilly; Mr Claud Williams,'' of Hawkes Buy; Mr .H. Russcdl, of Dunedin; Mrs H. D. Jaclcon,. of Nelson; Mrs E. R. Gardiner, of Te Ante; Mr George Wright, of Hastings, who is at tho National Dental Hospital, - Great Portland street; Mr William A. Thomson, of Dunedin, who is also at the 'National Den.al Hospital; ar.d Mr Daniel Joshua, of Wellington. Lieutenant-Coloiwl Orodock has arrived in London, and has, I le;arn, been made a member of one, at least, of the leading "Sea-vice" Clubs.

May 18. Happening to meet Sir George Grey's nephew, Lord Stamford, «,t dinner recently, he remarked to mc in the course of conversation that the wisdom of his late uncle's views regarding South Africa was being daily more strongly manifested, foi* had liis proposal of a South African Federation, for wliich he was recalled, been carried out when he brought it forward, the present war and all other South African troubles would never haive occurred.

By the bye, Lord Stamford, in a speech which I heard him deliver lately, remarked that once he was travelling in New Zealand, and occupying the box seat of a coacb, he asked the driver if lie had driven many peers of the realm in his ooach, and that the driver replied in the affirmative, adding that he did mot notice much difference between them and other people, excepting that the <peeo*s were much quieter in and. gave a lot less trouble. The Misses Jones, of Ciiristchurch, who arrived by tho last trip cf the Orient steamer Oruba on a visit of pleasure, purpose remaining in London for a- week or two, after.' which they well go into the country to pay a round of visits among their friends. Later, they will moike a trip to Scotland. Their present, intention is to remain in this coirotry until the end of the year, and then to return to New Zealand via Australia by-the Orient line*.

Mr Charles Pharazyn! 'has returned to London after his lengthened tour round the world, which began with the Paris Exhibition, included; Egypt, India, Assam, the Himalayas, aaad Ceylon, and. terminated with six weeks in New Zealand. Mr Pharazyn travelled Homeward by the P. and 0. steamer Australia, and has joined his wife in Ixuwion. He speaks with much pleasure of the fubstantiajly prosperous condition in which he found ana left New Zealand.

Mr A. J. Whittaker, of Hawera, an. i red in London a few days ago. He travelled by the s.s. Britannia to Marseilles, and had a pleasant trip, excerpting for some very., severe weather between Adelaide and Fremantle. So -violent was the storm that no fewer than five persons sustained mot or le*,- serious injuries during .its worst day; one, indepd, proved fatal, a La**c"ubeing was>lied off the forecastle and killed on tbe spot. Mr Whittaker has brought with him a number of New Zealand,,curio*", and alio a considerab'-3 assortment of woollen goods from the Wellington Woollen Factory, with which h° intenc's (f<- f the London market. The curios will be offsrrd for salf* at Stevens's, the well know i dealer in such things'. The woollen manufactures will be tried in various ways with the object of ascertaining whether a sriti;.factory opening really exifit'* in London for tha sile of wroth-UK ot cuch speciallr superior quality. It will be interesting to : note the result.