PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14314, 27 March 1912, Page 3

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(rnoii orit owjc correspondent.) LONDON, February 16. Dr. Charles Chilton, Professor of Biology at Canterbury College, has been granted leave of absence lor this year, and will tour Europe, visiting the chief biological laboratories an<l stations. At present ho is at tho Marino Laboratory, Plymouth, whero he is preparing a report on tho Amplupoda collected by Dr. Bruce during the voyages of tho Scotia in Antarctic seas. Mr A. J. Heighway (Dunedin), who has been in this country for nearly -i year, intends returning to New Zealand in tho middlo of June. During the winter months he has been studying at the London School of Economics, the director of which is Mr W. Peinber Reeves. Prior to sailing for tho Dominion Mr Heighway will spend a month on the Continent, chiefly In Germany, in company with Mr E. TV. Shanahan, of Auckland, who is also working at tho London School of Economics. Sir William Hall-Jones is taking an active interest in Lord Northampton s scheme to establish a training-ship tin" the Thames, off Temple Pier, in uhicii boys in -blind-alley" employments may learn the groundwork of somu .skilk-.l trade. Tho scheme is being carefully thought out. Sir John Kirk, secretary of the Ragged School Union, and a recent visitor to New Zealand, is to become a member of tho Board of Governors. Five New Zealanders —T. l>. Batchelor, A. Adams, A. C. Palmer, D. G. Macpherson, and W. C. Hartgill —were among the successful London Hospital fifteen which defeated King's in tho Hospitals Rugby Cup by -10 points to 0. Palmer scored three tries, nnd Batchelor and Adams ono each. Batchelor placed five goals and Palmer ono goal, and Adams dropped a. goal. H. U. Eriedlauder was playing halfback yesterday for St. Thomas's Hospital in. tho match against St. Bait's It was tho best match so far played in the Hospitals' Competition. Thro.j goals and a try were scored by St. Bart's against two tries by St. Thomas's. ' Somo weeks ago Mr Justice Cooper announced his intention of returning to New Zealand by ono of the P. and O. liners, accompanied by Miss Mary Cooper. His plans have been altered somewhat, and he is going by tho North Gorman steamer (Jneisenaii, due to sail from Southampton on tho l!*th February. Miss Cooper will return with her father, Mrs Cooper and her other two daughters remaining hero for somo while longer. Sir William Hall-Jones represented New Zealand in tho Houso of Lords on Wednesday at the opening of Parliament by the King and Queen. On this occasion the High Commissioners'were accompanied by their ladies, and were accommodated with seats in tho Distinguished Visitors' Gallory. Last year, which was tho first occasion that tho oversea States were recognised at the opening of Parliament, tho High Commissioners had seats on the floor of the house adjoining tbo Ambassadors, whence they obtained an excellent view cf the ceremonial. ■ "Lady Eileen Knox was my first, sitter, and one of the best. She oanin three days after tho ceremony. Eail Beauehamp was one of those for whom no trouble was too great. Ho came in all tho detail of his robes and stood for threo hours holding the Sword of State." Thus Mr J. H. F. Bacon, A.U.A., who has ever since last Juno been working hard at his "command" picturo of tho Coronation, a canvas measuring 38ft by lift, and to contain ■when completed, -100 portraits of people who enmo into tho artist's lino iof sight at the ceremony. Mr Bacon lias had on. an avorago four sitters daily, but sometimes ho has had as many as seven. The King and Queen aro now giving sittings, and Mr Bacon, who is making special pilgrimages to tho Tower, , so that the Regalia may be accurate in all details, hones to completo his great work early in April. Part of his needful outfit is a loft-high ladder on wheels, and, mounted on this ho moves about to different points of tho canvas. Tho Riviera .Lawn-tennis season has started at Monto Carlo, and N:ew Zealanders will follow with interest the career of tho English champion, A. F. Wilding, who last year beat all-com-ers. Obtaining a bye in the first round of the Gentlemen's Singles (Monte Carlo championship), "Wilding (holderj in the second round beat Bridgman (6 —3, C—l), and in tho third round G. dp Martino (6—4. G— l). In tho Open Mixed Doubles, Wilding, and Fraulein M. Jlieck, in tho first round, beat C. G. Alien and Mrs Nutcombe-Quiek (6—2, B—6), .and in the second round beat c. Glon Walker and Miss Greig (.6—l, 6—o). In tho midst of the Dickens centenary celebrations tho original of one of Dickens's well-known characters, "Joe Gargery," has died at tho village of Chalk, near Gad's Hill. Mr Oscar Mullender, who was 73 years of age, was ono of the best Dickens authorities in the neighbourhood, for Dickens spent many hours tvith him in his forge at Gad's Hill. The forge has been in tho possession of tho family for 130 years. Mr Mullender was a sort of stock juryman, acting as foronSan at almost every inquest within living memory. He was the last parish constable at Chalky This week there have been a fairly largo number of callers at tho High Commissioner's Office, viz.. Miss T>. A. Branston (Wellington), Miss Gillian (Christchurch), Mr and Sirs F. Blackburn (Auckland), Mr Addison J. Newbould (Napier), Miss Newbould, .Miss F. E. Xewbould. Mr Henry T. Cooper (Wellington), Mr J. T. Wellwood (Hawke's Bay). Mr Justice Cooper (Wellington), Mrs Cooper, and tho Misses Gertrude and Ena Cooper: Miss Kato Lawson (Wellington), Mr S. 11. Trevor (Auckland), Miss Gertrude Trevor. Of special Xew Zealand interest is tho following paragraph, which finds publication this week: —"An engagement is announced, and a marriage will shortly.take place, between Lady Sydney 3fontaguo Ogilrie-Grant, second daughter of the late tenth -Earl of Seafield, Baron of tho United Kingdom, and of the Dowager Countess of Seafield, and the Rev. William Rice, Roctor of Sympson, Bucks." Tho brideelect, who was born in 1882. spent most of her life in New Zealand. In those days the brideeroom-elect was a curate at Melbourne (Derbyshire), to which ho •was appointed in 1879, remaininc there until 1888, when ho went to Hodnet (Salop), where ho stayed for a year: the next year was spent at Yoxail (Staffs.), and it was 'in 1891 that Mr Rice accepted the Rectory of Sympson. <i livinc in the gift of tho Rev. W. C. H. Hnnmer, Bart., of tho value of £301 per annum.