PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18240, 26 November 1924, Page 4

PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

GOSSIP ABOUT NEW ZEALANDERS. . (TEOlt OUR oim CORKBSrONDSST.) LONDON, October 24. The New Zealand friends of Mr R. M. Maodonald (Christchurch) will be glad to hear that ho has made au excellent recovery from liis operation. He has just returned to London from Paris, where be spent several days at the great motor show, which he describes as one of tho wonders of the world. "What the French and Italians do not know about this great industry is not worth knowing, and once more the New Zealand visitor was delighted with the high degree of artistry which characterised the display. Mr and Miss Macdonald will leave for New Zealand in November by the new Orient liner, Otarama, the first oil-fired ship of the company. Mr F. Barkas (Timaru), who has been touring tho capitals of Northern Europe, has returned to London. He has booked his passage to New Zealand by the Aoranai. Captain C. A. Colonna (Surveyor to Lloyd's Register, Lyttelton) has come to England, accompanied by his wife, on tt, trip combining health and business. The journey was made by a vessel of the Canadian Government Merchant Marine, Ltd., and was found very comfortable. After seeing New York and Boston they went to Montreal and Quebec. Captain and Mrs Colonna were the first New Zealanclers to stay at the Mount Royal Hotel, Montreal. Since thev reached London thov have been to Wembley, and. referring to the Exhibition, Captain Colonna remarks: "Canada takes the cako because they have spent enormous suras, but our New Zealand is well represented proportionate to tho amount we spent." The travellers have been taking every opportunity to hear some of the leading speakers during the election campaign, including Mr Baldwin, Mr Asquith, Mr Llo.vd George, and Sir John Simon. ill© winter is to be spent in Rome. During the vacation of tho Slade School of Art Mr Cranleigh Barton (Sumner) spent some time in Brittany on an enjoyable sketching tour. He found that" this part of France provided delightful pictorial subjects. He was also able to pay a round of visits in Hampshire, Sussex, and Kent. He returned to London in time for the new term of the Slade School of Art. Sir Thomas and Lady Mackenzie have left Tonbridge for a short stay at Folkestone. Now Zealanders will be interested to hear that on tho morning after the Government's defeat Sir Thomas was asked to stand for a constituency in England, and although he declined he was again pressed to change his mind. In declining the offer. Sir Thomas said that if he ever desired to enter active politics again, and if the New Zealand "people wished him to do this, he would select New Zealand as a field for his activities, tho ■Dominion being a country of which he knew something and whore he himself was well-known'. Later. Sir Thomas was asked if lie would address some of the election and help the candidates, but in declining the invitation he pointed out that it was contrary to custom for a member of the Legislature of one Parliament of the Empire to take part in political contests in another part. It was quite a different thing for a visitor to express what he thought wero tho opinions of his Dominion on vital questions at any social function to what it was to stand on a platform and publicly advocate party interests. . It is announced that "The Survey of the British Empire," which Messrs Collins ar© bringing out in twelve volumes, is almost completed. Tho last volume, as yet unpublished is to be called "Migration Within the Empire." tho writer being Major E. A. Belcher. Tho literature and art of the Empire have just been reviewed in> the volume by Mr E. Salmon and Major A. A., Lohgden. The edition has been well received, particularly "Health Problems of'tho Empire," which were discussed by Dr. Andrew Balfour, the authority on trooical medicine, and by Dr. H. H. Scott: } About 1400 Freemasons assembled at J the Town Hall, Reading, on' Saturday, when the Grand Master, the Duke of Connaught, installed his son, Prince Arthur of Conmaught, as Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire, in succession to the late Mr J. T. Morland. The Duke of Connaught was attended Iby a largo 'number of prominent Masons, representing many parts of the British Empire. The New Zealander in tho procession was . Mr E. P. Nicholls, Deputy Dist. G.M., Cantorbury. Among the number of distinguished guests Was Mr H. G. Teagle, Grand Directoj; of Ceremonies of New Zealand. The Duke of Connaught said it was nearly 34 years since he paid his last Masonic visit to Reading. Ou that occasion he accompanied his brother (then Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII.), who installed his son, tho Duke of Clarence, as Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire. "Today," said tho f)uke, "I come to install my only son, and I need hardly say with what interest I do so."

On behalf of the Advertising Club of Auckland, Mr C. E. Clinkard. M.8.E., who was recently the guest of tho Thirty Club of London, presented to fch© club a New Zealand flag worked in silk. In making tho presentation, Mr Clinkard referred to the goodwill which existed between New Zealanders and the people at Home, and indicated how great was the preference for Britishmade goods as shown by the import figures. British manufacturers had a splendid opportunity of increasing their trade with this prosperous Dominion, but their publicity must hare local colour to secure maximum effect. Sir Lawrence Weaver, K.8.E., Director of the British section of the Empire Exhibition, concurred, and said that as a result of many conferences in connexion with the Exhibition he had come to the conclusion that more knowledge of the local conditions prevailing in the [Dominions was essential if the British manufacturer was to increase his Empire trade. Mr Clinkard is returning to New Zealand on November 38th, travelling via Canada and U.S.A. Mr A. Carless, Hon. Medical Director of Dr. Barnardo's Homes, has left London on a Dominions' tour, his purpose being to investigate emigration possibilities. Mr Carless will oo to South Africa, Australia, New ZeaTand, and Canada.