PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18601, 28 January 1926, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(FBOM OTB OWS COEF.ESrCSDES^- 1 December 11. The "English Eeriew" comments: "Mr Coates, the young Prime Minister of New Zealand, has scored a remarkablo personal triumph. No such majority lias been obtained in the Dominion since 'King Dick' Seddou swept aU before hira twenty years ago. New Zealand h thus assured of a stable Government for some time to come under a Premier who fought gallantly in tl:e trenches during the war." Mr Thomas Eitchie (Christehurch) is tak 'a Town Planning Diploma course at London University Town Planning and Civic Architecture He has studied under Professor Adshead. In due course lu will sit for the K.1.8.A. Final Examination. Last June Mr Ritchie, spent his summer vacation at Donegal, where he greatly enjoyed swimming, trout fishing, and duck shooting. Mr E. Fondi Wright is going -out to New Zealand where he expects t-> arrive about the middle of February, after an absence of some twenty years. Christehurch will be his first objective. Mr Wright has booked his passage via the Cape by the Bendigo, leaving England on December 17th. The Southern Cross Log mentions the appointment of the Eev. F. Lyle Uppleby, Assistant Curate of St. Luke s, Winton, Bournemouth, to be Travelling Secretary for the Melanesian Mission.' Mr Uppleby'b duty will be to preach and speak on behalf of the Mission, and to organise branches and other efforts for its support. lie has had much experience in various parts of tho world, and it is anticipated that a great development in the Mission s resources will result from his accession to tho work. Tho Log also anuouncos that the Mission film will bo ready for exhibition at the beginning of the year. This comprises a valuable collection of living Melanesian pictures, and when the film is asked for a lecturer will be sent with it. A number of new Associate's or Melanesia have been enrolled from many parts of England, and useful work, no doubt, will uo done by them locallv. After thirty-four and a half years service in tho British Army, BrigadierGeneral W. G. Braithwaito, C.8., C.M.G., D.5.0., retired, on November 21st, much against his will, as he is only 55 years of age, and is still very active. Nineteen years of service were spent abroad, and sis and a half on Active Service. In'addition to tho Great War ho served in India for five years, in South Africa for three, in New Zealand for thrcoi and in Egypt for four and a half. "I can truly and honestly say, Brigadier-General Braithwaito remarked td me, "that tho three happiest years of soldiering were spent in Now Zealand itself (1911-14), where I received so much kindness from everyone. I am not. leaving tho Army at all voluntarily." ■ Eotarian D. A. Ewcn, a past president of the Wellington Club, spoke at a recent meeting of "tho Watford Rotary Club, Hertfordshire. He told his audience that Wellington claimed to be tho oldest of tho Rotary Clubs in New Zealand, it having beaten the Auckland Club by twenty-four hours. Rotary was taking a great hold on tho peoplo or. New Zealand, and they wcro very anxious to keep in touch with tho British Rotary Clubs, for while they Owed their allegiance to the movement m America, New Zealand was a very tish country. It was hoped that Rotary would form a very strong bond among tho nations bordering the Pacific, and it was believed that it would do .much in the Pacific question. Mr Ewen gave an interesting address on New Zealand, it- trade and commerce, and on Western Samoa. The King has sanctioned publication of the complete correspondence of George 111. and his Ministers, which is in tho lto.val archives nt Windsor. It will bo edited by the Hon. John W. Foftescue, who is familial* to all readers, both ns the historian of the British Army and as the Royal Librarian. Several historical writers liaVe already consulted George lll.'s correspondence, Sir Geoi'gO Trevelyau among them. But much that is quite new remains, and to will be found to have important bearings upon American history (says tho "Daily Telegraph"). A history of the famous Highland regiment, the Black Watch, is being edited by Major*Genernl A. G. Wa«chope, D.5.0., whose family has long been associated with it. The first volume will bo ready shortly. y Captains A. F. Beal, C.M.G. (Commodore, 2nd Class), and B. St. G. Collard, D.5.0.,. have been appointed Naval Aides-de-Camp to the King, from November 24th and 25th, in place of Captains G. N. fomlin, C.M.G., M.V.0., A.D.C'., and the Hon. Herbert Meade, C.8., C.VO, D.5.0., A.D.C, promoted to flag rank. Captain Beal holds the' post of First Naval Member of the New Zealand Naval Board and Commodore in command of the Netv Zealand Naval Station, in which appointment he succeeded Captain (now Bear-Admiral) A. Hotham, in July, 1923,. at present Director of Naval Intelligence at the Admiralty. Captain Collard lately commanded the Royal Sovereign. Ho was assistant beach master, "W" beach, at the Gallipoli landing in the war, and was commended for service in action. Lieut.-Commander P. B. V. Henrd, R.N., has been appointed to H.M.o. Mnlava. Commander F. C. Bradley, R.N., who has been lent to the New Zealand Division' for three years, and has been appointed to H.M.S. Philomel, will leave for New Zealand by the Rnahino on December 18th.. Commander Bradley relieves Commander F. N. Miles, who was appointed to the Philomel in May, 1923. During the war Commander Bradley was a destroyer commander, and since June of last year he was in command of the Winchester, one of the torpedo school ship's tenders at Portsmouth.

Mr Bert. Ralton, one of the best known saxophonists, has returned to London after a two and a half years tour, during which he visited New Zealand. Referring specially to the Dominion, Mr Ralton said: "One of my most interesting experiences was at tne Maori village of Whakarewarewa, near Hotorua. The Maoris knew we were coming, and they were all at the station to meet us. The girls were dressed in native costumes —grass skirts and beads. They invited us to their village, and sang and danced. There was no music, but a sort of chant, with a motion of the arms and legs, the dancers all the time making grotesque faces. Later in the evening we were invited to another —a modern dance—in the village. The girls had discarded their grass skirts for pretty evening frocks, and showed that they could dance the fox-trot and waltz." December 10.

Mr P. Grainger, of the New Zealand Agricultural Department, who has been in England attached to the High Commissioner's Office for the past four years, in order to gain experience of conditions in the Mother Country, left on Friday by the Arawa. accompanied by Mrs Grainger. Mr Steele, another officer of the .New Zealand Agricultural Department who arrived recently from New Zealand, is taking Mr Grainaer'e place at the Hign Commissioner's Office. . . Gunner W. A. R. Imrie, it is officially announced, has been lent to the Zealand Division by the Royal Nnvj for three vears, dating from January I it... Last evening a dinner was tendered, ai, Frascatis. to Mr F. W. Doidgo to mark his appointment as a director or the London "Daily Express. More | titan 200 people were present, and tho

speakers who supported the toaßt of the guest of the evening included VißcoUnt Gastlerosso, Major Hore-lMisha, Mil'., Mr E. J, Robertaoli (manager of the "Daily Express"), and Mr Beverley Baxter (managing editor of the "Daily Express"). Mr Doidge,. before the war, was president of the New Zealaud Journalists' Association. Mr'M. V. Keardon has recently paid a visit to Dublin. While there he attended the sitting of the Departmental Committee on Workmen's Compensation and explained hurt the Workmen's Compensation Act operates ill New Zealand. The aim of such an Act, he said, should be that industry should. SO to speak, pay for its wreckage, and while it might bo too great a tux on the employers to contribute sufficient to unable that to be done, he thought that, without increasing the present rates, an effort should be made to bring the compensation as near as possible to the actual wages. Mr Charles 0. tteade is in England on a holiday visit, which is about to draw to a close. Mr Roade is Government Town Planner, Federated Malay States, and is stationed at Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday, in Portsmouth Town Hall, Earl Jellicoe unveiled a painting of the late Dame Agnes Weston—affectionately known as "the sailors' friend." The picture was presented by the wives of bluejackets. Lord Jellicoe said Diiffio Agues Weston was appropriately described as "the mother of the Navy." Apropos of Lord Jellicoe —Commander P. D. 11. West, R.N., has accepted the post of honorary secretary of th 3 Royal National Lifeboat Institution's station at Hastings, where he has been a lifeboatman for nearly 70 years. Thirty-two years ago he rescued Commander Jellicoe from drowning during Fleet manoeuvres in the Mediterranean when the Victoria and the Campcrdown came into collision. Cadet West swam to his help and supported him until rescued by a boat from H.M.S. Nile. A new' Christmas Etory, "The Merry Piper," written by Mr Harold J. I. Gaze and illustrated by him. is having a very good reception from the London reviewers, and the book should be one of the season's successes. Mr Gaze, it will be remembered, is a New Zealander by birth. The proofs of "Brown Smock," Mr 0. R. Allen's coming novel, are to be ready in January. It is being published by Messrs Frederick Warne and Co.. who hope that it will Appear by April at the latest. The publishers have selected an artist to design a special jacket. I