NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 172, 14 April 1908, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD

• PERSONAL NOTES FROM ; LONDON. London, March 6. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Blomfield -(N.Z.) are now in. the .Soutli of Franco. Mrs. Matlp.pl;, wife of Major Matlcck, has left for Now Zealand to see her brother, Mr. Percy Buller, who has been seriously ill. : - ' Captain J. Forbes, the commander of the Turakina, was operated 011 successfully a few days ago for an injury to his knee. He is now almost recovered, and expects to proceed to New Zealand in charge of the Turakina when she sails next week. •Mr. C. J. Fulton, chief.fibre expert, and Sir. E. II : Hooper, of the High Commissioner's Department, have just returned to London from a fortnight's tour through France, Gormany, • Holland, and Belgium in connection with the New Zealand hemp industry. . • Mr. W. Wilson, B.Sc., of Christchurch and Timaru, has been lecturing at Romford oil New Zealand, its resources and its beauties. A scrio". of lantern slides was lent by the High Commissioner's Department to illustrate the-.lecture, which - was,very..well received. .. .• , • 1 Recent callers at'the High Commissioner's office have been few in number during the past week. The following signed the visitors' book :—Dr.' and Mrs. Hope Lewis (Auckland),' Mr. A. L. Jones (Auckland), Mr. H. C. Waslibourno, Mr. H. G. Pearce (Auckland), and. Mr. J. M; Jack (Dunedin). Dr. and MrS,'.. T. Hope Lewis, of Auckland, have arrived in London.. They l left New Zealand .in October last, and spent several weeks 111 Ceylon, Egypt, and Southern Europe on thoir way to England,'-'They-will remain in_ London some few-/'months, returning to New Zealand via Canada in the autumn. The E.ev. Thos. Spurgeon, who lias just resigned the pastorate of the Metropolitan Tabernacle on account of ill-health;'was pas-' tor at the Baptist Tabernacle at''Auckland from 1881 to 1839. ' Whilst in New".Zealand he married ■ the daughter' of •' Mr."' Gideoii M'Leod, of Dunedin —and ho has two children—a son and a daughter. ' " ' Captain P. 0. - Griffiths, who has been appointed teacher of seamanship at tho'L.C.C. School of Engineering and Navigation at Poplar, wan formerly conynander of one of the Shaw, - Savill, and. Albion . Company's steamers in tho New Zealand trade. Ho holds an extra-master's certificate, and i 3 a navigator of. wide oxperionee. ' A memorial "to tli© 4 . late : Mr. Seddon, Premier of Now Zealand, was dedicated last woek in tho parish-church of his birthplace, Eccleston, St. Helens. It took the form of new choir stalls," the gift o£. Mrs. Seddon. The dedication service was conducted by the Bishop of Liverpool, who in his sermon remarked 011 the fact that South;-West Lancashire had given' the world two great 'Premiers, William" Ewa'rt Gladstone and' Richard John Seddon.-

One of the last of Miss 1 Florences ■ Niglitingale's Crimean nurses, Mrs. Moonen, who has • died •. at Duiwich. .accomplished :; a -remarkablo feat .three .years . ago;. Although 80 .years of age, and very'infirm ,and deaf, she journeyed ;alone "to New' Zealand and back to visit- a/, nonagenarian-'.', brother. 'one •of the early 'settlers at Auckland... In- tho course of her 'evontful life: Mrs. Moonen .travelled three times round' the world, and she lived in Paris, dunrig the siege'..' Tho Rev. W. J. Mayers, of Dr.,.Barriardo's Homes, now on : his way .to tho. Antipodes by, tho Omrah, Will visit .New •Zealand!' His mission: is to keep colonial' friends and' subscribers lir toulsh with the . progress", of. .the work since. Dr. Barnardo's death," and to make inquiries as to the possibility of sendintc'. some of their children out to .Australasia. He is accompanied by Mrs. Mayer;!, Mr. Henry, Aaron, and a'party of ten .boy musicians, who have been .rescued, and . educated by the Barriardo Homes, and! who will supply the musical'programme at each meeting. • ' i '

An official return of, tho .. number of army reservists residing abroad.' shows that 120 are resident in Australia and 86 in New Zealand'. •