ABOUT PEOPLE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 108, 8 May 1909, Page 3

ABOUT PEOPLE.

NOTES FROM LONDON. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 261h March. Mr. George Coats, father of the Marchioness Douro, is one of the controllers of the great cotton firm of J. and P. Coats, Ltd. He is the owner of a shooting forest in Scotland, a splendid country house in Ayr, and a town house which is one of the finest in London — a palace of rave marbles, rich carvings, and ceilings painted by artists of renown. The great enterprise he helps to direct is a veritable gold mine in the industrial world. With a capital of £10,000,000, it has, during tho past four years, made profits of close upon £11,000,000. The vice-president of the Royal Colo-, nial Institute, who spoke at Monday's discussion on the reform of that institution, is the last survivor of that band of men who, with Edward Gibbon Wakefield, revolutionised the colonial policy of this country in the earlier part of last century. Although Sir Frederick has reached the advanced agv." of 92, he is stil l as active as many a man forty years younger ; he has taken an interest in the Royal Colonial Institute since its foundation. His first book was published forty-six years back ; his last seven years agb. Sir Frederick was born in Limehouse two years after the battle of Waterloo. D. R. Bedell-Sivright, the popular captain of the 1904 English Rugby team in Australasia, has at last succeeded in winning the heavy-weight boxing championship of Scotland. Like other Scots boxers, he was not very clever, but he was very convincing. It is always a pleasant duty to record the success in this country of New Zealanders. A man from the Dominion who occupies a high position in musical circles here is Mr. Frederick Z\loore, who some little time since was made a Professor of the Pianoforte at the Royal Academy of Music. He is now about to leave for Australia and New ZealniH on a professional visit. He is to go to the former couutry in the capacity of examiner on behalf of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Musicrand it will be possible for him to fie in a flying visit to Dunedin first, where he expects to arrive early in June, and where he hopes to give a pianoforte recital. Mr. Moore's many friends in New Zealand will learn with interest that his musical abilities continue to be more widely recognised in the world's metropolis. Tho last G-azPtte states that the King has been pleased to direct that the Hon. J. M'Gowan, who has served for mor-i than three years as a member of the Executive Council of the Dominion of New Zealand, shall retain permanently the title of "Honourable." The Rev. W. R. Widdowson, an octogenarian Prirnilive Methodist minister, of Watford, ib on his way back from New Zealand ; he proposes to travel to Canada in the summer. Miss Audrey Richardson will be the solo violinist at the Good Friday sacred concert at the Queen's Hall. The vocal ista will include Madame Clara Butt, Miss Esta d'Argo, and Mr. Kennerley Rumford. A whist-drive, under the auspices ol the New Zealand Association, was held at (he AVostminster Palr.ce Hotel last night, when among those present were : Mr. and Mrs. C. Wray Palliser, Miis Palliser, Mr. and Mrs. Hayman, and Miss Hayman, Mr. and Miss Kennaway. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Mason, Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers, Dr. Parkinson, Pro fessor Ashley, Mrs. Ashlej, Mr. and Mrs. Creighton-Hale, Mr. H. 11. Bridge. Mr. Boak, Mr. and Mis. Eley. A very enjoyable cening's play resulted in Mrs. Palmer seeming first prize, and Mrs. Hayman second prize, while Miss West (playing as a gentleman) secured the gentlemen's prize. This week's callers at the London office of the New Zealand Government have been : Mr. E. J. Reid (Wellington). Miss K. Moloney (Wellington), Mr. S. H. Knight (Hastings), Mr. C. N. Willis (Wellington), Mr. A. E. W. Rowland, Mr. Harold Williams (Alexandra), and Mr. Hugh Gemmcll (Alexandra, Otago). Prominent. New Zealander? who have recently arrived in London include Mr. and Mrs. Donald Robertson and Dr. and Mrs. Gow. Mr. Robertson is stopping at Queens-square, and Dr. Gow's headquarters wil l be at Altrincham, in Cheshire.