PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 97, 25 April 1916, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON

(PROM ODR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

10th March. Miss F. A. Roberts, who spent some time in New Zealand a few years ago, has just published (through Messrs. Heath Cranton) an interesting account of her journeyings through the more out-of-the-way parts of the Dominion. "By Forest Way 3in New Zealand," as the book is called, gives pleading descriptions of the beauties and incidents of travel in West Otagq,. Stewart Island, the Southern Alps, and the Hot Lakes. Speaking of the Southern Alps, she says: " There are higher and grander mountains in other parts of the world, but perhaps none more satisfyingly beautiful than the New Zealand Alps, which always give one a. happy feeling that they are exactly right, and could not possibly be altered for the better. Not many people have yet discovered the Southern Alps, very few, even among the New Zealanders themselves, realise how big and marvellous a playground they have in all the."Alpine district; in whatever direction you go, you see peaks that no one has yet climbed, and tracts of forest and mountain that are completely unexplored." l

The Rev. E. H. Gallop, M.A., -who was in charge of the parish of Taumarunui for three years, arrived in England by the Arabic at the end of February, and he is to.be inducted this week by the Bishop of Kensington to the vicarage of St. John's, Walham Green, in which parish he was curate for nine years. Discussing his stay in New Zealand, Mr. Gallop says: "I was extremely happy in the Dominion, and found the people quite - extraordinarily hospitable and generous, and this was the more marked by reason of the fact that Church life in Aotea-Roa is sluggish and not very well informed—in fact, the religious spirit is largely in abeyance, and I was in consequence up in arms against a churchnii'Mship that was easy-going and, haphazard. It bore the ' taihoa ' brand, and needed goading. I know I must often have sorely perplexed' my parishioners and tried their patience, but I also know that in spite of all they gave me full credit for trying to do my best for them as Chur.ch people, and I am really homesick for the old friends in the back-blocks, whom I shall always remember for their wonderful friendliness and generosity towards myself. I cannot say what the future may bring, but I cherish the hope of some day returning to colonial life, to which I settled down so happily. The Bishop of Auckla-nd has appointed me his commissary in England, and I shall keep in touch . with dear New Zealand' in an official capacity as well as in a voluminous correspondence with a great number of friends. , I watched with immense interest the opening up of the country around Taumarumii. I think no one is fully educated until he.has been to. New Zealand, and I personally had .the course of ' higher education' that lies in being bogged hi;yards of semi-liquid mud,'and in being washed away on horseback by the Wanganui in flood ! "

News has been received from Ala«sio, Italy, of the death of Mr. Walter F. Elkington, of Makino. New Zealand. He died on 25th February.

The Institute of Journalists this week entertained 'at luncheon the party of Russian journalists who. have been en a visit to England. Among the guests of honour on the occasion Major Waits. D.S.O. (Otago Daily Times) and Sergeant P. H" G. Bennett, D.C.M. (Wanganui Herald), representatives of the New Zealand press; and invitations were also sent to Sergeant C. G. Nicol (New Zealand Herald) and Sergeant A. Tronson (Wanganui. Chronicle). Both were out of town and unable to be present. .

Item from Egypt : The engagement is announced of Major Harry White, D.SA, N.Z.E.F. (Auckland)," to Sister Dorotlvy Rose (eldest daughter of Mrs. Rose, of Christchurcli). ,

On 6th March, at St. Marfcin's-in-the-Fields, London, Miss Mildred Christmas (sister of the well-known Australian artist, Mr. E. W. Christmas, R.8.A.), was married to Surgeon Herbert White, E.N., of H.M.S. Shannon. The cere--mony was performed by the Rev. Dr. Cobb,1 and the bride was given away by Mr. G. 0. Hoite, R. 0.1. Dr. Arthur White (brother of the .bridegroom) was best man. A number of New Zealand and Australian friends were present at the reception subsequently held at the Criterion Restaurant. The London address of the bride and bridegroom is 16, Sandringham Court, Maida Vale. but. the latter will presently rejoin his ship.

Late ' callers at the High . Commissioner's office have included : Miss M. Griger, N.Z.A.N.S. (Christchvtrch); who is on' board the Grantullv Castle, SubLieut. J. E. Seaton, R-*N.V.R. (Wellington), Chaplain- Lieut.-Col. H. D. Burton (Christ-church)' and Mrs. Burton, Mrs. F. ft. Harbord (Nelson), Major P. 11*. Barcroft, N.Z.M.C. (Hastings), Mrs. E. H. Atkey (New Plymouth), Mr. W. Chappell (Capetown), Commander Be.r----nard/C-. Freyberg, R.N.D., D.S.O. (Wellington), Captain E. V Harstoh (Napier), Mr. F. P. de L. Willis (Auckland), Brigadier-General G. S. Richardson . (Wellington), Mr. P. N. M'Lean, A.B. (Auckland) (H.M.S. Llewellyn), Mr. E. Caskey (Fairlie), Major G. Mitchell (Invercargill).