PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

Evening Star, Issue 12843, 19 June 1906, Page 3

PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

[From Our Speciai Correspondent.j

LONDON. May 11. ‘ I never felt better in my life,” is said. ' k< have been one of the remarks that fell from King Edward’s lips as he stood chatting on the platform at Victoria station las* Monday, when he arrived home agttin after his prolonged visit to the Continent. Certainly the Ring looked very much better than when be left London, and it is to bo hoped that .the Queen’s health has benefited to a like extent by her lengthy holiday abroad. The King's home-coming was a very quiet affair so far as London was concerned. The only people of note to meet bun at Victoria were the Premier, Admiral Fisher, Mr Herbert Gladstone, and the Greek Minister, and the conveyance which took His Majesty to Buckingham Palace was an. ordinary brougham. Vastly different was the homMommg of the Prince and Princess of Wales on the morrow', after their seven months’ absence. Their arrival at Portsmouth was marked by the thunder of a multitude of guns from the Channel fleet and the forts on shore, and a tumuitoocs welcome from the townsfolk of oor leading naval depot. There they were itido welcomed bv their children and by many minor royalties‘and “big wigs” connected with the dockyard and the town. What was perhaps tiro, most picturesque and striding incident in this part of the Prince s welcome home occurred when the Renown was warped alongside the jetty at Portsmouth. The cruiser Terrible, which had escorted her back from India, steamed slowly by, with her crow mossed in the lighting tops and on the boat docks. As tbev came opposite the Renown the men of the Terrible sang ‘ God bless the Prince of Wales,’ finishing up with hearty cheers. The effect—there were nearly a thousand voices—was very impressive, for the outbreak seemed quite spontaneous. When the special train conveying .the Prince and Princess steamed into Victoria at five o’clock in the evening a brilliant company was assembled on the platform, including the King. Princess Ena of Bottenberg, and nearly every member of the Royal Family now ‘in England, Lord and Lady Roberts, 1/ord Ourson (who bad received their Royal Highnesses on their arrival in India as Viceroy), Mr John Moriey (the present Secretary of State for India), and a host of notabilities. The family greetings over, the Prince and Princess drove away in an open landau, escorted by a detachment of Horse Guards, to Marlborough House. 'lhe returning wanderers met with a very cordial reception from the people, many of whom had waited for hours on the pavements in older to catch a sight of the Royal couple. King Edward tried to take a secondary place in the spectacle, uu os rental iously following his sou at a considerable interval along the some route as far as Buckingham Palace, and without escort. His attempt at self-effacement was, however, altogether vain, for the crowds cheered him to the echo.

j ho record of the Prince of Wales as a traveller is by this timo a formidable one. His three years' cruise on the Bacchante took him practically everywhere by sea, while convenient pauses in port enabled him to make journeys inland in some of the most interesting parts of the world. The sea mileage for the term was sufficient to twice circumnavigate the globe and leave a surplus for a voyage to America and home again. That, however, was little in excess of the distance covered during the Ophir tour, ’fhat good ship carried tho party over 38,000 miles; there were trips in other vessels aggregating more than 300 miles, and trav3py train mounting up to 12,000 miles. Altogether that trip put 50,718 miles to the travel record of the Prince and Princess. It involved the delivery of four-Ecore-and-six speeches by the Prince, the laying of upwards of a score of foundation stones, tho inspection of more than 60,000 troops, the distribution of 4,529 war medals and of seven score titular honors, and, not the least item, tho exchange of handshakes with no fewer than 35,000 people. Poor Prince’.

Shortly after Mr George J. Sandys came over from New Zealand he contested the Launceston Division at the General Election, in the Unionist interest. Although lie failed to win the seat, both he and Mrs Sandys (who is a daughter of Air Duncan Cameron, one of the largest sheep farmers in the colony) made a host of 1 friends throughout the constituency, and a few days ago the Launceston Unionists showed thiir appreciation of Mr Sandys's plucky fight by making a very handsome present jointly to Airs Sandys and himself at a social gathering :.t tfife Town Hall, Launceston The presentation took the form of a massive silver rose bowl, richly cl osed and engraved, with Air Sandys’s armorial bearings and the Cornish arms beautifully inlaid. It was accompanied by an address, and an album bearing the names of over 1,000 subscribers, and artistically embellished with the coats of arms cf the chief places in the division. In their address to AD Sandys the subscribers said ; “ Recognising your loyal adherence to the Unionist cause, and especially the great services you rendered our party in toe recent contest in this constituency, we desire to record our fullest appreciation of the manly and honorable bearing which was manifested by you on that occasion. Particularly we wish to record your never-failing courtesy, courage, and perseverance to help forward our cause under very adverse circumstances. We beg, therefore, to ask you and Mrs Sandys, as toe spontaneous wish of your friends, to accept toe accompanying rose bowl and album, containing the names of the subscribers, as a memento of our good will, friendship, and esteem.” On bis recent trip to the Continent, Mr George Fowlds, ALH.R., visited Paris, Geneva, Genoa, Nice, and Monte Carlo, and then went on to Italy, where his programme include! visits to Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice. He was at the top of Mount Vesuvius a few days before the great eruption. Everywhere he came across New Zealanders, or people with relatives and friends in the colony. Since his return, Mr Fowlds has been staying with friends in Lincolnshire, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. He come up to London for the annual session of the Congregational Union of England and \V ales, and he and Mr Meadow croft, of Wellington, were officially received as delegates from the New Zealand Union last Monday afternoon. AD Fowlds left London again on Wednesday to >-ay a short visit to Oxford. Thence he goes to Cornwall, and towards the end of the month proceeds north to Fenwick, in Ayrshire, to be present at the celebration of his father’s centenary. Mr Fowlds leaves for New Zealand about the first week in June, travelling bv the San Francisco route. . Mr "Fowlds, in returning thanks for the welcome accorded to AD Meadow croft and himself bv the Congregational Union, expressed his pleasure at meeting his English fellow-churchmen and conveying to them the hearty greetings of the Congrcgatianalista of New Zealand. “I believe, he said, “ that it is good for you and good for us that we should interchange visits, :ii has been suggested by the preceding speaker. I believe that in snch interchange of visits lies toe truest federation of our great Empire. I very heartily .wish you (Jod-speed in your meetings, and give you the hearty greetings of the CongregationB lists of New Zealand.” Mr and Mrs W. J. Birch (Marten) arrived in London on April 28, after a prolonged stay in Egypt and the Continent, tbev b&Tjßg’ left New Zealand on December 2 and travelled bvtheP. and O. Line «e far os Port Said. They made toe trip up the Nile aa far ae Assouan in lovely weather, and found ft most interesting, both in the modem aspect lent by the great irrigation works, and in the magnificent ruins of an ancient and wonderful civilisation. The art treasures of Italy afforded endless interest, and Germany, which was next visited, impressed AD Birch as a wonderful example of organisation. “ Everything there,” ho remarked, “seems to be regulated by authority, and a military diueipUnc seems to pervade the atmosphere. The enormous development of mining and manufacturing which has taken place in Germany during the last twenty-five years is most striking. Ihe frugal habits of the people and the thoroughness of their methods mark them out aj the determined rivals of Great Britain in manufacture and Dade. Their methods of arbor culture or forestry, us carried on ore r hundreds of thousands ot ot lacd, tec. poor for cultivation, ass I

admirable, and might weJI-b© copied by our Government in New Zealand.” Mr Birch’s stay in England will probaly extend to October next. He will represent the Mana- . watu and West Coast A. and P. Society at | the National Sheep-breeders’ 'Conference, and intends gathering as much information as posible during his visit with regard to all matters pertaining to stock and farming cooperation, etc. Mr and Mre F. Meadowcroft (Wellington) will probably leave on their return to the colony in the first week in June, travelling via America, in company with Mr George Fowlds, M.H.R. Mr Meadowcroft and Mr Fowlda attended the annual meetings of the Congregational Union of England and Wales in London this week as delegates from the New Zealand Union, and were formally welcomed l by the English delegates on Monday last. Mr Meadowcroft. who is chairman of the Congregational Union in New Zealand, made a brief speech in reply. “ I bad hoped,” be said, “ that as my friend Mr Fowlds —we work together m New Zealand—was accompanying me on this platform. I might escape the ordeal of standing before such a vast, assemblage as I see be-, fore me now. Of course, any of you who have been out in New Zealand know that our Congregational Union there '6 a different thing altogether, and to deliver an address from the chair to brethren who know you. ami are kindly in their criticism, is a very different thing from what I am doing now. However, Christian friends, 1 thank you very much for the kind reception you have given me., and the opportunity 1 have of being present at this meeting, to which—having been engaged for many years in Christian work—l nave looked forward to, never knowing when I should have the opportunity. Now that I have it 1 intend to have as much of it as is possible for me.” It was stated in hist week's personal notes that the High Commissioner bad selected Mr Henry Lawrence Christie, instructor in art at the Westminster fecamcal Institute, to fill the vacant position of art master at the Technical School at Wellington. In the interim, however, Mr Christie has asked to be aßowed to withdraw from the appointment. He stated that his father was in such frail health that he feared to leave him, the doctors having advised him that the effect of his departure upon the invalid might be of the gmvtst character. Mr Christie was asked to take another twenty-four hours in wnicn to reconsider the matter, but at the end of faiat 1 period he wrote regretting that he could ‘ not see his way clear, under the circmn- j stances mentioned, to leave ms lather. His name has accordingly been withdrawn, so that the Wellington appointment is once more vacant.

Mr Henry Field, secretary of the Now Zealand Employers’ Federation from the inception of. that body in 1903 until his departure from, the colony, and iirst secretary of the New Zealand Alliance from 1886 till 1897. has arrived in London, accompanied by Mrs Field. He returns to this country after an absence of twenty-five years, the whole of which period has been spent in New Zealand. Mr Field has now resigned the secertaryahip of the Employers’ Federation and other kindred offices which he held in the colony, and has come Home in fulfilment of a life-long desire to spend wane years in the Old Country. ”I am here now to see and enjoy,” he says, “and I may settle down here permanently.” Mr and Mrs Field have travelled hither by Uifiuely stages. Leaving New Zealand on December 9, they spent some weeks in Sydney, Ballarat, and Melbourne, and sailed for England by the Runic on January 26, arriving at Plymouth on -Marall 14, after a fair-weather voyage. They spent five weeks in Devon with an old New Zealand friend, and then came on to London, where ii-ey will remain for another fortnight, prior to visiting various parts of the Untied Kingdom.

Tiie Primate of New Zealand, whoso arrival via New York 1 chronicled hist week, is at present in London, staying in South. Hampstead. Mr Douglas Hope Johnston, who has been on a what to London., intends leaving shortly for Australia, there to practise hi.-, profession as a barrister, probably at Perth (W.A.). He came to London to take pari in a probate case in conjunction with Mr Rufus Isaacs, Air Priestley, and AD Barnard, K.O.S, on behalf of Francis Bohr, the pianist and composer, who was defending the action, and who eventually obtained a satisfactory • compromise, Mr Hope Johnston, who is a graduate of Cambridge University and a ' member o£ the UngUsh Bitr (Inner Temple), as well as of the Australasian Bar, belongs to a very old Now Zealand family. His grandfather cruised in New Zealand waters in his own schooner in 1815, and touched at the-harbors where Dunedin, Auckland, and Wellington have since coma into existence, and in 1848 his grandfather became a colonist in Wellington, of which city Mr Douglas Johnston is himself a native.

Dr J. S. Purdy, of the Hutt, who is now in the Egypt;on Quarantine Service at Port Said, has just returned there from the Pilgrimage Comp at El Tor, on the Red Sea, where he had charge of four large hospitals. Thirty thousand Alahomedan pilgrims returning from Atecca passed through El Tor, so that the New Zealander had a unique experience. El Tor might be truthfully doscribed as Europe’s first line of defence against plague, cholera, and other Oriental diseases which follow in the train of the pilgrims. Dr Purdy expects to vjsit New Zealand next July, when he gets three or four months’ leave of absence. Another New Zealander at El Tor was Dr Grace Russell, formerly of Auckland, and at one time in practice in Sydney. The Primate of New Zealand (Bishop Ncvill) and the Rev. Harold Anson, cf

Auckland, were present yesterday afternoon at the annual meeting' of the/Society for the Propagation, of the Gospel, and Mr Anson was amongst the speakers at the evening meeting, held to celebrate the 205 th anniversary of the society. The New Zealand High. Commissioner and Mr Harold Beauchamp (Wellington) were among the guests at the Australasian Merchants’ annual banquet, held this week, with the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain in the chair. MBs Helene Fodor (Christchurch) has been busy making the acquaintance of new relations since her arrival, and the, round of theatres, dinner parties, and sight-seeing has left little margin of rime for literary work. She hopes, however, to have some success in “placing” her stories on her retnm from Paris, where she is at present staying. “Paris has rather a martial air just now,” writes Miss Fedor, “ and it is somewhat exciting to see soldiers parading the streets with “bayonets fixed, and every now and then to come across troops of cavalry protecting the workmen from the strikers. AH the same, the people seem fairly peaceable.” Mr and Mrs J. P. Lake arrived from Wellington last week on a holiday trip to this country. They were met hi London by their son, Mr George Luke, who came over in March last for the purpose of gaining experience iu engineering. Mr Luke, jnn., will visit Cornwall and other parts of England with his parents, and will then settle down to work, having secured a position in one of the principal marine engineering workshops in the North. Mr Chss. Onyon (Wellington) was present at the house dinner given last evening by the Municipal and County Chib, Whitehall Court, in honor of the Lord Mayor of Manchester. Sir Joseph Ward and party were invited, but were, of course, unable to attend, being still engaged at the Postal Congress iu Rome.

Mr H. L. Chandler has come from Dunedin to gain experience in marine engineering. He arrived last- week by the Paparoa. The vessel had a bad passage, especially between Wellington and the Horn, while after leaving Teneriffe a Mr Harding, a passenger from Monte Video, died, and was boried at sea. Quite a number of Auckland people arrived by the Orontes last Friday, including Mrs Cotter and the Misses Cotter (2), Miss Marian Frater, Mrs Richmond and the Misses Richmond (3), and Mr Percy M. Thomson. Mr and Mrs J. Casaolburg, of Masterton, wore passengers by the same ; steamer. | Mr James Powell (Westport) has been | elected a Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute. Mr G. Phipps Spooner has been elected chairman of the Committee, and Messrs R. H. Hooper and J. P. Whitelaw joint bon. secretaries, of the New Zealand Association. Hr K. Bockmaster, who had acted as hon. secretary during the reorganisation of the society, was voted five guineas and thanked for his services by the Committee. The new club rooms secured by the Association in the Westminster Palace Hotel Buildings, Victoria stioet, S. are now being furnish od, and should be ready for use in the course of another two or three weeks. They are intended to provide a much-needed rendezvous in London for New Zealanders residing in or visiting this country, and the number of prominent colonials who have already become members is a promising augury that the Association have a useful and successful career ahead of them. New Zealanders arriving in Loudon during the coming summer should make a point of lending their support to the Association, full information regarding which may be obtained by writing to the hon. secretary at 8 Victoria street.

The Council of the Royal Colonial Institute have unanimously adopted the following resolution:—^ln the opinion of this Council it is expedient, in the interests cl the Empire, that colonial questions be kept out of the arena of party politics.” According to ' ALA.IV tho young Countess of Seafield has had a daughter. Tho baby arrived after nearly eight years of married life, and her birth took place at Nice, where Lord and Lady Seafield are now residing. Lord Seafield has taken bis seat in the House of Lords, but seldom appears in London. Air and Mrs Charles Fordo (Omata), who came Home by the Gothic at the beginning of the year, are staying at Powers took, in Dorset. Mr Fordo is revisiting this country after an absence of twenty years. Air Justice Williams and Mrs Williams arrived in London a few days ago, after spending some time in Italy en route from New Zealand.

Dr T. Orooke, of thp Quistckuxch Hospital, and Mrs Grookc are on a sue months’ visit to tie Old Country. They came by the New Zealand Shipping- Company’s steamer Kaipara, arriving on April 21, and will sail again for New Zealand about the end of October. Dr Crooke has come Homo to do hospital work and to visit friends and relatives. Ho is at present attending hospitals in London, and on the 19ih inst. he goes to Warwickshire to vudt friends, returning to London in June. In the following month his wife and he will go to Scotland and in September to ireland to visit relatives. Dr Crooko will attend the London hospitals again before sailing in October. Miss Zita Broad and Miss K. M. Baber, of Wellington, are at present staying in Bayswatcr, and will remain in the metropolis till June, when they hope to go to Paris for a brief visit. They are on a pleasure trip, though Miss Baber intends to see some of the large schools and educational institutions, and to study the latest develojimenta in education.

Miss Flora Faulks (Dunedin) is on a visit

to England. She will remain about a year in this cbuntiy, daring which' time she in; tends to get as much' teaming as possible in the theory and ' practice d kindergarten work. She #3l -visit iscotland in the summer, 'V':- ;-l ' • ‘ • Mr H. B. Clark, " who came Home last month by the Orient,* will leave again on his retain to Christchurch'towards theend of July. Meanwhile he iwill visit Elverport, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Pans, besides sightseeing in Miss Marion Gifford Cooper (Auckland) is visiting her unde at;Stoko Rectory, Guildford, and attending the . -May meetings. Afterwards she will visit friends in the Midlands before returning -to Castle Gary. _ Mr Charles Gray. (Gisborne), who arrived via New York on tie 29th alt., proposes to remain in England about five months, after which he returns to New Zealand by the Sues route, travelling" overland to Naples. Mis J. E. Pulton and ;Miss "Vera Fulton, ■who arrived from Wellington bn Saturday, had a narrow escape -from the San Francisco earthquake, having left the city only the morning before the day of the disaster. Unfortunately for Mr Fulton, he did not leave San Francisco with his wife and daughter, and they did not hear of his safety until their,arrival in New York. Mr Fulton is staying at Oakland at present, and will be travelling in the United States for a couple of months before joining his wife in England. Mrs Fulton and her daughter visited the Grand Canyon, Chicago, and Niagara on their way through America. They met with the greatest kindness everywhere, and. greatly enjoyed The trip, except lor their anxiety on Mr 'Fulton’s behalf. They crossed the Atlantic on the s.s. Campania, and are now staying in Bedford place, Bloomsbury. Until Mr Fulton’s arrival they will spend their time chiefly in London and in visits to numerous relations. Mr F. F. St. John (Nelson), who arrived by the Orient on April 23, is spending a few weeks in London prior to going to Edinburgh for three months. Thence be goes to Philadelphia and Chicago, returning to New Zealand in about a year’s time. Mr St. Jolm is taking special courses in surgery with specialists, and also doing postgraduate work in each of the places mentioned. Dr A. J. Hall (Dunedin) is at present attached to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital and to the Golden Square Ear and Throat Hospital. Recent callers at the High CoiranKsran.cr >s : —The Primate of New Zealand, Mrs Joseph and daughters (Wellington), Mr and Mrs George Angoro (Wellington), Mr J. M. S Tripp (Oran Gorge), Mr and JVEb F. G. Dakieu (Wellington), Mr Alfred Woods (Woods-Williamson Company), Mr B. B. Walton and Mr W. J- Priest (Tnaaru), Mr E. Wildman (Wellington}, Mr E. Tmg_ey, Air J. & Tingcy 4 Wanganui). Mr Ojon Merton (Christchurch). Mr John Barr (Wellington), Mr George Luke (Wellington), Mr John P. and Mm Luke (Wellington), Mr Frank N. Tanner (Wellington), Miss Barmcoat (Wellington). Mr Edward Yemer Barrett (CSiristchnrch), Mr J. B. Bart (Ashburton). Mr Chas. P. Reed (Dunedm Dr Hall (Dunedin), M. H. L. Chandler (Dunedin), Mr and Mrs Henry Field and daughter (Wellington), Mr T. H. Mathews (Auckland). Mr E. H. Rawson (Wellington), Mr A Pi. Barker (Christchurch), Mr M. G. Baker (Otago)". Mr Henri Scott and Mr W B Root* (Christchurch), Hiss AUce Scott (Christchurch), Mr J.- £. and Miss Vera Fulton (Wellington). Mr Chas. Onyon (Wellington), Mr and Mrs P. A. Hearn (Wellington), Mr W. J. Birch (Marten).