PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

Evening Star, Issue 12873, 24 July 1906, Page 8

PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

'• [Fkojc Qua Special CoßUßswinraNT.i k • . ■ ' LONDON, Juno 15. i.ho high compliment of summoning, him to jj[ Buckingham Palace and granting bim an '•audience which lasted for three-quarters of \ an 'hour. ..His- Majesty showed a remark;'abk> knowledge of New Zealand and its -politics. Ngiirally, the death of Mr Sed- \ don was a subject of conversation, and the , King expressed his Jeep regret at the kiss \ which the colony and the Empire had sua-. Gained in his removal. ! Mr W. Gray, the secretary of tho New ' Ztuland Postal Department, who accompanied Sir Joseph Ward to the Postal Congress at Rome, will leave London on June 27 with Sir Joseph Ward, and return with . Mm to Auckland by the Ventura- During ' his stay in London Mr Gray has taken the opportunity of going all over the General Post Office, and has been greatly impressed by the magnitude of this great branch of the public service in London. He hat? also picked up many useful wrinkles in methods oi working in connection with the G-P-0-itnd the telephone department. Mi:-s C. M. Wells and Miss Alma Wells, oi Cirisfcchureh, are returning to the colony by the Ruapehn, which sails from 1 lyraouth to-morrow. Mr George Fowlds leaves Liverpool today by thoCedric for Now York, en route for Auckland. He will join the Ventura at San Francisco, and is due to arrive in Auckland on July 3a Since his father's centenary dinner Mr FowlaV: and his daughter have* been travelling about Scotland, and have had a pleasant tour. At Inverness they spent, a day at the Castle as the guests of }x>rd Lovat', whom they had met on the ' vovage from South Africa, to Tendon. They also made the trip through the famous Tiossachs district. Mr Fowlds returned to London on Wednesday night, and left, again last evrninc: for Liverpool to catch nis steamer. At Fcnwick he left his centenarian father wonderfully well. The last thing he did before coming away wos to aged weaver to put a new web of blanket into the loom! Mr Lionel A. Abraham, Mr Gilbert Anderson, Mr Patrick L. Dignan, and Mr E. W Ikipcr, all from New Zealand, have Ixen elceted Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute. . Mr Allan F. Roberts, a young Cf.nstclvurch engineer, has arrived hi Lond™ with a view to picking up experience in his profession. He came by the Ruap-.-hu last month. m , ~ , Mrs A. H. Turnbull, Miss Turnbnd, ai d Miss Gibson arrived in London last week, having spent a fortnight in Ceylon en route. They "landed at Naples, leaving there two davs before the eruption, and travelled through Italy. Germany, Holland, and Belgium. They'will be in, London about a month doing the usual sights. Kiss ■'.urnbull came out at the Royal Caledonian tall on June 11. Later on they leave for tho north, and join one of the Ophir's trips to Norwav, and they have taken their homeward passages in the Ortona, leaving November 16. Mis James Russell. of Reiruiera, now residing in Kensington, held a large reception on Wednesday, Bth inst. Amongst the 200 guests were manv New Zealanders, including Mr and Mrs "James Mills, Mrs and Miss Richmond. Mrs A. Seth Smith, and Miss Von dcr Hyde. . Mr and Mrs James Pyecroft tUinstchurch), with Miss A. M. Pyecroft, tneir daughter, and Miss A. E, Cox, are staying in London at present. They leave m ten .lavs' time to visit the leading cities between here and Inverness, after which they •will visit Ireland, returning to London three mont-luj. hence. After a Continental trip thev will go to relatives at Haylmg Island for" i. few weeks before touring the western counties. They propose leaving for JSew Zealand bv the Orontcs on December 28, but will break their journey in Australia. Mr Pvecioft is revisiting hia native England purelv on a pleasure trip. Mr- Fox (Palmerston North), who, with her children, is on a pleasure trip to the Old Countrv. intends remaining here lor some vear 3 ,"and vishing places of jnterest in England and on the Continent. She leave* London in July to spend a few months in Cornwall. Mr William Ware (of Bemuera) armed in London by the R.M.S. Gothic. He has been on a visit to his son s estancia in the Argentine. After a month m London he intends returning to New Zealand by Vancouver. . ..... Mrs Robert Browning and the Misses Browning, of Bemuera, left London this week for Antrim (Ireland), where they spend a month with friends and then go on to Switzerland. Mrs Fowell Watts (Nelson) arrived in London by the R.M.S. Gothic, and has gone on a visit to her daughter, Mrs Sweet, of DorsetshireMiss Shand, daughter of Professor Shand, of Dunedin University, is at present in London en route for Heidelberg, whore she intends studying musicMrs Melitus and hex two children arrived in London on the 7th inst., and are staving with relations in Holland Park. Mrs and the Misses Richmond, of Mount Eden, are at present in London. Mrs Richmond is now much improved in health after being very much upset by the sea voyage. St. Margaret's, Westminster, was the scene of a smart Anglo-New Zealand marriage on Thursday last, when Mr Reginald Tristram Harper, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Leonard Harper, erstwhile of Christchurch, but now resident at La Garenne, Jersey, led to the altar Miss Gladys Mary St. Agnes Lyall Wilson, the only daughter of the late. Mr Robert Wilson" F.R.S., of Edinburgh, and Mrs Lyall Wilson, of Artillery Mansions, Westminster. The bride's uncle, the Rev. J. Dnnn, assisted by tho Rev. Charles Coade, a cousin of the bride, united the happy pair in the presence of a considerable gathering of relatives and friends. Lieutenant-colonel Thomas Hamilton, late of the Royal Irish Regiment, who died at Maiden, Surrey, on Sunday, at the age of sixty-seven, was one of the {'unior officers who served with the 18th tegiment in the New Zealand War of 1863-66. He also took part in the Egyptian War of 1882, including the actions at Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir, receiving for his services the honorary rank of major, the medal with clasp, and the Khedive's star, and-being mentioned in despatches. Later he served in the Hay.ara expedition, and in 1897 was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel. Amongst those present in St. Paul's at the Dedication of the Chapel of St. Michael and St George on Tuesday were the Primate of New Zealand and Mr Jnstice Williams and Mrs Williams. Mr W. J. Napier was entertained on the 9th inst. by the Duchess of Bedford at her country residence. Mr Napier has this week been spending a couple of days with the Earl and Countess of Onslow at Clandon, their beautiful Surrey home. Mrs (Canon) Johnston and her daughter, Miss Johnston, of Parnell. Auckland, are visiting their friends in England. They arrived on May 18, after a pleasant voyage in the Braemar Castle from Durban. Mrs Johnston had spent the past year in Johannesburg with relatives, having left Auckland in February, 1905. Miss Johnston had only returned to Jo.hannesburg shortly before they started for London, she having been on a trip through Europe. They expect to be in London or visiting friends in various parts of the country until the end of : July, when they go across to Ireland for some months. Their present intention .: is to start for New Zealand about November, before the cold weather sets in. ■ Dr and Mrs T. Leslie Crooke (of Christchurch) remained in London to be : present at the ceremony of the Dedication of the Chapel of St. Michael and St. Peorge in St. Paul's Cathedral, and left afterwards to visit relatives in Suffolk. Mr Chas. A. Richards (of Te Wharau, :,- Wairarapa) had a pleasant trip Home via Suez, Marseilles, and CalaM. He is visit- >• ing England to see, after more than fifty years' absence, the relatives and friends still spared to him in this country, and '■ to note the great changes that have taken ? place here during his long absence. Mr plans for the immediate future : are at present uncertain. Mr W. Gray and Miss C. Gray /of .Pahautanni, Wellington). are sight-seeing tua I-andnq. Thej£ left- tbJeir steamer at

Naples and toured through Italy and France on the way to England, and being favored with fine weather had a very enjoyable trip. They leave for Scotland at the end of the week, and will afterwards visit Ireland, -Wales,' and various parts of England, returning to New Zealand via San Francisco about October.

Mr A. Lubecki, of Auckland, and formerly of Dunedin, who has been spending the past eighteen months on this side of the world, has jnst returned from a trip to the Continent. He spent most of his time in Switzerland and France, and enjoyed his visit very much. Mr Lubecki will remain in London for a few weeks, after which he will probably visit Scotland. The date of his return to Now Zealand is uncertain.

Miss Juliana Coles, youngest daughter of Captain Coles, of Wakefield, New Zealand, was married last Tuesday to Mr Cyrns Eugert, third son of the late Mr A. C. Eugert-, of Highgate. The v/cddiim took place at St. Peter's, Woking. Among recent arrivals in London on holi-day-making b?nt is x\lr A. J. Buchanan, erstwhile of Christchnrch, but now associated with journalism in Perth as a leader writer to the chief daily in that city. Mr Buchanan has in his leisure moments fashioned a novel of the social-cum-political order, which lie has placed with Messrs Skcftington, who propose to produce it in the- autumn under the title ' Bubble Roputflilions.' l Mr W. F. Masfen, of the Auckland Stock Exchange, is on a visit to London for the benefit of his healttL, accompanied by Mrs Masfen. They arrived bv the Gothic, which reached Plymouth last week. Miss lily Aulsebrook, of Auckland, who arrived by the Gothic last week, lias come to London to study voice production under Signor Alberto Randegger, the well-known Italian master. Miss Aulsebrook is said to possess a rich contralto voice of good range a,nd quality. > Mr William "Quid, of Mk> 'Tapanui Courier,' has arrived in London on a pleasure trip. Mr Quin is revisiting the Old Country after an interval of some twenty years, and expects to remain for about three months.

During his presidential address at the annual meeting of the National Service League at the Royal United Sen-ice Institution last Tuesday, Earl Roberts made a sympathetic and appreciative reference to the late Premier of New Zealand. He said that "a feeling of mingled sorrow and admiration must have gone through the Empire at tlic news of the death of that grwit democratic Imperialist Mr Seddon, whose supreme object in lite seemed to bo to do everything possiblo to secure a closer union between all Britons at Home and beyond the seas. He was inspired by an intense desire to see the scattered portions of our Empire united in the strong lxi lids of kinship and mutual affection. This fact and the loss which we had sustained made it particularly interesting to members of the League to remember that Mr Seddon was one of the first to give his warm apprc-nl to its objects shortlv after it was founded.*' Two recitals were given this week at- the works.of Messrs Ingram and Co., at Eign street, Hereford, on the organ erected for the Christchurch Exhibition by that famous firm, at a cost of over £3,500.* The players were Dr A. L. Peace and Dr J. Kendrick Pyno. who supervised the construction of the organ, tho order for which was placed through the High Commissioner. The organ, which is to be shipped at the earliest possiblo time, is undoubtedly a tine 'specimen of the organ-builders' art. The pedal organ lias a compass of C 0 C to F and thirty notes, the great organ's compass is C C to C and has sixty-one notes, while the swell organ, with a like compass, has sixty-one notes and seventy-three pipes, the choir organ the same compass and sixty-one notes in a swell box, and the solo organ sixtv-one notes with a compass of 0 C to C also. The organ pipes range from o2ft in length (tho resultant bass) down to 4ft, and the instrument is fitted with all the latest devices in the way of accessories.

Recent callers ai the High Commissioner's Office:—Mr Harold E. Curtis (Christchurch). Miss S. B. and Miss L. A. Brandon (Wellington). Mr and Mrs G. N. Pharazyn (Feilding), Mr Allan F. Roberts (Christchurch), Mr and Mrs Philip M'Carthy (Hawera), Mr Wm. H. Mercer (Auckland), Mr Goo. Tutt (Auckland), Mr James B. Stevenson (Reefton). Mr R. Alexander (Wellington), Mrs (Canon) Johnston and Miss Johnston' (Auckland). Mr Arthur Mead and Mrs Arthur Mead (Christchurch), Mr James Clarke (Invercargill), Mr John Wilson (Invercargill), Mr John Colwell (Southland), Mr H. S. Meek (Wellington), Mr Rebert M'Laren (Wellington), Mr J. W. Brodie (Auckland), Mr Furley M'Leod (Wellington), Mr and Mrs F. A. Ford (Gisborne), Mr and Mrs Frank Hodgson (Wellington), Rev. Edgar P. Blamires (Rotorua), Mr Robert Buchanan (Dunedin), Mr Jas. E. Davenport (Christchurch), Mr Roger E. Dollen, Mr Percy Henry Shailer (Auckland), Mr Wm. Ware (Auckland), Mr Wm. G. Fry (Feilding), Mr and Mrs Jas. Pyecroft (Christchurch), Mr and Mrs J. Sellev, Mr H. Cripps (Auckland), Miss Clara Fox (Palmerston North), Mr T. H. Garland (Auckland), Mr Kinross White (Napier), Miss Kate Hurst-house (Wellington), Miss E. Wells and Miss Alma Wells (Christchurch). Mrs A. H. Turnbull and Miss M. Turnbull, Miss H.' F. Gibson, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes (Christchurch), Miss M. B. Lavender (Christchurch), Mr A. J. Shilling (Wellington), Mr and Mrs Jas. Mills (Dunedin), Mr Jas. Pearce (Pahautanui). Mr S. D. Lubecki (Auckland), Mr and Mrs Joseph Lacliman (Wellington), Mr E. D. Johnson. Mrs Johnson, and Miss Edna Johnson (Christchurch). Mr D. Reese played m the first cricket match on English soil he has taken part in for some eighteen months last week, when he assisted Essex against Notts at Trent Bridge. Tho New Zealander could hardlv be said to have distinguished) liimself. He was " out for a duck " at the first time of asking, and made 5 (not out) at the second, whilst his three overs with the ball enabled the Notts batsmen to add 18 runs to their score. The_ game was left drawn, Essex wanting 160 runs to win, with three wickets to fall.