PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME

Evening Star, Issue 14511, 1 November 1910, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME

[From Ouk Special Correspondent.] LONDON, September 23. Leicester is “ .at home ” this week to her sons and daughters from all parts of the world, and over two hundred Leicesterhorn men and women whose homes are now overseas have assembled to do honor to their native town. Great is the local enthusiusm and rousing the welcome accorded to the native-born who have come homo from afar. On Monday they were taken a motor-car excursion; on Tuesday entertained in Abbey Park, while the whole town made holiday. On Wednesday flower-decked tramway care carried them round the town, and a. torchlight procession was held in the evening. On Thursday there was a civic reception, and to-day the Temperance Society entertain tho visiters, while to-morrow there will be speeches reminiscent of old times. Men who have been absent from Leicester for forty or fifty years are renewing their acquaintance with tho old town,, and the climax was reached when a travel-worn stranger entered the homecomers 1 reception room, and in a shaking hand inscribed the name “William Bailey.” Even the elusive Bill Bailey has come home at last!

One of the most interesting of the visitors to Leicester is Air Homy Green (Auckland), a son of the oldest boot manufacturer in Leicester. He went to New Zealand fifty years ago, and has paid periodic visits to the town of his birth. For twenty years ho was engaged in the banking busine-'s. Ho began as a ledger clerk,-and ultimately became a hank manager. He is now interested in mining pursuits. He is a member of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce, a member of tho Goldfields Committee, and has been a member of tho Royal Colonial, Institute in England for a great many years. “A’nu ask me,” he said, “what I think of the homo-coiniug festival. I will tell you. It spells Imperialism and Patriotism.” The festival is the first of its kind to be held in this country, but other towns are evidently favorably impressed with tho idea. The secretary has received several letters asking for information, and Bristol and Derby are said to be considering holding similar festivals.

Mr W. H. Triggs (editor of the Christchurch ‘Press’), as chairman of the Overseas Committee of the Conference of the Institute of Journalists, was a member of a largo party of journalists who visited Brussels last week-end. Every official recognition in the power of the Belgian authorities to bestow was the portion of the British and overseas Pressmen. The Mayors of Ostend and Brussels, the Exhibition Executive, and the Government departments welcomed the voyagers, and King Albert himself personally honored them by throwing open the Royal Palace at Lacken. Even the weather, not by any means a negligible consideration on these occasions, was brilliant throughout. An uninterrupted series of agreeable interchanges of courtesy concluded with a farewell luncheon given by the visiting journalists to their .Belgian hosts and friends. The Hon. Harry Lawson, of the London ‘ Daily Telegraph,’ occupied the chair, having by hie side Sir Arthur Hardinge (British Minister at Brussels). At the principal tabic also sat Mr Mitchell (president-elect of the Institute) and Mr Triggs. Tiro entire proceedings were marked with the greatest cordiality and enthusiasm. During the visit of the oversea journalists to Oxford University on Friday Air W. H. Triggs had an interesting experience of making a speech in the famous Sheldonian Theatre, where the visitors and their hosts assembled after their tour of the colleges. To Mr Triggs fell the duty of returning thanks on behalf of the oversea journalists for the hospitality shown to the party by the University authorities. Ho took occasion to refer to The fact that cue of New Zealand’s best-known savants, Professor Macmillan Brown, was a -distinguished son of Oxford. Mr Triggs greatly enjoyed the visit to Belgium which closed the Journalists’ Conference festivities. While in Brussels he made one of a party which visited the battlefield of Waterloo, and ten minutes’ explanation on the spot by the guide gave him, he says, a far clearer idea of how that famous battle was fought than he had ever been able to gain by reading. He made the acquaintance of a number of Belgian journalists, and although there was a very general vagueness as to what sort of a place New Zealand was and what sort of people lived there, they made him very welcome and themselves most agreeable. It was a pleasant surprise to some of the Brussels folk to find that a New Zealander was not a savage! The Burgomaster of Ostend. a very genial personality, proved better informed on the subject of the Dominion. “From New Zealand?’’ ho said. “I wish I came from there too. It is a fine country,” and it was plain from his conversation that in one way and another he had gained a very fair idea of New Zealand and its charms.

Mr A, G Gow, son of Dir George Gow, superintendent engineer of the Northern Steamship Company, Auckland, has qualified for the diplomas of the Glasgow and Wedt of Scotland Technical College in both electrical and civil engineering. Mr Gow has been a student at the College since 1905.

Mr William Henderson is retiring from the position of London manager of the Christchurch Meat Company at tire end of the present month and is returning to New Zealand. His friends in the trade have invited him to dine at a complimentary banquet to be held at the Cafe Royal on Tuesday next, under the presidency of Mr John Hill, and a piece of plate will bo presented to him on this occasion. Among the colonial visitors at the annual dinner for the Atlantic Union, held in London this week, were Mr Acton ■Adams and Mr D. Zirnan.

Captain W. S. Gardner, of Palmerston North, who is at present on a, visit to London, wrote me as follows:—“ Since the acquisition by the Government of Now Zealand of the Manawatu Railway has become ‘ fait accompli 1 I am surprised to find that no steps have been taken by the late shareholders to recognise in some suitable manner their appreciation of the great ability energy, and financial assistance of Mr J. E. Nathan, who pioneered and made possible the undertaking, and was for some years, in its early and struggling days, the chairman of the company which connected Wellington with Palmerston North by rail. Having been an opponent of Mr Nathan on other matters, the suggestion may be said to' come—as it does—from an uninterested source, but I believe in the precept of ‘ rendering unto Caesar those things which axe Caesar’s,’ and I feel that a committee should be set up in Palmerston North and in Wellington to give effect to it.”

Dr William Brown and Mrs Brown, formerly of Dunedin, and afterwards resident near' Tauranga, are returning to New Zealand by the Arawa after four and a-half years’ stay in Scotland. It is their intention to settle in the North Island, but in what district they have not yet decided.

Mr Justice Demuston, who is on a visit to the Old Country, has been staying with his cousin at Balnathy Castle, Ireland. Mr and Mrs Gwaiter Palairet (Gisborne) are paying tut extensive visit to the Old Country. They travelled via Canada, staying at many places -en-nouto, and ar-'

rived in Liverpool on May 10.' Their trip to England was mad© in order to visit their son Mr C. R. Palairet, who lives at Stafford, and to see as much of the Old Country as possible. They propose remaining ’in England till after the Coronation, and in the interval are visiting many places of interest, including Norway and Ireland. They, will return via the Continent, joining their boat te New Zealand at Marseilles. Captain and Mrs Palleson (Timarn) have been taking part in the festivities held at Leicester this week in honor of the town’s oversea sons and _ daughters who are now on a visit to their birthplace. Madame Melba told an interviewer recently that the work of getting the artists together for the Australian opera season next year is nearly completed. All the artiste whom Madame Melba hoped to secure for the 'Commonwealth have been obtained, with the exception of Mdlle Emily Destinn. Although the latter was offered £3OO per night her engagements would not allow her to accept a contract which would necessitate eo long-an absenco from Europe. » Mr H. C. Cameron (Produce Commissioner) brought a squadron of cadets from His Majesty’s training ships to the White City on Saturday last, and conducted them over the New Zealand Pavilion. ‘ The Times ’ contains the announcement that “over five million visitors had attended the Japan-British Exhibition up till the end of August.” This constitutes a record for a similar period over the two previous exhibitions held at the White City, and, in spite of the autumnal chill in the air of late, there is no sign ot its waning popularity, for the crowds, especially on Saturdays, seem if anything bigger than ever. Recent callers at the High Continuesioner’s Office :—Mrs Albert Kaye (Christchurch), Miss Anderson Hughes (Auckland), Mr R. D. S wee tap pie (Napier). Mr and Mrs T. P. Hoar (Auckland). Mr Chas. A. Jamieson (Wellington), Mr Robert and Mr Geo. Myhill (Christchurch), Mr F. D. Farrow (Auckland and Christchurch), Air C. H. Ritchie (Dunedin).