A LONDON LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 28

A LONDON LETTER

[By M. S. PniMMEK.]

A HECTIC SEASON. Now that the season proper is in frill swing, life is pretty rapid, perhaps in both senses. As a correspondent for New Zealand, I find it really difficult to keep up with things,; still it is good fun, and makes one realise, too, that the power of the Press is no myth. Publicity is everything nowadays. Let me begin with that lovely ceremonial of medieval times, the service at St. Paul’s of the Order of St. Michael and St. George/ To my mind it is one of the most British institutions, simplicity in the actual performance with the tradition of centuries visible in those that take part in the ceremonial and in their wonderful robes. Linked to royalty, of which we had no less than three this time, is democracy, its reminder beingfhe person of the Lord Mayor, who comes in his special coach with the City maces carried in full splendour. Naturally our attention was focused on the King, who looked what he is, an admirable gentleman, in his uniform and rich ’blue silk gown with long hanging train ; then on his brother, the Duke of Kent; and finally, but certainly not least, on that gracious lady, so loved, Queen Mary. She still keeps to her favourite toques, with generally her special and so becoming colour, dove grey. As I came out and mingled with the crowd, a working woman of the charlady type, with much fervour said: “ Oh. aren’t they just lovely—l do love them so,” indicating the royalties who were walking down the crimson-car-peted steps. A remark that makes one realise how dear the Royal Family is to the heart even' of the Socialists. No tear yet. 1 think, of a Communist revolution! Incidentally, I heard the proper roll ot drums, musical it is, with its faint first trills, creeping louder and louder till it fills the entire huge cathedral. This was followed by the National Anthem, also by the Coldstream Guards, •as the King entered the church. Of New Zealand interest those present included Lord Liverpool, Sir lan Hamilton, Sir Lionel Halsey, Lord Bledisloe, Sir Alexander Godley. It is on occasions such as this that one sees military and naval uniforms in all their gorgeousness. Trousers and coats are simply covered in'gold braid and embroidery, ; let alone the decorations gleaming in the dim religious light. Truly a great and noble pageant I STILL MORE TAXES, This sort of thing is becoming almost a hardy annual. the same, the ■ increase has not been too bad this year, but I wonder what will happen when our income tax, rates, and taxes swallow up the whole of the £. We seem to be heading that way all right. I have just come up from a dairy district; and while there was told by a 5 farmer why he had given up his prosperous dairy business. The Government, ’in its anxiety to help the poor dairy farmer of other parts of the country, actually taxed (sometimes as high as £SO a quarter) the successful one on his profits. It never struck them that success comes from cleanliness and care, and by this ridiculous system they have really reduced the general quality of milk. For who. after all. is going to pay another farmer to have unsatisfactory herds? In the same way the farmer is taxed.

or rather fined, if he puts more than a certain proportion of his land in potatoes. And yet all the time we are being hounded on to grow more food for the town consumer. As I have started on the matter of figures, let me carry it on a bit further. LONDON ACCOUNTS. There are lots of them, of course, but one at least rather staggers with its figures. There has just been compiled the 304th annual cash account of the Loudon Corporation. Can you take this in comfortably? Tower Bridge costs the city each year £28,736, of which some £15,000 is for wages and £2,500 for a tug to stand by ih case of accidents. The city police, costing another £531,875”. might give a wrong impression of our behaviour, but I think lots of this must go in making a gay show at official functions. The city knows how to do itself “ proud ” in the wav of entertaining. Last year was " the seventy-fifth anniversary of the G.P-O. Savings Bank, and the Royal Duke attended a great feast in its honour. Here’s a part of the bill : Cigars £ll3, £9lB for the luncheon. £ll for white gloves (why and for whom?), match cases £27. Expenses in connection with the . Proclamation and Accession of George VI. were about £250. The necessary uniforms of the City Marshal, Sword-bearer, and Mace-bearer account for another £240. No wonder we are all heavily taxed. MORE FIGURES. And since I have got well on to the matter of accounts, I may as well carry you along the staggering path. It is now not a matter of unusual interest to read that such-and-such a night club has been raided, and that various “ guests,” titled and otherwise, have had their names taken down.' I’ve often wondered how it is that police courts seem toi have such little effect, and what actually are these night clubs. Any that I have been taken to were harmless enough. Here’s the other side, however. Anyone apparently who can pay the rent of a suitable room (preferably in Soho, as that has tourist attractions), plus a registration- fee of ss, can start a club and make money at it if he knows enough rich people. A kindly brewer will supply equipment and liquor, and drinks can then be served at stated hours. Games such as darts and scallywag are all right, but when it comes to a matter of serious gambling and even worse, then the police get on the hunting business. The greater the risk the higher the price, and a really shady place, unblushingly charges 7s 6d for a plate of bacon and eggs and £5 entrance fee to a casual visitor, of which some goes to the introducer. London is undergoing a spring-clean, much as Paris did a few years ago under Chiappe. Still, don’t be _ nervous; one is quite safe with ordinary common-sense precautions in London. PERSONAL ITEMS. Among the most recent arrivals are Miss May Barron, Miss Joachim, and Miss Rona Allen. Mr Peak, a post-graduate scholar of the University of New Zealand, and a recent D Phil of Oxford, has accepted a post as research chemist with the British Dyestuff Corporation, Huddersfield. Yorkshire. Miss Helen Kerr, of Cave, S. Canterbury, will soon return to England for her marriage to Dr Henry Booking. The engagement is announced between Miss Pauline Christie, daughter of Dr and Mrs Christie, of Wanganui, and Peter Gervase Markham, son of the late Edwyn Markham, of Bembridge, Isle of Wight. Another engagement of interest to New Zealand is that of Miss Constahce Hay, daughter of the late Sir Chas.. Burdett, 8.A., and Lady Burdett, of Auckland, and Albert Chas., only son of the late Chas. Blau and of Madame Blau, of Berne. And again, that of Philip, son of Mr V. L. Le Cren, of Fairlie, and of Mrs Ogilvie, of Clonmore, Hants, and Kathleen, daughter of Mr and Mrs Fairbank, Harley street, London, and Reading. Miss Denise Chanjptaloup will be another early bride, as her wedding to Dr Roger Marshall (son of Mrs Pat Marshall) is due to take place in September. .Miss Linley Hunt, of Dunedin, marries this month Lieutenant David Galbraith, assistant commandant, Burma Frontier Force. Miss Rose Hinchey, of Invercargill, is on the nursing staff of the Cambridge Military Hospital. Mr Terence Vaughan, a brilliant New Zealand musician, who, I understand, has been awarded the Philip Leslie Agnew Composition Prize by the Royal Academy of Music, is off to Vienna for further study and experience. Miss Acton Adams, of Marlborough, has arrived and intends spending some few months here before paying other visits. New Zealand debutantes (lucky ladies) are Miss Jean Batten, Miss N. Cable, Miss A. Hargreaves, Miss M. Hutchison, Miss K. O’Brien,' Miss N. Reid, Miss Nelle Scan lan, Miss N. Tipping, and Miss M. West. Mrs Jordan, wife of the High Commissioner, will I present thein at the Court of May 12. The Rev. J Lawson Robinson and Mrs Robinson, of Christchurch, are due here, and will in all probability return at the end of November. New Zealanders who have had the honour of a “command ” to the Evening Presentation Party at Buckingham Palace on May 25 are Mrs J. Fraser, Mrs M. Alorley, Mrs Ar Peterson, Mrs W. Webster, and Mrs Arthur Porritt. •Dr and Mrs Stanley, of Timaru, are over here, as well as Dr Margaret Birks, Dr and Mrs Gordon Cook, and Dr Kate Neill. Air A. A. Brash, M.A.. of Otago University, now an assistant at the Lockhart Memorial Church, Edinburgh, finishes his theological studies shortly, and will probably return to New Zealand in September. Miss Nancy Drew, of Timaru, is/now in South Africa, where she will be married to another citizen of that town, Mr W. Daniels. Miss G. M. Parry, of Port Chalmers, who has been studying child welfare, is now on the staff of an open-air school at Groenford. Dr Ernest Thompson, formerly assistant director of the Canterbury Museum, has been appointed hydrologist to the Bermuda Biological Station for five years by the Royal Geographical Society. Ho will confer with colleagues at Harvard University and then join a research ship. The first “ at home ” this season of the New Zealand Women’s Associa-

tion was held at the De Vere Hotel, S.W., with Lady Wilford as the guest of honour, a former president and indeed, founder of the association. The High Commissioner and Mrs Jordan were present. This was rather in the nature of good-bye to Lady Wilford, as she returns to New Zealand next month. Madame Winnie Fraser has arrived in London after an interesting tour on the Continent, where she was lucky enough to be in Vienna when the German change-over took place. A very special honour has befallen a New Zealander, in that Mr T. D. Straker Smith has been appointed high sheriff of the Countv of Northumberland for 1938-39. Mr Straker Smith had a fine career at Canterbury College, being a Rugger and,lawn tennis player as well as a graduate in engineering. On bis marriage with Miss Edith Helen Straker in 1920 be changed his name by deed poll to its present form, Straker Smith. The opening of the New Zealand apple season in London is always a pleasant little function, with generally some outstanding New Zealander to take the first bite. This year, under the presidency of the High Commissioner, it was Flying-officer Clouston who performed the actual opening, and with him was Mr Victor Ricketts, as well as Airs Clouston. The intrepid flyer made a neat little speech, and extolled the food value of apples, of which he and Mr Ricketts apparently consumed a large number bn their wonderful flight. It is pleasing to note the tone of optimism about the crop and its probable sale o er here. Anzac Day naturally has a special corner to itself with New Zealanders who are here. The Church of St. Clement Danes, with all its fine historic associations, is an excellent setting for this day of remembrance. Church decorations were carried out in immortelles and lilies, the lessons being read by Air Bruce, High Commissioner for Australia, and Air Jordan. Aliss Christina Young, of Wellington, sang Sullivan’s ‘ There Shall Be No Alore Tears ’ beautifully. and then after the service the High Commissioner laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Mrs Jordan in the afternoon unveiled a wreath sent in ice by the Auckland branch of the Alothers’ Union. A large number of ex-servicemen attended the service, as well as Lord Birdwood, Lord Gprt, Sir lan Hamilton and Sir Alexander Godley. The Overseas League still keeps up its tradition of a hearty welcome to all from far-away lands of the Empire. Each month now we have a special New Zealand afternoon, generally in the form of a cocktail party, where all and sundry meet. The guest of honour at the last meeting was Lord Birdwood. who was wlecomed by Air Jordan, the High Commissioner, as well as by the chairman (Colonel Lascelles),