COLONISTS AT HOME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume L, Issue 5459, 21 August 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

COLONISTS AT HOME.

Since the Philadelphia Exhibition season there have not been so many Australian dignitaries on circuit as we have just now. One runs against them in London and in Paris, at public dinners and at May meetings. Whether bishops or cricketers, they all seem to he persons of consideration, and it is often flattering to a Colonial-minded person to observe the consideration with which they are treated compared with the practice of even five or six years back. The Colonial Office does its duty well in giving distinguished Colonists the imprimatur which opens the door of the highest society to them. Look at Sir Michael Hicks-Beaoh’s list of guests at his dinner in honour of the Queen’s Birthday. It teems with private Colonists, with whom Sir Michael’s acquaintance must as a rule be of recent origin. Fully half the company, moreover, seem to have been Australians. There were the Right Rev Bishop Perry (Prelate of the Order of St Michael and St George), Sir Henry Barkly, G.C.M.G., K.C.8., Major-Gen. Sir W.F. Drummond Jervois, G.C.M.G..C.8., R.E., General Sir Arthur Borton, K.C.8., Sir Penrose Julyan, K.C.M.G., C. 8., Sir Julius Vogel, K.O.M G., Sir W. W. Cairns, K.C.M.G., Sir Stephen Walcott, K.C.M.G., Sir Arthur Blyth, K.C.M.G., Sir Archibald Michie, K.C.M.G., Sir Albert Woods (King of Arms to the Order of St Michael and St George), the Right Rev the Bishop of Sydney, the Right Rev the Bishop of Adelaide, Mr H. T. Fssher, C.M.G., Mr A. N. Birch, C.M.G., Mr E. Newton, C.M.G., and Mr A. Macalister, C.M.G. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Bishop Short in his social or ecclesiastical wanderings, but the Church papers indicate that he has his hands full of work. His friend the Bishop of Sydney was among the guests at the annual dinner of the National Club about three weeks ago, and responded very gracefully for the Churches of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The National is one of the old ultra-Protestant Clubs. It was founded by Mr Newdegate and his friends about the time of the first Maynooth Grant agitation, and has kept steadily on that constitutional line. Latterly it has shaken itself up, and has shown signs of resuming political activity.—Correspondent <S'. A. Register.