ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12895, 15 August 1902, Page 7

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

PERSONAL AND GENERAL. [From Ova Correspondent.] LONDON, July 4. This week has been one of modified festivity for Mr Seddon and his party, with just a touch of Imperial business, .and the usual amount of private correspondence to tackle with the aid of a couple of secretaries nod' a couple of typewriters. Last Friday' and Saturday were quiet (days, spent mainly at the hotel in private work and business. On Saturday evening the Seddons and Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer dined en famille with Mr and Mrs D. Ziman.

Sunday was spent by the party with Dr Lennox Browne at his country house at Northwood, and in. the evening Mr Seddon «.nd the New Zealand Contingent attended service at St Peter's, Limehouse, at which Iris cousin, Rev Dr Lindsay, is vicar. On ■Monday the first meeting of the Coronation Conference occupied Mr Seddon's attention, and in the afternoon the Seddon family and Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer put in an appearance at the musical "At Home " given by Mrs Willos and Mrs Heaton Rhodes, at 12, Elvaston Place. On Tuesday Mr Seddon and Ms party witnessed the review of colonial troops from Stand C, on the right hand side of the Horse Guards' parade, and Mr Seddon, as all the papers noticed—one crediting him with the eloquence of a Deinosthenes and, the fist of a Tom Sayers—led the cheering for the Queen and the troops in robustly loyal fashion. This is how it looked to the "Westminster Gazette: " The Queen was welcomed warmly on the Horse Guards' parade, yesterday; but, doubtless out of sympathy with her, the crowd refrained to am unusual degree from indiscriminate cheering. What cheers were given were hearty enough, but they were of the ' organised' nature. From the neighbourhood of the Nsaluting-point they appeared to be led by an elderly gentleman in the front row 1 of the stand nearest to the Horse Guards. He stood with his back to the parade-ground, waving his hat and !his arms when a cheer seemed to be a,p- ---\ propriate, and led off with a stentorian' Hip, hip, hip —.' When- he relaxed his exertions and turned round the gentleman was seen

to be—Mr Seddon!" " " "King Dick" an "■elderly gentleman.' 'Great. Scott! That journalist never interJewed him, I guess. Mr Seddon's " lead ", I thus explained by another journal:— ■ People in the neighbourhood of the colonial Premiers soon became aware of their dissatisfaction at the frigid demeanour of the crowd. Afe length Sir Wilfrid Laurier lost all patience. ' Look here, Seddon/ ho said, turning to New Zealand's Premier, ' you have a good voice.. For heaven's sake get them to raise a- cheer.' Hence the stentorian ' Hip, hip, hips' on which the chronicler admiringly congratulates Mr Seddon." The afternoon afforded another opportunity for quiet work, of which Mr Seddon, was not slow to avaiL himself, and the day closed with the Dominion Day banquet, at which Mr Seddon made a brief speech, and Lady Lansdowne's "At Home," which latter entertainment was also attended by the , Misses Seddon, Mrs Seddon remaining quietly at home. Wednesday was devoted to the excursion to Taplow Court. Mr Seddon dined: with Sir Henry CampbellBannerman, and met many of the chief Liberals. In the evening the family saw " The Merry Wives of Windsor " once more at Her Majesty's, and participated in Mr Tree's Bohemian supper on the stage at the close of the performance. Yesterday the Premier, with his wife and daughters, left the Cecil in company with Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer, on a visit to Windsor. Starting early, they the Royal borough soon after ten o'clock, and were conveyed in one of the King's carriages to the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, where the Premier deposited near the ■late Queen Victoria's tomb a beautiful wreath of beautiful Christmas lilies,- lilies of the valley and white rosebuds, superimposed upon a base of feathery greenery. Thereon was instribed, "In loving memory of our late'beloved Queen, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, by Mr and Mrs R. J. Seddon. The party afterwards drove to the Castle and were shown over the < Albert Chapel and the State apartments. In the evening, after attending Lady Roberts's "At Home," the party were the guests of Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre, and after seeing the performance of " Faust," stayed for the reception given .. by Sir Henry to the leading social and 1 political Coronation visitors. Sir-Henry not only dispensed princely hospitality to a' gathering which included many men and women of mark, but he gave a fresh proof of his triumph as a theatrical manager by the extraordinarily quick change which converted! his theatre into a salon. . Mrs Willes and Mrs Heaton Rhodes gave a very pleasant reception to New Zealanders at 12, Elvaston Place, last Monday, on an oppressively hot afternoon while a heavy j thunderstorm was brewing. Music was the nominal attraction, but the foregathering of old friends and their natural desire for a confabulation at times led to the predominance of the conversation. Of the eight items, the violin solos of Miss* Dorothy Willes and Miss Alice Hollander's songs were most appreciated. The former has made steady progress during the last year, and now plays with ease, brilliance and feeling. Miss Hollander's, rich full voice would 'be heard to more advantage , in a larger hall. She has evidently a good deal to learn yet. Her intonation is faiilty, and she sings by rote as it were. Mr and Mrs Seddon, Miss Seddon, and Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer looked l in for a little while, and 1 Mr Seddon had to give many diplomatic ans- '...; wers to the inquisitives who wished to find out what honour had been offered him. His remark that he had come over for the Coronation, and meant to stay until it took place was interpreted by some to indicate that the ceremony may take place a good deal earlier than at present anticipated. Among those present I noticed 1 Sir Westby and Lady Perceval, Mr and Mrs R. Oliver, Miss Courtney, Mr and Mrs Frank Ba-den-Powell, Mrs and Miss Coleman, Mr and Mrs L John Studholme, Mr and Mrs J. F. Studholme, Mrs Kimbell and Mrs Fortune, Mr and Mrs von Haast, the Misses Moorhouse, Mr and 1 George Rhodes, Mr and the Misses Dimock, Mrs Cathcart Wason, Mr and Mrs G. Beetham, Lady and 1 Mrs Tancred, Lady Clarke and Mrs Findlay. Twenty-two old boys of Christ's College, Christohurch, dined together at the Criterion Restaurant last Monday night, in the midst of a violent thunderstorm. The chair was taken by the Hon W. P, Reeves, who mentioned that it was twenty-eight years einoe he left the school, and round him were Mr J. P. Firth (the representative of the masters), Rev E. H. Bell and Rev H. 'M. C. Worthy, Lieutenant M. Lindsay (7th Dragoon Guards), Drs J. H. Kemp, W. Crosbie Hamilton and H. T. D. Acland, and Messrs Ernest Bell, H. F. von Boast, W. C. Robison, T. H. Lowry, A. P. Harper, R. Tristram Harper, Hal Williams, A. H. Andrews, F. W. Kemp, F. G. Andrews, G. Louisson, W. A. Izard, Gerald Russell, T. E. Moorhouse and F. J. Nathan. Some old boys, such as Captain H. H. Torlesse, were unavoidably detained at the last moment, while others "had married a wife and could not come." The "health of the King" was warmly drunk, and the gathering desired tho Chairman to communicate to his Majesty their sympathy and best wishes for his &peedy recovery. Mr Firth briefly proposed " Tho Old School," and Mr Reeves, in his reply, elicited long and hearty cheers from the assembled company by tho welcome announcement that Mr Corfe was once more associated with tho school. After the College song had been sung, Mr von Haast sympathetically " referred to the* part the school had played in the war, and Mr Reeves added a few tribute* of praise that had been paid to him on the New Zealand troops in general by distinguished men. Lieutenant Lindsay, Dr Acland, and Messrs Tristram Harper and Moorhouse, in response, narrated a few of their experiences in South Africa. Thereafter the dinner resolved itself into a business meeting. Various matters of interest were discussed, and a committee, consisting of- 'Messrs Reeve3 A Rev E. !H. Belli I

R. T. Harper, H. D. T. Acland, H. F. von Haast and Hal Williams (honorary secretary) was appointed, with instructions to endeavour to form an English branch of tho Old Boys' Association, and to make the dinner an annual one. In the courseof the evening, a flashlight photograph was taken of the dinner, and, to the amazement of the visiting Old Boys, brought round printed and framed soon afterwards. A copy is, I understandi to be sent out to the school. ■Mr Seddon and the New Zealand Contingent attended evensong last Sunday night at St Peter's, Limehouse, tho vicar (Dr Lindsay) being a cousin of the New Zealand Premier. The chunch was hung with flags, and was crowded. As the New Zealand Contingent entered, "God Save the King" was sung. The processional and recessional hymns were " 0 Word of God Above" and'"Onward Christian Soldiers." Tho vicar gave a patriotic sermon from Ezra, vi., 10: "Offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the King." After church, the Contingent had supper in the handsome hall of the Scandinavian Home, adjacent to the church. Mr Seddon thanked tho superintendent and his wife for kindly lending the hall, and said that during that afternoon he had seen more of London than ho ever had before. Ho said that the Scandinavians, who were meditating a visit to New Zealand, would receive a beauty welcome, and he translated some Maori phrases with which they would be greeted. He spoke of the good work his "boys" had done in South Africa, of the great progress of the colony, and of its devotion to the Mother Country! As Mr and Mrs Seddon drove ,;away in one of the Royal carriages, and the New Zealand Contingent marched oft they passed through thousands of delighted East Enders, who lustily cheered them.

Last Friday afternoon W. F. Simpson, thb New Zealand distance runner, competed in a Three-mile Open Handicap at the Cobham Athletic Club's sports, held in White Lion Meadows—an out-of-the-way ground " two miles from anywhere." The New Zealander was virtual scratch on the 70yds mark, and among tho opposition were several well-known distance men, including A. Aldridge (Kent A.C.), 130yds; F. Applebv (Heme Hill Harriers (125yds) ; George Martin (Essex Beagles), 160yds ; J.' G. Gibb (Ranelagh Harriers), 170yds; and E. R. Small, of Blackhea.th (310yds). The handicap was framed from the four-mile champion A. Shrubb. Simpson started very fast off the mark, and was soon amongst his men ; but his effort took all the steam out of him, and for the last mile he ran very "dead." Aldridge and Appleby had a rare fight from the start, and it was not until the pair entered the last lap that the former had his man settled. Then he went-away and won by ten yards, Appleby finishing a full one hundred yards in front of Small, who after being caught and passed by Simpson, fairly outstayed the New. Zealander at the finish, and beat him several yards for. third honours.. The. track was turf, five laps to the mile. No times were taken at the meeting.

From Montreal, Canada, comes news of the death of Mr Edward Saunderson Vernon, of Christchurch, New Zealand, on June 27, at the ago of fifty-one.