OUR LONDON LETTER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 April 1910, Page 7

OUR LONDON LETTER.

I'EKS'ONAL ITEMS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) .:-■.. LONDON, Aiarcji 3. , Since the return of Mr Kobert M-e-Nab,- referred,'to in 'former letter?, from the political, campaign in ■ tli(! South of Scotland, he has been busy in the^eityy'prosecuting the object oi his' visit to this country. He tells in e that ,he' has secured from Lml Durham- the papers connected with the New Zealand Colonising ■Company. oi and 1837, of which the then Lord" Durham'was 'chairman and chief bromoter.. - The -papers : are •of great Interest; and will give tue inner working of the Company, which, after so\eral unsuccessful attempts, -finally founded Wellington, and the 'other centres of population in the South 'ji ■Naff Zealand. On Wednesday Mr McNab left for Paris and the French 3 o::po'vtjsi, to- Investigate the French connection with the Dominion. ThV Foreign Office is advising th 3 BriH.v Embassy"' at Par's to supply the cr(lentials required by the French (h vernment before- State papers'are pu'. at' the , disposal of' foreigners. M i McNab hopes taget valuable informa tion regarding the whale trade; tin French •: movements'' in connect in' with.the Chatham Islands, and las: but not least, the true story'of lis; French' settlement at Akaroa. : -Hy way'df varlety.Mr McNab has fillor somb important 'engagements on tfcr platform'ln the interests of Universe Military Training. .On -Febrouy 25th h e 'addressed a meeting presid' over by tlie Duke of Wellington :'. the'Queen/s Jlalli The. other speak' McNab tells ,m"e that, in his opinion, the main oistaeieinitheway of the movemer. here is the absence of manhood suffrage' •: He' regards it as illogical i expect that the-duty of personal ;di:Police of a country will be recognis-M by peoiple who cannot obtain th privileges of citizenship. Apart fro that 'h c thinks tfoeer are few diffiei:!ties—but that one he regards as supreme. The Army and Navy Store; have prepared a- magnificent troph. at r Mr-McNab s order' for presentation to the Second Begimcnt Ot-i.»v Mounted Infantry.' It is stated to be the finest that has ever yet beo.-. i)rdered''for ; ■ New Zealand. ■ .i> trophy was' ready to' be' shipped b< for e being seen; by its donor, who j? inspection, was dissatisfied' with tl:< central'figure; and required it to •■ altered'in- 'design,-and 7 recast.-; Th general inattention to,'detail which* seen'in so'many. English tropins 3ay«. Mr McNab, evidently does nc please-the New Zcalander. The-troph; will probably be the donor's fanwell to his old regiment, as, to all appearance's,' the injury to his knee, sustained 'on the London streets sornthree'months ago,'will prevent th possibility of a''day's work m r, saddle again.

!Mr J. Hemingway, 'barrister c Auckland, has just arrived here. K is oh a holiday trip as the result <>M breakdown in health. The leear< at the London School of •Econowt* have attracted him very much, an| >■ finds.in,them a new way of snor.a:-;. some.'bf histime in Londo::. > Miss L. D. Stubbs, late Sister i< ihe.'Christdmrch Puolic Hospital, !;:-■ ...imc-ovt-r'to continue her mcilca *>iir». - Shp-arrhi-d by the 'AriK-ij: !■;.,'V.-l.niiU-v J2l.h, rtiid is at piw sljidvim' for tin- Central Mi.hvit*M-; eeififie:i{e \ l: '' hum. M"r Addison Newbonid, of >.:i|''<'i wh(/e:vn e over smne ; : -:«e back. visited the Continent, done a' ;•-- ileal'of motosir.sr. in the North of ly.iii land, and eujoyrd excellent shooting. «:i-J boating >n StaJT-n-s: shire. He will return to the t> minion in October.

Madame. Betty Brooke, the web known New Zealand lyric soprano, i ? just now visiting London, wnere she has made several successful appear ances. She is the pupil of Madame Marches). She' has sung in the .principal- cities. 01 the- 'Commonwealth, and recently at.the Austral Club, n one of-the Tuesday "At Homes," * few weeks'ago, at Lynn, she sang :>1 an "At-home" given by Mrs W.'J?<utrick.7 -On this occasion' the following notice : appeared in ; the "Lynp Advertiser":—Mrs Betty Brooke, 'the New Zealand soprano, who has ?■ beautiful voice, which is under control, and which she knows how to use. to the utmost advantage, greatly pleased her audience by her delightful renderings of songs, b* Carrisim, Massenet, Beige. Bnel, Pic. being especially successful in. the jotmer's '''Victoria,-''' and in two songs by New : Zealand composers—one '■ very taking Maori Poi song, and thy. other'an exquisite little lullaby, wh'.e.:was given as an encore."

■ Mrs John Ballance, who has be*fi making an extended visit to Engwill ieave- for th c Dominion ov April 16th, by tbeEuahine. •■'■ Mr arid Mrs Prank Allen, of Wi-'. lington,'.who 'arrived some time bac& V ith Mr Guy and Miss Allen, have deeded 1 to remain iri England, and aave taken' up ■ their Residence at West Hampstead. Mr Will Hutehens, of Hawera, is studying music in London' at the Royal Academy' under -the veteran vocalist; Mr Frederick Walker, whoso verdict on 'his progress is •ominentiy favourable, and -Dianoforte under his younger-brother, Frank, who is;* subprofessor, at the E;A$. • ' '

A young Tnvercargill violinist, Mr H. W. Norris; sctired a great success test'week 1 at the student's concert of the Royal Academy of Music" a! Queeh.'s Hall, when bis paying-mst with a:fiiie reception. ; "/",'•'"' • The following appears in the "pail" Telegraph" of Monday:—Gardrier,Qn Feb.' 21, at New-cross,' Professo. Edward formerly of' the Polytechnic Institution London,- aged 'B3 years; New Zoalanfr papers please copy. "Mr C. E secretary of the New Zealand Surveyors'-.Board.' has been .'eleftted a Mow of the EoyalAstronomical- Society.