ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8842, 2 April 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[from tiie society papers.]

I recently heard a good story of the lata Duke of Portland, His Grace, who was one of the ablest, as he was one of the moat kind-hearted men alive, was of course eccentric, and latterly would hold no personal intercourse with any of his neighbours, though he was always rigidly punctual in answering their letters. It happened that a neighbouring baronet of Welbeck had a stalactite cave in his demesne of which lie was immensely proud, and found to his dismay that it was practically going to ruin. Hearing that the Duke had some similar curiosities of nature in his property which were undergoing repair, he wrote the Duke a letter asking him if he would allow the foreman of his works to come over and inspect this cave and report what was best to be done. Days elapsed and no answer came from the Duke, but one morning, much to the astonishment of the baronet, the foreman and a whole army of workmen with carts appeared on his property cave, and straightway put his cavernous ewe-lamb in order, and departed when their work was accomplished as silently as thoy had come. I understand that one result of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Osborne is that the Queen has consented to allow the coffin of the Duke of Clarence to be removed to Sandringham, where it will be buried in the churchyard, in a grave adjoining that of the infant Prince Alexander, who died in 1871. The coffin is to remain in the Albert Memorial Chapel ab Windsor till after the return of the Court to the Castle, as the Queen wishes to see ib ; and Her Majesty will attend a service in the chapel, which will be conducted by the Bishop of Rochester and Canon Dalton. The Queen did not wish the coffin to be placed in the royal vault, but desired to have it buried in the crypt of the Prince Consort's mausoleum at Frogmore. The removal to Sandringham and the interment will be conducted quite privately. Tho appointment of Cardinal Ledochowski to the post of Prefect of the Propaganda is taken in some quarters to be an indication of a tendency to alter the present system of keeping the government of the Roman Catholic Church mainly in Italian hands. It is long since a foreigner was entrusted with this high office. But a better indication of any coining change would be afforded by the nomination ol such a number of foreign cardinals as would destroy the overwhelming majority in the conclave which has so far secured election after election to the Italian element. It will therefore be interesting to watch the next creation of cardinals from this point of view. I doubt, however, if there will be any change. There is something in the quieO, patient, and tolerant temperament of the Italian, and especially of the Roman, mind which makes those who inherit it well fitted to rule the complex organisation of the Roman Catholic Church, and to hold the balance between the rival interests of the various nations that owe it obedience. The character that made the old Romans the rulers of the world has not quite disappeared from among their descendants. The report was lately circulated that, for political reasons, Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria was about to become a member of the Greek Church. Tho Prince has written to the Vatican to assure the Pope that there is not the slightest foundation for the rumour. Mr. Balfour on the first opportunity intends to go thoroughly into the question of the cost, administration, and organisation of the army. This is good news, for at last a common-sense and practical view of our military position will be taken, and Mr. Balfour is so strong a man that we may be sure that his notions will be adopted by the other members of the Cabinet. Unfortunately, he will not have the leisure to go into the question before the dissolution. A London correspondent of an American • paper writes : —lt is whispered at Court and in official circles that Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Fife have quarrelled. The story goes that the lady lately rebuked the pretentions of .Prince of Wales' son-in-law and declined to receive him ab Osborne. The reason alleged is that while on his autumn visit to Balmoral the Duke presumed to commence the conversation, instead of waiting for the Queen to begin, Upon this Her Alajasty turned her back upon the Duke and said to her maid of honour, "Say to that person that the audience is over." The Duke is said to have gone out from the royal chamber crimson with anger and shame. Princess Margaret of Prussia, who has been selected in certain high circles as the bride of Prince George of Wales, has the distinction of being the only pretty Prussian princess. She will be twenty-two on April '22, and is dowered to the extent of £100,000. To the grief of all true sportsmen, the Prince of Wales has practically decided to close his connection with the turf. It was of course at once patent that any entries of his horses would have to be cancelled during a period of at least three months. The Prince has, however, determined upon a much longer period. No engagements in his name will be made until after June, but as His Royal Highness had some remarkably fine animals in training this year—and as the stable hoped to show a handsome profit for the first time in it 3 history—there is a great feeling of disappointment, many thinking that if the Prince had allowed the animals to run at the end of three months' time it would have been a wiser course. It is probable, however, that the Prince will sell many of his best two-year-olds, and will withdraw from the turf altogether. The Princess of Wales has taken a strong fancy to Sister Victoria, the nurse who cared for the late Duke of Clarence during his illness. She was at the deathbed, of course, and through tho long days preceding tho funeral she watched over the stricken mother as tenderly as only a sympathetic woman could. The difference in rank was forgotten, and Sister Victoria is said to have won a lasting place in the heart of England's future Queen. One knew, of course, that ib was practically impossible for the late Cardinal Manning to be rich, for it would have needed a much greater income than hislarge though that was—to have enabled him to keep up his charities and to have saved money as well. Nevertheless, it must have come as a surprise to many persons to learn that the truly great and good man—and if ever a great and good man existed in this world Cardinal Manning was onehad left behind him a sum of less than £100 in Consols, thirty-one shillings and sixpence in a purse, and a miscellaneous collection of books. A sum of six shillings and sixpence was likewise found to be standing to his ,credit in the books of his publishers, Messrs. Longmans. t •