PERSONAL ITEMS PROM LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS PROM LONDON.

[IEOM OUB OWN CORBESPONDENT.]! London, December 11. Mr Abthub Applebi achieved a very marked success in his impersonation of the "Prophet,"in Mendelssohn's oratorio, "Elijah," at the performance of last Saturday evening, in the People's Palace. His fine Toice told out with excellent effect, and he cot only sang the music j?ith much artistic skill, hut also imparted to the whole of his work its proper dramatic character.

By this trip of the 8,8, Kaikoura, Mr. Par* rott sailed for Christchurch, with his sister, Miss Parrott, I understand that their brother settled in the Canterbury province about four years ago, and has sent home such favourable accounts of his experience that the brother and sister in England decided to join him, I believe they take with them a very comfortable amount of capital to begin with, It is announced that the wedding of Ur. J. Monteith Warren with Miss E. Bnllivant will take place on the 19th inac, and that very shortly afterward the happy pair will leave for New Zealand. Mr. Faithfull Begg, M.P., formerly of Dunedin, was entertained at Toronto last Monday evening by the National Club as one of the delegates to the recent Canadian Congress of British Chambers of Commerce. Miss Lillie Large, I am glad to say, is recovering from ner recent indisposition, which, however, has unfortunately compelled her to relinquish several excellent engagements. She and her brother (Mr. Harold Large) are to leave to-morrow for Bournemouth, where they will make a ehort stay. Miss Large has accepted an engagement to sing the principal soprano part in Handel's oratorio, the " Messiah," at Kendal, in Westmoreland, during the Christmas season. The news of the death of Mr. J. M. Dargaville was received with deep regret by his many friends in this country, especially by former residents in New Zealand. It was entirely unexpected, as although Mr. Dar gaville was known to have been at one time in weak health, he was believed to have derived immense benefit from his treatment by London specialists. When he called to say good-bye to me be looKed remarkably well, and seemed in excellent spirits. He was specially jubilant both at having been instrumental in ending the great Masonic feud, and also at what he deemed his excellent prospects of returning once more to the House of Representatives. He had expressed freely his intention of visiting England again shortly with some members of his family, When addressing the " Blundellains" (i.e., the students of the famous Blundell's School), last week on the subject of mission work, it was a pleasant surprise to the Rev. Thomas Flavell to find two New Zealanders among his audience. These were Mr. Holmes, of the Wairarapa Valley, and Mr. LaingSleeson, o£ Timaru. It may be imagined that there was a warm mutual greeting when the ex-New Zealanders came together after the meeting, I hear that Mr. Flavell'e lecture and sermon at the College Chapel were much appreciated. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Andrew Clarke, G.C.M.G., who is appointed to the position of Agent-General for Victoria, served in the New Zealand war nearly half a century ago. He is now 72 years of age. Major and Mrs. Ferguson, Captain and Mrs. Laws, Dr. and Miss Weller, the Rev, J, M. Simpson, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Cox, Miss J. Dobie, Mr, G. Davey, Mr. H. M. Foster, Miss Greenwood, Mr. G. A. Kennedy, and Mr. E. Wallis, were passengers for New Zealand by the s.s. Kaikoura which sailed yesterday. The other passengers by the Kaikoura were ;—Mrs. and Mrs. J. S. Turner, Mesdames Bryden, Jameson, P. Krone, Price, Saunders, Wilson, Misses Andrewe, L. Haven, Jameson (3), N. Lofthouse, Parrott, C. McCardie, E. Mahoney, F. Parke, D. Price, Pringle (3), Ritter,Tippets, Messrs. J. F. Elliot, Jameson (2), Kelsall (2), T. W. Lowrie, W. J. Lynch, Parrott, H. J. Thompson, T. B. Tippetts, L. G. Tucker, 0?. Westray, Rev. H. H. Mahoney, Masters Jameson(4), Price, aud Andrews (2). Mr. and Mrs. R. E. N. Twopeny, formerly ot Dunedin, arrived from Melbourne this week by the P. and O. s.s, Massilia. Mr. Walter Kennaway, Mr. E. M. Kennaway, Miss Kennaway, Mrs. Percival Johnston, aud Miss Johnston were the New Zealand intents present at the annual ball of the Colonial Club held at the Westminster Town Hall on the 3rd inst. Mrs. George Jameson and family sailed for New Zealand yesterday by thes.s. Kaikoura, Mr. Jameson follows next month. Mr. W. J. Rae, of Christchurch, who has been Home for some little time past, has been staying lately at Brighton. He has decided to leave very shortly for the United States, where he will spend about a month, subsequently proceeding to New Zealand, via San Francisco.

Mr. A. H. Gee, the New Zealand baritone, was oue of the singers at a concert given yesterday afternoon in the Steinway Hall, under the patronage of H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge and H.S.H. the Duke of Teck, in aid of the Army and Navy Fund. Mr. Gee, as usual, sang with great success, and his songs were loudly applauded. Mr. \V. P. Reeve 3 is to lecture at Mansfield House, Canniugtown, on Sunday next, taking as his subject " Mew Zealand." His lecture will be illustrated with limelight Tiews.

On Monday next the Agent-General will deliver his promised lecture at the Imperial Institute, on "The Hot Lakes and Thermal Springs of New Zealand." On this occasion Lord Onslow will take the chair. On Friday next Mr. Ree»es will deliver an address at the Toynbee Hall, his topic being " Womeu in New Zealand Politics."

Mr. G. Bigge-Wither, who arrived from New Zealand recently, has been staying for some time with his friends at Winchester, but came to town a few days ago. His visit is chiefly in connection with mining business. Mr. Stokes, the New Zealand manager for the Anglo-New Zealand Mines Investment Company, was a fellow-passenger with Mr. Bigge Wither, and is at present in England actively engaged with reference to the business of his company. Mr 3. W. ?. Reeves has been requested to give away the prizes at the Robert Browning Ball Institution iu tiie borough next month, and has consented to do so. Her husband, Mr. Reeves, will deliver an address on the occasion. I may explain that the Robert Browning Hall is a new institution, described as "a social settlement," and has its headquarters, as I have said, in South London. Mr. Herbert Stead is the warden, and Messrs. Pye-Smith, W. T. Stead, and other well-known men are on the committee. Its salient idea is " that those who possess education, wealth, or other social advantages, should go and live among those who are leas fortunate, in the hope of elevating and enriching the life of the neighbourhood. ,. It was opened at the beginning of last year, and has celebrated its first year of existence. The Rev. L. M. Isitt was one of its Sunday afternoon lecturers last year. Rawei, the New Zealand Maori lecturer, is still touring in England with his wife delivering, lectures, songs, etc. Mr. and Mrs. C.G.Andrews and family took their departure for New Zealand yesterday by the s,s. Kaikoura, It is quite true, I am glad to say, that a complete reconciliation has at last taken place between Sir George Grey and his wife. He and Lady Grey are still living at the Norfolk Hotel, South Kensington, and they tell me they intend to remain there lor tho present at any rate; in fact they have as yet formed no plans for removing to any other residence, as they are quite comfortable where tbey are. All Sir George Grey's friends rejoice that his lonely and somewhat desolate London life has given place to something more comfortable and domestic. Lady Grey is assiduous in watching over her distinguished husband, and it is quite pleasant now to see them enjoying together their cosy winter fireside. Sir George Grey seemed much better and brighter to-day than last week. Apparently his health was more satisfactory, aud his spirits had risen accordingly. He also had lost that wandering, uncertain look which .Btruck me so painfully last week, Un- ' fortunately his eyesight continues very weak and so he is debarred from reading—his severest deprivation of all. He seemed to take more interest in South African affairs than in anything else and chatted with eager enthusiasm about them. Most people nowadays who know anything about the matter deeply regret that the arrangements originally made through the foresight of Sir George Grey were not adhered to instead of being wantonly upset through the ignorance and pigheadedness of the Imperial authorities. Great Britain's South African Empire would rested on a very different and fur sounder basis to-day had Sir George Grey's programme been carried out in its entirety.