PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

[FROM our own correspondent.] London, March 20. Mr. J. H. Witheford, who has been stayin? lately at the Hotel Cecil, left yesterday for Cardiff. The length of his absence from London is uncertain.

The Most Rev. the Anglican Primate of New Zoaland, Bishop Cowie, with Mrs. Cowio and the Rev. G. Cowie, have arrived in England by the P. and 0..5.5, Valetta.

Professor Sollas, whose name is known in Mew Zealand in connection with his investigations touching coral formation, has just been appointed Professor of Geology to the University of Oxford.

I regret to hear that Mr. J. McCosh Clark has been seriously ill, but I am glad to learn, just before posting this letter, that he is now much better, and is considered to be on the high road to convalescence.

After being in tho South of France for several weeks, Mr. A. G. Horton has arrived in Paris, in improved health, and with some of the members of his family, expects to reach London in a week or ten days time.

Mr. Durward Lely, the popular Savoy tenor, has arranged with Mr. R. S. Smyths for a tour in New Zealand and Australia. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Lely, and they will give recitals of " Scottish Song and Story." beginning their tour in May.

The Bishop of Dunedin and Mrs. Neville arrived in London a few days ago from New Zealand, the former with the object of attending the approaching Lambeth Conference. They have taken up their residence at 20, Granville Place, Portman Square, close to Hyde Park,

Mr. J. B. MacEwan, the New Zealand dairy expert, left London yesterday for Paris. He will travel through Franco to Italy, making a short stay in Rome and Naples, anil at the latter port will join the s.s. Oroya, proceeding in her to Australia, on his way back to New Zealand.

Mrs. Percy Brown and hor daughter loave for Now Zealand by the s.s. lonic on the 15th proximo. Mrs. Brown will go in the first instance to Dunedin, and will spend a month there with her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Graham, before joining her husband in Auckland.

The Now Zealand passenger list by tho new Huddart steamer Aorangi, includes Dr. and Mrs. Clifford, Miss Edith Clifford, Mr. and MissGault, Mrs. and Miss Bates,. Mr. and Mrs. Warwick, Mr. and Miss Towers. Messrs. Patridge, Bates, Parr, and Newman. Tho total number of passengers booked is 58.

Lord Onslow is likely to resign his position as lender of the Moderate Party in the London County Council, which he has filled with such conspicuous ability. Ah unfortunate split took place in the party with reference to the question of the election of a chairman, and I understand that Lord Onslow resents the course adopted by some of Ilia followers.

Mr. R. W. Boyce, of the firm of Nobles and Hoare, one of the largest firms of varnish makers in London, and I believe the largest regular purchasers of kauri gum, is about to leave for Now Zealand on a visit chiefly on business in tho interests of his firm, which is recognised as one of specially high and substantial standing in the city.

Just before closing my letter I have had a visit from Bishop Neville who was looking remarkably well and fit, and seamed in excellent spirits. The Bishop tells me it is too soon yet to say anything about his plans which he has not hitherto had time fully to mature. He is looking forward with much interest to the coming Lambeth Conference.

Mr. Bigge-Wither (of tho firm of Stokes and Wither) has just returned to London after spending a very pleasant holiday of ten days at the Riviera, staying chiefly at Cannes, Nico, and Antibes, also paying a short visit to Monte Carlo. He found the Riviera sunshine a very pleasant change from the winter atmosphere of London. While in the Riviera, Mr. Bigge-Wlther met another New Zealander in the person of Mr. Seth-Smith, who was staying at the Hotel Du Cap, Antibes.

Fitzsimmons, the victor of the recent prize fight in America with Corbetb for tho championship of the world, is commonly described as an "Australian," but ib is pointed out in some of the papers that his pugilistic career practically began in New Zealand, and dates from 1880, when he was adjudged victor in a boxing contest by no less an authority than Jim Mace, the ex-champion of England. He announces that with this triumph his career as a pugilisb "closes forever." What a loss to the world!

A few days ago I had a long chat) with Mr. C. Y. O'Connor, formerly one of the chiefs of the New Zealand Government Engineering Department. He has come home with an amount of business on hand sufficient to make the brain of any ordinary man reel, but he is pushing it through with his usual systematic determination and vigour, and I have reason to believe his mission will prove a great success and highly beneficial to the colony which is so fortunate as to possess his services. His retirement from New Zealand was no small loss to the colony.

Mr. W. J. Morrell, the newly-appointed master of the Auckland College and Grammar School, will sail by the s.e. Orient for Sydney, on his way to New Zealand, on the 2nd April. He would have preferred to go by a direct steamer, but there happens to be none leaving at a convenient time. On the lab April, tho day before his departure, Mr. Morrell is to be married to Miss Tucker, who is at) present a mistress in a ladies' school of very high standing at Blackheatb. The New Zealand educational world will, therefore, hart valuable scholastic acquisitions in the persons of both Mr. and Mrs. Morrell.

The Earl of Stamford, Sir George Grey's nephew, was the principal speaker aba meeting held last week under the auspices of Sir Francis and Lady Cook, at Doughty House, Richmond, on behalf of the Civil Rights Defence Committee, of which Lord Stamford is president. The object of that committee is primarily '.to. maintain the rights of British subjects' against possible injustice at the hands of colonial judges. The particular case' in point was ; the notorious one of Dr. . Anderson, who sustained such gross injustice at the bands of certain West Indian judges.) The Earl of Stamford mane an • excellent speech, and a good many celebrities, political and : otherwise, were preeent. I also ' noticed two or three New Zulanders among thogueete.