ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11950, 26 April 1902, Page 5 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE SOCIETY F.lPEr,3.]

A good siege story from LadysmitH is quoted by the Isis. An officer who was organising a concert to keep up his men's cheerfulness heard of a sergeant in the Gordons who was said to be a performer. He found the said .sergeant, and asked him to contribute his sen-ices. The sergeant was very sorry, but " couldn't." " Why," said the officer, "you do play something, don't you':" "I did," sir." "Well, what's your instrument ?" " The bones, sir; but I've ate 'em !"

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach leads no idle life in his country home. Probably here, amid its quietude, his great financial schemes are formulated. Outside the home he plays a great part. Local duties involving much time and thought are attended to. Sir Michael even appearing on the bench as a magistrate. And when disputes arise that can he settled out of Court he is continually being appealed to, and by a quiet and thoughtful influence is able to calm the storm. How different is this to the House of Commons! He is not without some knowledge of things military, for he was for fourteen years a captain in the militia. But he wisely desists from boasting of this at Westminster. He is a home-bird, and is keenly interested in the education of women — this, perhaps, to make life more bearable— especially in housewifery and domesticity. In a recent, speech to the girls at Clifton High School he spoke of his daughters attending cookery classes in order to influence those amongst whom they lived.

Sir W. Walrond, the chief Government Whip, is the present head of an old Devonshire family, who courted and won fame as far back as the days of Henry 11., and has twice been a Lord of the Treasury. Bradfield, his beautiful seat near Tiverton, is the rallying place during the Recess of the more prominent members of the Unionist party, where he dispenses hospitality after the manner of the" fine old English gentleman." Sir William is an ideal Whip of the old school, though himself a comparatively young man. He entered Parliament in 1880 as member for Fast Devon. The chief Whip is also a colonel in the Ist Devon Rifle Volunteers, and thus ho keeps in touch with his old soldiering days when he was a captain in the Grenadiers. He succeeded Mr. Akers Douglas as chief Whip, and has also been known, as Patronage Secretary of the Treasury since 1895; he was educated at Eton, is a Justice of the Peace for his own county, a Deputy Lieutenant, ami a Privy Councillor.

The Daily Express says: The Duke of Leinster, who is now making his way to Australia by means of a sailing ship, will upon his arrival there pay a visit to his uncle, Lord Charles FitzGerald. Lord Charles was a son of the fourth Duke, and has for many years past made his home beneath t;ie Southern Cross. He resides at Fernlea Villa, Riddell's Creek, in Victoria. It is curious how many members of the aristocracy and upper classes reside in the colonies and in America. The Earl of Seafield has resided for many years in New Zealand, although he will probably be in England for the Coronation. Sir Norman Campbell, of Auchinbreck, resides in New Zealand, as do also Sir Kenneth Mackenzie Douglas and Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo. Sir Alexander Cockbum-Campbell, of Gartsford, lives in Western Australia, and Sir William Brown, of Colstoun, resides in New South Wales. Lord Halifax makes his permanent home in. New York, and Lord French has taken up his abode in Buluwayo, Rhodesia. The Hon. Claud Anson, who married Lady Susan Beresford, has a ranche in Texas, as has also his brother, the Hon. Francis Anson.

The fashion for the year is to give dances. There will be a succession of them all through May and June—not small ones, as in the winter, but a genuine reversion to the old-fashioned big ball, with a thousand or so of guests. The Princess of Wales is sure to go wherever she can, for, like the King in former years, she is devoted to dancing. Her colonial tour has done her much good, and she is now as genial in London as even in her halcyon visits to Ireland. There is a proposal afloat that the duchesses of England should present the Queen with her Coronation bouquet, and each in that case, to write her autograph on a satin streamer. Put what precedent is there for a Sovereign to carry a bouquet at such a ceremonial ; and, even if it were the regular custom, Her Majesty is so easily affected by the smell of flowers that she is not likely to accede to-the idea. More than once, when Princess of Wales, she had difficulty in staying until the end of the Drawing-rooms, owing to the heaviness of the perfume, which Queen Victoria also found so trying.

The German Emperor has got the pingpong fever somewhat severely and, as before stated, he devotes an hour every day after dinner to this popular pastime. His brother, Prince Henry of Prussia, who was so magnificently feted while in America, is also very enthusiastic over the game, 'but he is certainly not such a skilful player as the Emperor. It is said that the Kaiser strongly advised Prince Henry not to go in for ping-pong during his visit to the United States. "Remember," said the Emperor William, half in earnest, half in jest, "that you are my brother and representative. If you play ping-pong you will lose, and Genu ■ ny'g prestige in the great country you are about to visit would be considerably damaged."

There will be a rush to see Lord Salisbury's house at the Irish Industrial Exhibition, not only on account of the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales but from curiosity about the Premier. Lord Salisbury is such an instinctive hermit that except to politicians in constant communication with him, like the Duke of Devonshire and his various relations in the Government, Arlington-street is an unknown land. Even in Lady Salisbury's time the Premier did most of his entertaining that as infrequently as possible—at Hatfield.

Among the marchionesses at the coronation the most stately representative of her order will be Lady Ormonde, the beautiful elder daughter "of the late Duke of Westminster, and the mother of two ve.ry popular heiresses, Lady Beatrice PoleCarew, whose marriage to the gallant and popular soldier aroused so much interest last year, and Lady Constance Butler. Lord and Lady Ormonde spend a great deal of their time at their Irish home, Kilkenny Castle, though they own a charming house in London. They are both exceedingly fond of yachting.' Lady Ormonde accompanied Iter sisters, Lady Chesham and the Duchess of Teck, to South Africa shortly after the outbreak of the war.

The young Duke of Leinsler is just fifteen—is going to try the best cure of all—a long sea voyage—in a sailer, to the Antipodes and back. He is the son of the beautiful Lady Hermione Duncombe, who married Gerald Fitzgerald, fifth duke, in 1834, and died two years after him, in 1895, when the present duke was a child of eight. Leinster is premier duke, marquis, and earl of Ireland ; owns 72,000 acres in Kildare and Meath, and has, or ought to have, a rent-roll of £54,000 per annum.

Some particulars are published of the "Variorum and Definitive Edition" of the poetical and prose works of Edward FitzGerald, including a biography and notes, which has been collected and arranged for publication in seven volumes by George Benthau. There will be a general preface by Mr. Edmund Gosse. 'lae work is being printed at Boston, U.S., and will be issued by Doubleday, Page, and Co., of New York. There will be 27 sets on Japan vellum, 100 sets on hand-made "papier de Rives" (Fere), manufactured with a distinctive water-mark for this edition, and 250 sets on special ma-chine-made paper. No sets will be offered for sale through the trade in England, but by special permission of Dr. Aldis Wright, the literary executor of FitzGerald and Messrs. Maemillan and Co., the publishers will supply foreign subscribers direct,