PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12000, 24 June 1902, Page 6

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

[FROM OCR OWN' CORRESPONDENT.]

. • -.;'" , London, May 16 .| Mr. Bayldon, of the Auckland gold mining district, is in London with his family. For the present they are residing at Ealing.

According to arrangements which held "ood up to the early part of this week, Air. and Mrs. Percy Adams leave England to-day on their return to the colony.

Major and Mrs. Nelson George, who arrived a few weeks ago, have, I learn, determined to settle in this country, and not to return to the colony, at any rate for some time.

Quite a colony of New Zealanders are staying at Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington, among them being Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Thome George and Miss George, Mrs. Duncan &. Clerk, and Mr. and Mrs. James Russell and family, who have just returned from Cannes.

Passengers from New Zealand by the last trip of the P. and O. steamer Britannia, which has now arrived in London, include the following: —Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Mr. and Mrs. M. Reid, Miss Adams, Miss Barron, Mr. Arthur Adams, Mr. G. Banks, Mr. F. W. Platts, Mr. R. Spratt, and. Mr. Eli Smith.

Corporal F. Twistleton has published a book entitled, '! With the New Zealanders at the Front/' He makes some disparaging remarks about the Boers, and this leads the Spectator to say: " When someone conies to compare the various voces populi that have come from the ranks, lie will have a hard piece of work."

His Majesty the King held a levee at St. James' Palace last Monday, and Lord Seafield was presented by the Secretary for Scotland, on the occasion of his " succession to the title." Lieutenant F. Syrnon, of the New Zealand Permanent Militia, was also at the levee, and was presented to the King by the Commander-in-Chief.

I am informed by the secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute that the Hon. J. B. Whyte (late of Auckland). Mr. J. E. Davenport (of ChristchurcTT/, and Major F. Nelson George (of Auckland), have duly been elected Fellows of the Institute; the last meeting of the council took place on Tuesday, when. Sir James F. Garrick was in the chair.

Mr. Philip C. Prot<heroe, of Auckland, came Home in the s.s. Gothic by her last trip. He tells me that the duration of his stay is uncertain. He has come to England on private business, and he will go shortly to the West of England and into South Wales. He thinks he will probably return to New Zealand, but as he has not visited the Mother Country for 30 years, he finds so much to see and do that he will not decide as to his future plans until later.

It was a pleasant surprise on Wednesday to run across Dr. Hope Lewis, of Auckland, who, with Mrs. and Miss Lewis, are staying at Cavendish Square. They came across America, and have just been to Paris, where, at their hotel in that city, there were no fewer than 12 New Zealanders staying, all but one being Auckland-born. I gather that Dr. Lewis regularly attends the leading hospitals every day, surgical cases, of course, being his special study.

Councillor J. Smith, of Wellington, has been on a visit to Hastings, and after remaining a few days in London, has now gone to Newcastle, where he expects to remain for a time. While there he will attend the annual meetings of the Oddfellows' Committee, which are likely to last about a week. Mr. Smith travelled from Australia by the last trip of the s.s. Oceana, and had a pleasant passage. After the Coronation celebrations Mr. Smith will go to Manchester, Liverpool, Scotland, etc.

Mr. J. P. Firth, headmaster of the Wellington College, is in London with Mrs. Firth. They left their steamer at Port Said, and spent a fortnight in 'Egypt, coming on thence as far as Naples by the Orient steamer Ormuz. From Naples they made a tour in Italy and Switzerland, and crossed then to Paris, finally journeying to London, where they arrived a week ago, taking up their quarters in the neighbourhood of Russell Square. They will be in London for the Coronation, and later will make a varied tour through England, etc, : I understand that a good deal of cycling will be included in their programme. According to present plans, Mr. and Mrs. Firth will leave London some/time in November, on their return to/New Zealand, travelling by way of America.

Recent callers at /the New Zealand -General include: Mr. W. Ruck, ot Hawke's Bay; Mr. ;R. Parker, of Hawke's Bay; Mr. G. J. llussell, of Dunedin; Mr. R. J. Dudley, of Auckland; Mr. W. H. Lewis, of Auckland; Dr. David Ewart, of Nelson; Mr. F. W. Conned and Miss Counell, of - Palmerston North; Mr. George Hastings Harris, of Nelson; Mr. and Mrs. 0. 0. Brock and Miss Brock, of Auckland ; Mr. J. E. Entrican, of Auckland; Mr. F. Richardson, of Remuera; Mrs. Hughes, of Wellington; Mr. Leonard Hughes, of Gisborae; the. Misses Henry, of Wellington; Mrs. R. Heaton Rhodes, of Christchurch; Mr. and Mrs. G. Wilson and Miss Wilson, of Wellington Mr. Harrison Evans, of Nelson; Mr. J. A. Graham, of Christchurch ; Dr. and Mrs. Harris and Miss Isaac, of Auckland; Mrs. Riddiford and Miss Aileen Riddiford, of Hawera; Miss Laurie Daniell, of Wanganui; Mrs. Macey and Miss Macey, of Christchurch: Mr. A. R. Hare and Mrs. Hare, of Southland; Mr. C. W. Goodson, of Auckland; and Captain Fowler, of Wellington.

On Tuesday afternoon I met Mr. Seymour Thorne George, who is still staying at South Kensington. He told me that the improvement in his health to which I referred some weeks ago just after his arrival here, continues; and certainly 1 have never seen him looking better than now. He has been at St. Paul's Cathedral to see the bust of the late Sir George Grey, and intends shortly to visit the National Portrait Gallery to see Professor Herkomer's portrait of Sir George and he will also go to Mr. Williamson's studio, at Esher, to see the statue of New Zealand's "G.0.M." It is 33 years since Mr. George visited England, when he stayed in the first " flats" London ever possessed, namely, Belgrave Mansions, where Mr. J. Cathcart Wason, M.P., and Mrs. Wason now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour George and the Misses George are doing the theatres and sights very thoroughly. They were in the Houses of Parliament on Monday night, and they were among the guests at Mr. Arthur Balfour's reception at 10, Downing-street, one evening recently. "T.H.K.." writing in Sunrise, under the heading " Occasional Notes from New Zealand," says:—"Mr. Seddon's departure for London and the Coronation festivities divide public attention with the war, and I am not sure that our burly Premier hasn't the best of it. A movement has been set on foot to present him with a fat purse of sovereigns, as a reward for his services generally, and for his perfervid patriotism in particular. The energy with which he whooped-on the despatch of contingents, and the prodigality with which he flung the taxpayer's gold about, have had just the effect they were designed to have. A good many people have protested against the purse proposal on the- ground that it would establish a precedent not at all in keeping with the traditions of British statesmanship, and that the presentation would be a somewhat ignoble, not to say squalid, climax, and in most centres the project is resolving itself into a party movement, with, of course, a strong leaven of military enthusiasm. Business men, and the people who do not belong to the Jingo brotherhood, look askance at it, and are disposed to think a little less of the Premier than they did before. However, unless Mr. Seddon puts his foot on the movement, it will result in a substantial sum being handed to him. Among Mr. Seddon's entourage it is understood a smart and trusty camera fiend will attend him like a shadow, and ' catch' bun in every position, especially when he is wearing the Windsor uniform. The Knights of Labour, the co-operative workers, and the democracy generally, are anxious to have

their hero reproduced for all fame. Your democrat, in following his ideal, is like a mM lost in the bush. He walks in a circle He turned his back contemptuous u ion'the so-called 'aristocrats' of the old Se He would have the men of his choice-' plain, blunt' men to govern him with no fal-lals. Well he got them, and V here is 'plain Bill' arraying himself in the garb of a courtier, and practising the cotillon*! 'As you were!' and 'Here we are again!' are the orders of the day.