PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12932, 31 July 1905, Page 3

PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

[FROM our OWN correspondent.] '">':'■■ London, June 23. This morning the death was announced of Mr. Joseph Taylor, late of Christchurch (N.Z.).

Mr. A. H. Miles and his two daughters returned to London yesterday, after a very enjoyable, tour of the English Lakes.

Mr. W. P. .Reeves continues to receive shoals of congratulations on his appointment as High Commissioner for New Zealand. •

Mr. F. Moore (MastertoH) arrived recently in London, 52 years having elapsed since he was last in the Mother Country, his native land. '

Sympathetic reference is made by most of the leading Lonodon papers to the carriage accident in which Lady Phuket and some members of her family had so narrow an escape. " ' '• '■' ,

Sir William Russell is,still in London, and is still making his headquarters at the Naval and Military Club, Piccadilly. I hear that he has not yet fixed the date of his return to the'colony.

The Rev. W. Aidan Newman Hall, who has many friends throughout the colony, arrived in London early this month, after spending some time in the United States and Canada, oh the way Home.

Mr. and Mrs. William Corns (Whangarei) and their daughter, who have come to the Mother Country purely on pleasure bent, purpose taking their departure for their New Zealand home about the end of September or October, journeying via Canada and the United States. V

A very successful and enjoyable concert was given last Tuesday afternoon by the London Austral Club.' A number of colonial singers and instrumentalists took part, but the only New Zealander among the number was Miss Nora Long, of Wellington, and I am glad to be able to record that she achieved one of the most striking successes of the concert. ' ': v i

The official list of clerical preferments and appointments includes the following:'— The Rev. J. Still, rector of Hethersett with Canteloff, Norfolk, also vicar of Kettingham, Wymondham—-patron, Sir Maurice C. Boilleau." Although Mr. Still left New Zealand some 13 or 14 years ago, he will yet be remembered in that colony as having hold for some years the position of vicar of St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral Church, Wellington. He was also long associated witl tho Melanesian Mission, ■

Last Tuesday, at the Trocadero, a luncheon was given to Sir George Shenton, M,L,C, President of the Legislative Council of West Australia, and Sir Malcolm McE'acham, in proposing the toast of the health of Mr. Pember Reeves, congratulated him on his recent ' appointment to the dignity'of High Commissioner of New Zealand. In reply, Mr. Reeves mentioned that during. his nine .and a-half years' occupancy of the position ! of Agent-General of Zealand he had attended and spoken at 257. public banquets, and an almost equally large number of public and semi-public luncheons.

In the Cambridge University honours list, just out, the following New Zealand names appear:—Theological tripos, part 1., class 2: A. 0. Williams, of Jesus College, i Law tripos, part 1., class 3: W. H. D. Bell, of Trinity. Law tripos, part 11., class 3: A. de B. Brandon, Trinity. A New Zealand girl is the only feminine student who has obtained honours in the law tripos, Miss J. I. Hetherington, of Girton College, being in class 2, and being classed as having attained a position equal to between No. 8 and No. 9 of the masculine candidates. Miss Hetherington is described as coming from " Ockland, New Zealand)," by which cryptic name Auckland is -understood to be intended. ' - ; ; •> '■.. i •'■■ ■_:

Since the departure of the last 'mail, callers at the ivcw Zealand AgencyTGneral have included': The Rev. W. T. P. Winter. (Christchurch) and Mrs. Winter, the Rev. W. A. Newman Hall (Wellington), Dr. J. S. Purdy (The Hutt), who is leaving ■ Eng-' land almost . immediately forthe Quarantine Department at Suez, Mr. John Deans (Riccarton), Mr. and Mrs. H. Wise (Dunedin)., and Mrs. . S. ,P,aterson (Christchurch)* Mrs. James Witt and the Misses Witt (Dunedin), Mr. Alfred Baker (Auckland), Mr. and Mrs. James Manie (Dunedin), " Miss Evelyn R, Earl (Oamaru), Mr. 0. B. King (Auckland), Mr. William Owen (Christchurch), Mr. C. A. Brown (Auckland), Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Innes Jones (Waimata), Mrs. Marsden (Nelson) and Miss Marsden, Mr. and Mrs. J. Battersby (Petone), Mrs. M. J. Howe (Petone), Mr., and Mrs. E. Bannister (Wellington), Mr. William Rae. (Greymouth), 'Mr. and Mrs. H. Fielder (Wellington), Mr. and Mrs. S. L. P. Free (Petone), Mrs.- T. Gown (Balclutha), Mr. and Mrs. Le Cren (Timaru), Miss Le Oren and Mr. V. Le Cren, Mr. and! Mrs. Robert Tumbull (Dunedin), Mrs. F. ■ W.. Weller (Napier), Mrs. Maginnity (Wellington) and the Misses Maginnity, Mr. and Mrs. F. Nicholls (Nelson), Miss Margoliouth (Napier). Mr. and Mrs. Shirtcliffe (Wellington), Mr. H. A. Whelch (Masterton), Mr. and Mrs. Sherratt (Gisborne) and the Misses Sherratt, Mr. V. Riddiford! (The Hutt) and Mrs. E. Riddiford, Mrs. A. Rawson (Wellington), Mi 1 - R. 0. Skeet (Dunedin). -

Dr. and Mrs. P. A. Lindsay (Auckland), who left New Zealand in , January last, have just arrived in London, after an exceptionally protracted but interesting, varied, and enjoyable trip. .They purpose staying with various friends and relatives, and visiting many parts of the United Kingdom. Dr. Lindsay also will make the usual round of the British hospitals, with the view of observing all the latest departures in medical and surgical practice. After leaving Auckland, Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay first proceeded to Sydney, whence they took the s,s. Eastern, belonging to the E. and A. Company, and voyaged by the Torres Strait route. They called successively at Port Darwin, Timor, Manila, Hongkong, Shanghai, and Yokohama, up to which point they stuck to the same steamer. In Japan Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay spent nearly a month, and they were thoroughly charmed alike with the country and its people. The invariable kindness and courtesy of the latter to visitors was particularly agreeable. But! what specially struck them was the total j absence of any sign that the country was ; at war. Nowhere could the slightest ; symptoms of this be discerned, while the people seemed to be going on prosperously and comfortably in their usual course. One striking difference they noticed in Japan as compared with many European nations that deem themselves more civilised, was that no passport was. required, nor were any restrictions imposed upoj> the freedom of British or American guests, who could go where at will, and be sure of meeting on all occasions the utmost attention and kindness. The New Zealand travellers next visited Shanghai . and Manila (where they spent a pleasant week), Hongkong, Canton, and Saigon. From Saigon Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay left in the French mail steamer Touraino for Singapore; they next went to Bangkok, in Siam, where a brother of Dr. Lindsay resides. They found Siam specially interesting as being virtually the last of the Oriental States to retain much of its original appearance and ways, ■ but this state of things is rapidly altering. Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay were taken over the King's Palace, and saw the famous white, elephants of Siam; they were also allowed to visit the temples called " wats." Altogether they found their stay in Siam thoroughly delightful. Bangkok was left on Good Friday, and Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay returned thence to Singapore, where they joined the P. and 0. steamer Simla, and travelled by her to Penang and Colombo. At Colombo they embarked on the new

P. and 0. steamer Moldavia, which was very full of passengers. They voyaged in her to Plymouth, where, after a lineweather passage, they concluded a singularly interesting and memorable trip, landing at Plymouth, and coming on to London by rail.