ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 6 April 1907, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE SOCIETY paters.] The Earl of Ronald shay, Lord Zetland's eldest son, is exploring Western China. The Prince of Wales is a. man of many hobbies. , He keeps pigeons, and he has a wonderful, collection of postage stamps and of advertisement posters, but his queerest hobby is a collection of babies' photographs. The more comical the lace of the baby the better its portrait pleases His Royal Highness, and his collect includes pictures of babies published as advertisements by the proprietors of infants' foods. Queen Alexandra's bedroom is panelled in pale rose silk, with hangings of white satin, those of the bed be-1 ing surmounted by the Imperial town. ; The curtains of her boudoir are of ivory j silk, bordered with heliotrope. Here the j panellings are of 'vory silk in gilt mould-; ings * nil other accessories are Iteauvoix tapestry, French carpet, and Louis XVI. | furniture. jut Majesty's bathroom is quite new, and was .s[>ei:ially built out. It is fitted with :i hath of Grecian marble, from quarries which had been disused a thousand years.

Justice Fitzgerald, before whom the sensational Thaw case is being tried ' n New York, is one d' the many Irishmen who have found their way to the Supreme Bench of the United States. Like some distinguished lawyers oil this side, he lirst achieved considerable success in commeriai life before entering the legal profession as a director of more than one of the big business houses m New York. With the Irish in America he is in great favour, and is president of that great social organisation which wields immense influence in the States— The Friendly Sons of StPatrick.''

The Emperor of Japan, who has recently celebrated his fifty-fourth birthday, is fond Of all outdoor sports. He is a hunter and fisherman of 110 mean ability, a good hand at lawn tennis, and has warmly encouraged the introduction into Japan of football as played in England, The activity of His Majesty is said to be marvellous, and his admirers declare him to be the busiest man <n the whole of Japan. At night, when everyone ib asleep—and his subjects retire earlyho loaves his palace and rambles through the streets, with hands in pockets •nd cigar in mouth, to see that all is in order and that his people are at rest as they should be-

The King's sitting-room at Buckingham Palace contains exquisite eighteenth century furniture. There is an Oriental red carpet, "nd the curtains are the same tone. The mural decorations comprise a handsome white dado, with soft green frieze. The -writing-room, where His Majesty attends to his business affairs, is like a city magnate's private office. The King, however, does not care for revolving stairs, which are conspicuous by their absence. Nor does he favour the roll-top desk. He writes at a flat table, with drawers down each side. His chair is upholstered in morocoo leather, with arm-rests. He uses an ordinary steel pen, and is never without cigarettes or cigars while dictating to hi? secretary.

The marriage of Lord Guernsey, eldest son of the Earl and Countess of Aylsford, with the Hon. Gladys Fellowes, is arranged to take place next summer. Miss Fellowes, second daughter of Lord and Lady de Ramsey and cousin of the Duke of Marlborough, is a pretty girl with blue eves and brown hair and a decided look of her mother's family—the Churchills. Like her married sister, the Hon. Mrs- Ferdinand Stanley, she is very clever, and she is quite one of the best amateur actresses in society. Lord Guernsey is in his twentyfourth year. He entered the Irish Guards soon after he left Eton, and he is now ■iide-de-oanip to Sir F. Forestier-Walker at Gibraltar. He is a popular voung officer and a good dancer, who has been seen much in London society, l'ackington Hall, chief family place of the Aylesfords, is near Coventry. It is noted for the excellence of its shooting.

From Pittsburg the engagement is announced of Miss Violet Brocklebank, daughter of Mr. Thomas Brocklebank, a Londoner, to Mr. George Westinghouse, junior, the son of the famous inventor, and heir to £10,000,000. The story of the engagement is a strange one. Young George Westinghouse had little taste for society, j and greatly preferred the attractions of his father's factories. It was, therefore, but rarely that he even saw the guests of the family. On the occasion of Miss Brocklebank'cs recent visit, however, she expressed a desire to be shown over the works, and George Westinghouse was told off to act as her guide. She was much struck with the smart and handsome appearance of the workman who showed her round, and it was only after some hesitation that she could decide whether she ought or ought not to tip him. Her next meeting with her workman in overalls was in London.

Princess Anna Monica is a fascinating little maid with big blue eyes, a rosy, laughing face, and curly hair. Life is alt sunshine for her 60 far, but although she is only about three years old, people are already wondering what will become of her in. the future, and the gossips go so far as to say that her father, King Frederick Augustus of Saxony, is willing to take back his divorced wife, known now as the Countess Montignoso, on condition that the little Princess shall become a nun as soon as she is of fitting age- It is to lie hoped that the reconciliation of the parents may be brought about without any such trying conditions for their youngest child, and", in spite of the gossips, this seems probable. The King of Saxony with reluctance left the infant Princess in the care •of her mother, but the Countess Montignoso is a devoted parent, and, missing as she does the care and companionship of her elder children, he felt it would be cruel to take from her their youngest child, born two or three months after the divorce. The Countess Montignoso lives a quiet arid retired life 'n a pretty villa near Florence, with the Countess Tugger, well known at the Austrian Court, as her lady-in-waiting, and not only has the King of Saxony given Princess Anna Monica into' her care, but lie has considerably increased her income.

One of Queen Victoria's most engaging granddaughters, and one of whom she was very fond, is the late Duke of Edinburgh's youngest daughter, the hereditary Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. At the age of seventeen Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, as she then was, was married, and now Prince Gottfried, the eldest of her four children, is in his tenth year. The Frin--ess is exceedingly bright and charming, -nd, though less really pretty than the Crown Princess of Roumania, she hears a strong family likeness to her, as many people remarked when they saw her in this country last year. She and her husband then spent a delightful holiday yachting on the Clyde, and visited Edinburgh and several other Scotch towns- Prince and Princess Ernest of Hohenlohe-Langenburg are first cousins of the Emperor William and his Consort, with whom they are in hight favour and on terms of intimate friendship. The Prince is "Erno" to them both, and it is no secret that they regard him as destined to play an important part in the history of the Empire, possibly as : ts "next Chancellor. He was Regent of the double duchy during the minority of the voting Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and so well did he acquit himself in the post that he greatly added to his reputation and to the esteem in which he is generlly held. He is an exceedingly popular member of society,