ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14835, 11 November 1911, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[faoM..TUK;:sqcir.Tt TAPERS.]

Is the dnys of Queen Victoria, says the World, Princess Beatrice possessed enor- • mous influence with her Royal mother; .<*' in fact, nothing was done at -\\indsor. Osborne, or Balmoral, without the up- "!, proval of Queen Victoria's youngest '*•. daughter. It was always supposed that -1" the lata Queen would never have K '' consented to witness even n private per- ~ formance of a stage play after the death '. of the Prince Consort, hut for the fact that Princess Beatrice was fond of theatricals and quite enjoyed, when she waa b younger, taking part in them herself. .

The Portuguese Minister in England, Soulier Texeira Gomez, tolls tlio following story, the Bystander says Soon after his appointment he. was at a reception at the Old Palace, Richmond. His * host was presenting to him some ladies. "f One of these, hearing the gentleman was tlio Portuguese Minister, looked at him admiringly for a moment, and then said . ." "Oh, it is a real pleasure to meet you. I've hoard so much about you, M. de *: Soveral !" "Texeira Gomez," replied the "Minister. "Oh, it's no use talking to me in Portuguese, M. de Soveral," said the lady, "Texeira Gomez, again said the • Minister. But. the lady again shoot her head, and the Minister gave it up.

Really a boon to countlcss happy pairs ; contemplating matrimony is the craze for cheque-giving at weddings, inaugurated by Queen Alexandra, and now catchingon" like wildfire. On tho occasion of the marriage at Holy Trinity Church, Cowes, of Lieutenant Eric Harbord, R.N., son of the Hon. Walter Harbcrd and the late Lady Eleanor Harbord (and grandson of the Duke of Grafton), to Miss Rose Johnstone, daughter of Colonel Johnstone, ot Rothsay, Cowes, Queen Alexandra sent to the bridegroom as a wedding gift a ; # . cheque, accompanied by an autograph letter of congratulation. A great many of their relatives and friends followed Quoen Alexandra's example, and sent cheques - as wedding presents in place of tho usual, and more often than not, useless, gifts that hitherto have formed tho staple marriage gifts. The Duke of Grafton, the ■' Earl of Euston, Mary Countess of I [Chester, the Dowager Countess-of Vllisrdv >T wicke, Lord Dunsandle, and the Countess of Cardigan were among those who #V adopted this modern and more sensible *■ course. \\\,r 4 ;",tv> ,y. :.•*» V,".!

Young Mr. W. G. C. Gladstone, the' ,<*> new member for th# Kilnwrnock Buighi, *: received valuable assistance in his contest in the Burghs from his mother and C sister. " Til# former, the Hon. Mrs. Gladstone, is ft daughter of ; the late _(anil last) , Lord Blantyre, and Erskine House, the Btatelv family mansion on the C lyde, stands midway between two of the group *(■' of Burghs— and Fort Glasgow-* -.1' and looks across the ; river to it third,. Dumbarton. Though "by birth an Eng. t lishman, Mr. Gladstone has-plenty of Scottish blood in his veins. The original, home 'of th* Gladstones was at. Biggar, * ► in the Upper .Ward of Lanarkshire,-his £-■ maternal grandfather, Lord 'Blantyre, was a Stuart, and his maternal grandmother a daughter of the second- Duke of Sutwiv' land. The late Lady Blontyre one of four daughter* ✓ of - the v second Duke of "••• Sutherland, who all - made brilliant .mar-, - riages. . The. eldest became "the wife of. > . the late Duke of Argyll, the second marf , ricd Lord-Blantyre, the third • the -Duke ■ of Leinster, and the youngest, the late Duke of Westminster. ? '

i" On the northern ehoresbf the ..Channel, from St, DonaU an4.omirg»n i westward to fit, -Cowan s Head, stand, many stately mansions, but among theae l tew can lav claim,; to a move exquisite v situation than Hew Castle, the Pero- , broken hire -residence of Lord Mcrthu.. X Th« estate,', which is-beautifully undulating, comprises about. 1000 acres, of which the portion covering th« hin is all park*. Hean Castle, which is inhaoited by the . <v Hon. Herbert Clark Lewis, the eldest son V of Lord Merthyr.- if. set. against a fine backing of trees, .which afford shelter K-. form the north and * east. The castle faces almost duo south.'l From the terrace the greensward of the' park falls gently V away; and between the trees you get , charming poem across the bay to the 5lonl;stono Point., It is believed that the .<> present mansion is the third winch lias }> occupied the site. -It was about the year V 1876 that the late Mr. Vickerman built / the picturesque residence which to-day £ presents such a striking appearance, The estate was sold in 1899 to Lord Merthyr . (then Sir William Thomas Lewis, Bart.), -'the South Wales coal magnate. , ■

/ . ■. ' " . ■ j, The wander fever 'has certainly taken *'!. hold of th» Hon. Charles Hcdley Strutt, lie has left England once more, this time . for a tour round the world. His previous . wanderings took him ** to Australia. ' Borneo, and India,, whence he returned u In.the spring of last- year, his position chairman of the Hyderabad (Deccon) Company, and of. the New .London Borneo' Tobacco Company having, to a certain , c -extent, furnished a reason for his journey- ' ing. >Miv Strutt, who is tho fourth son ;, of the second ••Lord Kayleigh,. and 'a" brother of the present .peer, began life as .. in agriculturist, and in course of time beta nio one of , tho leading authorities on agricultural matters, in tho country. :i He has also represented hi*', county in the Hoiwe of Cfowmons, "as well a« looked after its interests by acting as chairman ■ of tho Essex quarter sessions, 'alderman of the county council, and chairman of the Witham Bench, Farming 'and golf are his chief outdoor interests, while T - reading and bridge sorvcrto fill his little epare time. r: ' •»