ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THIS SOCIETY INFERS.] Tub position of a morganatic wife, such. •is the Archduke Ferdinand (not the heir to the Austrian Throne, who also ruts a morganatic wife) is about to take unto mm..elf. is clearlv defined by Austrian law. She' has no right to her husband's title or fortune, and he is not permitted to charge the familv domain with a lite interest- in her behalf. She lias not the appanage ordinarily reserved for the wives of other members of the Imperial family, and should her husband die without providing for her out of his private fortune, she and her children are left penniless. Moreover, tier husband is at liberty during her lifetime, ami without obtaining any separation or divorce, to contract mother marriage with a princess of his own rank. Balnagowan Castle, Ross-shir?, which Sir Charles and Lady Ross have left for Canada, is their principal seat. In Lanarkshire Sir Charles has Bonnington House, and altogether he owns the greater part of 400,000 acres. By descent Sir Charles is really a Lockbart. The second baronet, whoso father obtained the dignity in 1671, married Grizel, third daughter of William, twelfth Lord Ross, and four of their sons succeeded to the title. The fourth baronet prefixed Ross to Lockhart en inheriting Balnagowan at the death of Ma cousin, the fourteenth and last Lord Boss. His voung«-r brother, Sir John Lockhart-Ross; reversed the order, and |ho present -and ninth baronet uses the name of Ross alone. Describing a recent speech in lie House of Commons by Lord Rosebcrys son, a Parliamentary , "correspondent says :—Mr. Primrose was a very interesting figure as ha stood the leader for the time being of the extreme Radicals. Well bait, erect, with regular features, boyish air. and deep voice, he carried in spite of hi* youth an amazing resemblance to his famous father. Tho likeness was accentuated by the fact that he has here. there a touch of Lord Rosebfery's mannerisms, clasps the lapel of his coat as hi» turns to his listeners, drop& bis tone in an unconscious musical cadence as he makes his points. He has inherited, moreover, an aptitude for phrase and a slow fluency which make him very attractive as a speaker. He could rapidly make himself a power in the House of Commons if he chose to do so. The Radicals cheered him rapturously: everyone was bound to listen to him.

The,. Crown Princess of Sweden, our Princess Margaret of Connaught, is a most accomplished sick nurse, and the complete recovery of her husband from his recent operation for appendicitis is.largely due to Jier devoted care. The Princess, who. although she- is thoroughly English in her tastes, is greatly loved in her adopted country, where her future subjects are devoted to her. She is very much in. evidence at Court functions, as the Queen of Sweden is so delicate that she generally has'to go to a warmer climate for the winter, months, and her place is taken by her pretty daughter-in-law. The Crawn Princess has. three children; two small boys and a daughter, who will be two years old next spring. Her eldest son, the Duke of Westerbotten, is an honorary lieutenant in one of his grandfather's crack cavalry regiments. He is only live years old; to probably the appointment means very little to him.

The busiest man in' Paris on New

Year's Day was President Fallieres. He •was in evening dress from half-past eight •~tn ■ the * morning, and shook hands and smiled,; with a, two hours' interval for luncheon, for nine and a-half hours. The President sat down to luncheon at aquarter past twelve. At two o'clock he :; received the foreign Ambassadors and the Diplomatic Corps. In quick succession, from 2.45 until late in the afternoon, there followed black gowns, red gowns, yellow and violet gowns, gowns trimmed with ermine and gowns trimmed with velvetgowns for two hours, and from every gown a hand extended which President Fallieres had to shake. Then came i the black coats. The Bank of France, the Credit Foncier, and after them glittering gala uniforms, from the General Staff to the -fire brigade," and at six" o'clock M. Fallieres was allowed" to receive his private friends, but he received them sitting, and asked to be • excused from smiling and from shaking hands.

. Firje Place, Lewes, has been the home of the Gages since the 1 fifteenth century, when it came. with other lands to Sir John • Gage,- through hia marriage with the daughter and co-heir of Thomas St. Clare, Their."son William was the first to make Firle his, home,. selling Penshurst, one of his Kentish seats, which later became the property of the .Sydneys. William was succeeded by his son, Sir John Gage, the celebrated Tudor soldier and ftatcsman An. ancient "manuscript by the hand of Sir. John's son Robert details the knight's deeds and honours, and concludes: -"Thus having served in all these rooms and offices truly, faithfully, and painfully, from the.first year q£ our sovereign lord, Henry VIII., of famous memory, unto tho fifth year of Queen, Mary,- untouched with any. reproach. 'i' unfaithful , service, at this time; being 77 years of age, he ended his life,- in favo'nV with";' his prince, at his own house, at Firle, in Sussex. 1 * The "writer of the' memoir waa M.P. for Lewes in 1554. His elder son was beheaded for supporting the cause of Mi'y Stuart, and one of his grandsons was Henry Gage, Charles I.'s loyal Governor of Oxford,

Referring for a moment to royal nicknames, it may be mentioned that tbo Kaisw'3 passion for .travelling has .given rise to a 'number'of 'imperial nicknames. " They call me," he once remarked to a member of. his .staff, "'Wandering William;''. Probably I have a lot of other nicknames." .Ho then learnt that lie was also known as " Alarm Fritz," on account of the surprise visits he' often pays.to his garrisons. • liv the navy he is known as ''Gondola Billy." Recently, however, since appearing in the role .of Commander-in-Chief of the airship service of the German army, he. has been nicknamed "Airship Billy."- The Tsar o: all the Russias is still•-*'• Kicky", to his royal relatives, while hi-; Empress sl&n£ her intimate letters cither "Sunny" or "AILV as the fancy.. takes her. By the way, the late Duke of Clarence-used to be-called "Cuffs :md Collars" because of hi 3 predilection for high collars and salient cuffs. He also went under the name of " Lemonade and Red Wine," which were the only drinks he allowed himself.

Sir J. Crichton Browne, probably the most brilliant speaker in tho leading ranks <>t the medical profession, and certainly one of tho most learned, is about to marrv for a second time. His bride will be Mis*":-, Audrey Emily Bulwer. eldest daughter of tho late Genera] Sir Edward Bulwer, and a great nieco of tho famous novelist, the first Lord Lytton. Kir James, at the age of 71, is as brisk, both .mentally and- physically, as many a man in his prime, and for years has figured as one of the'most interesting and talented lecturers on mattors appertaining to medicine. ( Ho is the eldest son of a noted Commissioner for Lunacy for Scotland, and ho has held tho position of Lord Chancellor's Visitor in Lunacy fiftlce 1075. Ho is a brain specialist, having written many books on mental and nervous troubles. Only about a month ago- h» declared to a London audience that the chief cause of tho increase of lunacy is neurasthenia. Not m many years ago lie declared that wo might all be centenarians if wo wished. Regular employment, little or no alcohol, no hustling, and tho minimum of mental worry anjl aaxicty were a few of the essential conditions laid down. His first wife, a daughter cf Dr. HaUiday. died in 1903.