ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16408, 9 December 1916, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

It is interesting to note, in connection with the K.C.B. which has posthumously been conferred 011 Admiral Hood, that it is one of. two distinctions in the history of the Order of the Bath which have thus been made. The other instance was that of Captain Scott, of Antarctic fame, so that Lady Hood and Lady Scott occupy unique positions amongst the dames of the kingdom.

Rear-Admiral Henry Hervev Campbell, who has been a guest at Windsor Castle, is one of the closest naval friends of the King and Queen, and has been a sort of "guide, philosopher, and friend " to the Prince of Wales, having been appointed first governor to his Royal Highness when he was serving on board the Hindustan in 1911. Admiral Campbell was the naval escort to the Prince and Princess of Wales during their visit to India in 1905-6.

Sir William end Lady Nelson's daughter has married Mr. Keld Femvick, of the Royal Horse Guards. For some while Miss Gladys Nelson has been nursing in France, and getting through much strenuous work for her country s good and her own credit. Among the many things she does well is motoring, driving even high horse-power cars in the most workmanlike fashion. Sir William Nelson is the chairman of the Nelson Line of steamships, and the first baronet, the title having been granted to him in 1912. He and Lady Nelson, have a large family, and Mr. Keld Fenwick will bo their fifth son-in-law in the army, four of their daughters having already married soldiers. Lady Nelson was the owner of" the horse that won last year's Grand National, and her husband, like herself, is a racehorse owner, whose colours are generally worth supporting.

The Hon. Lady Ponsonbv has passed away. She was full of years and of honour, and her death severs yet another link with Victorian times. She leaves two soldier sons: Colonel Frederick Ponsonbv, who is one of the King's right-hand men. He began his work in the household of Queen Victoria, and continued it in that of King Edward. Colonerjohn Ponsonby has proved himself a gallant soldier in more than one campaign, and in this one has won honours and been wounded. Two daughters also mourn the death cf Lady Ponsonbv. General Sir ' Henry Ponsonby served Her Majesty as private secretary for many years. Miss Magdalen I'onsonby. who is not married and who lived with her mother, will miss her most. She has been doing Svar work since the outbreak of hostilities. Queen Victoria gave Lady Ponsonby apartments in St. James' Palace for life, but of recent years she has lived at Ascot.

I The news that the Grand Duchess Olga 1 Alexandrovna. the younger of the Tsar's two sisters, has divorced her husband, ' Duke Peter of Oldenburg, i? specially ! interesting to Queen Alexandra, who is j the duchess' aunt. In confirming the dis- ] solution of the union. the Tsar has given i the Duchess permission to marry again. : As she is still in her early thirties, being, only nineteen when she married in 1901. and is possessed of a iarge fortune and i vast estates, it is not unlikely that the ■ (irand Duchess will take advantage of the Tsar's concession. The Duke of Olden- ] burg is descended, through his mother, fumi Napoleon's first wife, Josephine. I 1 he Oldenburg* ar> a German family, but! the Duke's great-giandfather, Duke j George of Oldenburg, left his native country and went to Russia to marry a daughter of the Tsar Paul, and the family have now been settled in Russia for about a hundred years.

The marriage of Viscount Uppingham would have been a nine days' wonder in peace time. as bridegroom and bride are still in their teens. The bride is a beautiful girl of 19. the daughter of Mr. William George, solicitor, tilt- town clerk of Invergordon, Inverness. The groom, William George Bradley Craven. Viscount Uppington, was born in 1897. only son of the fourth Earl of Craven and of the Countess of Craven, daughter of the late Mr. Bradley Martin, of New York, for many years lessee of Balmacaan. Viscount Uflington is a second lieutenant in the Hampshire®, and met his bride at Strathpeffer, where he was for a time in training. He left for the front shortly after the wedding, the Viscountess Uppington returning to her parents' home at Invergordon prior to taking up residence in England. The Craven earldom dates from 1801. when the first earl was created, but the barony of Craven dates from 1665. The family estates are at Coombe Abbey, Coventry, Ashdown Park and Newby, Berks. Coombe Abbey contains the famous collection of pictures which Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia bequeathed" to a former earl whom she had married.

Lady Paget, wife of General Sir Arthur Paget, and an American by birth, deserves well of all Britons. Many years ago she founded a great reputation for ■ organising society shows in aid of funds j for charities. Those chosen have almost J invariably been in connection with the i army. During the dark days of the Boer j Avar one was got up by "her which at- j tracted to His Majesty's one of the most | brilliant audiences ever seen there. The ! cause was widows and children of fallen Guards. The Prince 'and Princess of Wales —later King Ed ward and Queen Alexandra —were present, together with a large number of Royal personages. Later a terrible lift accident in her own house put Lady Paget out .if action for a year or two. It would have done for anyone I with less win power and character. Her I illness «vas lone and painful, soothed only | by the sympathy of many friends, among . them King Edward and Queen Alexandra, who frequently s at with her. The American I Women's Hospital at Paignton, together i with fleets of ambulances sent to the 1 front, owe much to Ladv Paget. One matinee organised by her brought in several thousand pounds. "Our Day" last year owed a great deal to her. and she was also the successful organiser of a great matinee on Trafalgar Day. She has been instrumental in raising some £150.000 for service causes. Then she has given to our Empire a heroine in her daughter, Lady (Ralph) Paget, whose deeds and works in the Balkans are well known.

Sophie. Queen of Greece, was in Berlin when Armageddon disturbed the peace of! Europe, and the Kaiser was bent on j securing the armed co-operation of Greece. ! William IT. reminded his sister of her! family obligations and insisted that she j must persuade her husband to join forces with Germany. The Greek Court awaited j the arrival of its mistress with consider- j able misgivings. As olie exalted personage ] put it "I expected nothing less than a j divorce. Whether because the Queen ( was a cleverer diplomat than her brother or j whether at that time she was really desir- I ous uf placing Hellenic before Prussian in- i terests. her home-coming was marked by I extreme amiability and subservience to the ! King's will. Far from claiming the Greek ' forces for Germany. she fell in whole- ' hea'tedlv with Co ntine's determina-j ion to keep Greet c out of the ring. Queen Sophie is a clever woman, and she under- ! t< "d 1 - man. She knew that if sV i ' "ill; - teuMed '.o push he- husband ! '<> ».' • .rms .ft.' War V>r<f , vos.l. (jtobal 1 break av v ■ e . .* ciir**'*- > tio-.. She i was «li; ion. .Ie in . milieu in' wii'-h I-r i./tp h• * hps 1 -ei' rather distir. gu!*V<! by ;ts r.bsence. She set. alwt the creat'oti ,>■" a pro-German atmo.- ' here. ■ in which the K ng lived and had his being. ; Flip is an excellent mother. German-like. , she : s supreme in her home: Kaiser-like 1 she rule- the Couit. Aided by the King's grave illness, she placed the'marital ties I on a firmer basis than they had ever been ! before. She made herse'f the true help- I mate, and. wielding hei influence in its ! normal sphere, rendered intolerable in the j household the position of anyone who i owned to pro-Entente sympathies. Ardent ! Ententopniles like George Meias, the ! Ki>ig*. .-ei re' v, <.*•« driven out. ar.-? ' the others km* ;b.i' their jobs depended | upon tfc» cc;' i'-c, «-• t!>e noli'i -aI view; M i.'i"' i.i.val .Tijsitress. >ocipiy .'udiea t -\iiii v.>v:t barrels r .1.-■> dis< "V ( ! - r.iat., ■ -~.3 do it out r, I ropo-tio : i i*, t .. -lg-th u.' their pic Germanism. ! v. it 1 4he result that the Y : ;ig 'urn ntovc-i i •'i, a vcious F. .tentophdbe evv .'•onment. i For t ' lirtnir..' diplomats she "J'uraliy provided an open sesame, the while the Entente representatives saw the King but rarely, and then generally contrived to quarrel with him. Queen Sophie ha.s done •frell by her brother. It has been indirect fire, but nevertheless effective.