PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1781, 25 April 1906, Page 72

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

/ (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, March 17. Dr J. S. Purdy, of the Hutt, who is now in the Egyptian Quarantine Service, states, in a letter to the secretary of the New Zealand Association in London, that ‘‘New Zealanders who pass through the Suez Canal will always get a warm -welcome” at Port Said, where the doctor is stationed. Dr Purdy is greatly interested in the reorganising of the New Zealand • Association, of which he was one of the original founders. He has written to Mr Seddon, suggesting that the time has arrived for the New Zealand Government to take official cognisance of the association, and asking the Premier to preoent a full-length photograph of himself to hang in''the com-mon-roonv of the association in London. Mr Benno Sclxerek has gone to the United States to assist in the direction of Miss Nellie Stewart’s American tour, and also to prepare the way for little Mischa Elman, the boy violinist. Mr Scherok recently toured the English provinces as Mischa Elman’s accompanist, and is one of the most enthusiastic admirers of the wonderful boy. Miss C. de Thierry (Jessie Weston) read a paper before the J toy a,l Colonial Institute this week on “Our Policy in the West Indies.” The trend of the ex-Auckland journalist’s indictment of that policy may be gathered from the following excerpt from her paper:— “Under the influence of Cobdenism this country has ceased to have a definite aim in the world. Her horizon is bounded by imports and exports, or -would be only that circumstances are too strong for her. In this way sound Imperial strategy is sacrificed by our fiscal system. Nowhere is it more marked than in the Western Hemisphere. Under the pressure of events we have indeed formulated an Asiatic policy, and begun to think of India and Soutn Africa as parts of a strategical whole. But we have no American policy. unless indeed it is abandonment, in which case it is not constructive but destructive, and therefore, out of harmony with Imperialism. But, said the Colonial Secretary a while ago, the rumour as to the cession of the West Indies is absurd. And so we can only suppose that the Government is drifting.” Mr Matthew G. Hoeles and Mr Arthur E. Pearce, both New Zealanders, have been elected Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute. The Now Zealand footballers must oomo to London to hear news about themselves. The “Evening News” declared the other day that “the profit earned by the All Blacks will surely be divided between the players”; and went on to say, “it will be interesting to observe the attitude of the Rugby Union towards the colonials on the occasion of their next visit. According to the Rugbv Union code of morals the All Blacks are not amateurs.” The j “Evening News” ought to make sure of its premises before launching its thunderbolts of logic against the All Blacks and the Rugby Union. Unfortunately for its argument, the money gained on the tour will not bo divided between tho players. The “ Evening News ” statement about the “All Blacks” not being amateurs has not been allowed to go uncorrected. A number of correspondents pointed out the error, amongst them being Mr 0. Wray Palliser, the New Zealand Rugby Union representative in London. “I am in a position to know, and can state emphatically,” saya Mr Palliser, “ that not one of the players received any payment for playing football. Nor will any player be allowed to accept in any shape anything in the way of a presentation or compensation on return to tho colony. The New Zealand Rugby Football Union is as jealous of its honour introspect to pure amateurism as the Rugby Union of England. I may add that in all cases tho players will be very largely out of pocket by their journey, and in many oases to my personal knowledge members of the team will require to seek employment immediately upon their arrival in the oolony. They did not consider the monetary loss entailed by the tour too great a sacrifice to make when the chance was given them of coming ‘ Home ’ to the 1 Old Country/ and all willingly accepted the offer made to them by the New Zealand Union.”

Mr Marriott-Watson’s latest collection of short stories, just published by Methuens at 6s under the title “ The High Toby,” consists of further reminiscences pf Dick Ryder, the “ Galloping Dick ”''of a much carliea* volume. It is an admirable piece of work of its kind taking us back to rollicking days of the Stuarts, when men did, with much swagger and queer' oaths, most scurvy things, and ladies delighted to disfigure their faces with black patches. Ryder, of course, occupies the centre of the stage through the panoramic procession of tales contained in the work. To him come lord and lady, clerk, trap and to by man, fool and knave, and each fresh encounter gives this most genial gentleman of the highway some” new difficulty to unravel, some new wrong to right, and some new jest to play. All tho stories bear evidence of their authorshin in that touch of inimitable

lightness which characterises Mr Watson’s work, and the book has met with much favour, from the critics. Mr P. A.Vaile tolls me that ' Modern Lawn Tennis,” his first book, sold so rapidly after the last All-England Lawn Tennis Championship meeting that it has been found necessary to print a second edition. Mr William Heinemann will issue this almost immediately. With the exception of "Great Lawn Tennis Players,” Mr Vaile’s other book, "Modern Lawn Tennis” is tbe most expensive lavn tennis book published, and it speaks well for the New Zealanders efforts that it hat) met with so favourable a reception in the home of awn tennis. It will be remembered that Mr Voiles prophecies and forecasts as to both individual and national form, and also as to the development of the game, were borne out in a remarkable manner at this meeting

Mr Bernard Rspinas.se has been interviewing Miss Ada Crossley foi m “British Australasian.” It is not the first time, by a very long way, the famous Australian contralto has been subjected to the process, and much of tho matter extracted from the singe has seen light in print before. btdi, it may be well to quote .what Miss Crossley has to say concerning tho invasion of England by antipodean vocalists for she tells some plain truths whiJi ambitious young colonials would do well to let sink into their mindsOne has said the same things before m different language, but coming Lorn one who possesses first-hand knowledge of what she is talking about Miss Crossley’s advice may perhaps be ao-

would be rejected with scorn. Said she: "A groat many Australian singers oomo to England expecting to find that their path will be made easy for them from the outset, and that because a few have reached the top of the tree all must do .so. There never was a greater fallacy. To succeed on the English concert platform is a matter of terrible uncertainty, and often of appalling difficulty. I must say that I think a great many of them arc by no means prepared to work liard enough. They come ill-equipped, expecting at once to meet an agent who will immediately put them on the road to success. One of the first essentials is to have a repertoire ; they often como without any. If an artist expects to succeed, he or she must have a definite programme; ho prepared to sing any class of music, from tho simple ballad to the aria of grand opera, at often, literally, a moment’s notice. In other words, they must be ready to seize any chance which is offered to them, for, as in all things, opportunity is the great lever, but it must have merit behind it; and I have found that very few come thus armed for the buttle which is before them. “ Tliero is another and most important thing, which I will have no hesitation in putting in the plainest words—above all things, they must come with money. It is sometimes dreadful to know how many have come hero ill-furnished in this most vital respect, with the result that the struggle, which all have to face in every profession, lias for them become infinitely harder, and in some cases proved the absolute ruin of promising careers. I will say distinctly that anyone who conics to London from Australia wjth the dotimitation to

j mako a name as a singer should do 90 | with funds in their pocket sufficient to j keep them for at least three years, steelj ing their hearts to the possibility that i during that period they may not earn a | single penny. ! “ I may go even further, and say ; this, I a<!vise Australians to stay where j they are unless they possess excepj tional merit and are prepared to wait. London is over-crowded. Conservatoires and schools of every description are annually turning loose upon tho English concert platforms hundreds of singers with voices above the average. It is a ; hard life, and an exacting one; its os- ; sontials are good health, an exception- ■ atly strong constitution to stand the | wear and tear of incessant travelling, : continuous practice, and, I say this pari tioularly to Australians, it involves a 1 rigid, self-denial in all social observ--1 ances.”