OUR LONDON LETTER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 16

OUR LONDON LETTER

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 7. It is announced that Messrs Andrew Weir and Co., a firm of shipowners with offices in London and Glasgow, are about to start a new mall steamship service between San Francisco and Australasia to take the place of the American Oceanic Line, which recently ceased operations in consequence of the failure of Congress to pass the Ship Subsidy Bill. The service will start in August. The sailings will be monthly, and, to enable mails to be. despatched twice a month, the present route via Vancouver will also be employed. By. the new route the boats, says a Reuter message from New York, will take only 30 days to Sydney.

A good selection of the chess problems of Mr Thomas Kinsella, a New Zealand composer, appear in the “Times’s” chess columns this week, accompanied by an appreciative sketch of the author from tue pen of Mr Allan C. White. “New Zealand,” says Mr White, “has few composers to rival Thomas Kinsella. Almost a lightning composer, he frames bold ideas in striking settings- Long strokes of the White Queen, notable threats, as in No. 95, model Queen sacrifices as in Nos. 96 and 97, make up problems which are a pleasure to remember. I tnmic the explanation is that Mr Ivinsella is first and last a compose!’. Nowadays the ideals of the problem art are so far removed from the principles of good play, that it is only chess enthusiasts of the most versatile minds who can combine both play and problems. In earlier papers of this series we saw players composing eccentricities, long-range problems, letter problems, one-ictea stratagems, and the like —the natural thing to be expected from players who have not wholly dissociated problems from their connotations of being puzzles, traps, brilliant strokes, endgames, or mere eccentricities. The whole history of the chess problem is its slow emancipation .from the puzzle and the endgame; its-slow develoimient into a work of art. In New Zealand we can see this very clearly when we compare the earliest composers to Mr Kinsella. We have now reached tlie fully-developed artistic stage, the balance of idea and construction, vitality, and finish. Mr Kinsella is a young man, not yet 130. lie has led the outdoor life of New Zealand, engaged in almost every kind of work—including farming. He lias composed few problems, and those m seldom more than half an hour. His problems have shown a steady development in merit, so that lie now ranks as perhaps the composer of most promise in the colony.”

Giving evidence before tlie Royal Commission on Shipping Rings this week, Mr G. E. Wright, secretary of th. 9 Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, spoke of the constant complaints -received during the past few years by his Chamber from merchants and manufacturers with reference .to the manner in which their trade was being affected by the operation of shipping rings. In most cases it had - been impossible to obtain details even on the promise of the strictest privacy. That reserve on the part of traders could only be put down to the fear that the communication of details might conceivably lead to their being traced by shipowners in consequence. In 1903 the chamber received complaints as to a serious preference from Antwerp and Hambuig to New Zealand with transhipment at London, and a firm of merchants in New Zealand reported that they were receiving goods by the Tyser Line at lower rate than that at which they could get them from London. The rate from London direct was 37s 6d and the rate from Antwerp and Hamburg via London was only 22s 6d. The question was taken up with the Tyser iLine, and they replied that their object in fixing lower rates from- Continenvil ports was to take it out. of the power of Continental steamship companies to run a service from the Continent diiect to New Zealand, and this could only be done by competing with the Germans, which they were doing at considerable cost to the New Zealand steamship lines. They stated further that a few years previously their rates from London were considerably lower than from the Continent, but" that at that time British manufacturers evidently did not see the necessity for holding their trade, whereupon the Germans entered into keen competition,. and so built up a large trade which compelled the New Zealand steamship lines to reduce their rates to the low level they had then reached. The company did not say whether it was the German manufacturers or the German shipping -lines who were building up a large trade with New Zealand, but tlie Birmingham Chamber of Commerce could find little or no evidence of either.

The 44th Annual Report of the Directors of the New Zealand Trust and Loan Company, to be presented to the shareholders at the annual general meeting in London on nine 11, states that the balance of .*? ndivided profits shown, after payment of all current expenses, is <£22,190 2s l'ld. The Directors recommend that a sum of <£2ooo be appropriated for the payment of a dividend on the £1 fully-paid Ordinary 'Shares of one shilling per share, free of Income Tax, being five per cent, for the year 1906, and that the remaining balance of <£20,180 2s lid be carried forward. A profit of £7,581 3s 6d was made on the sale of “Mount Parker/’ which amount has been carried to the credit of the Reserve Fund. Further properties, including the major part of Roxburgh, have been •sold since the 31st December at prices which, the Directors relieve will, in the aggregate, be quite covered by the provision in thei Contingent Account.-- <On - 31st .•'December last, £28,W0 had been accumulated to-

wards the £40,000 required to be set aside for redemption of the capital of the Company, and that amount lias since been increased to £33,500. In their report for 1899 the directors announced that arrangements had been made with some members of the staff with a view to retaining their services so long as they might be required. The present manager, who is now the only member of the staff remaining in New Zealand, has requested the Board to pay him now, instead of at the termination of the company’s business, the .£BOO to which he becomes entitled under a clause in his agreement. In view of the small amount of assets now remaining to be realised, the directors will submit to the meeting a resolution authorising immediate payment to the manager of the sum of <£800; and, as the secretary is the only member of the staff left in London affected by the arrangement referred to, the Board will at the same time ask for the authority of the shareholders to pay to him at once the sum of .£IOOO under his agreement.

At the annual meeting of the Leeds Northern Union held at Headingley last Friday evening, Mr J. W. Wood, the club’s representative on the County Committee, referred to the visit of the New Zealand team next season. The team, he said, would be first-class, and quite as strong as that which visited us two years ago. The names of the players, however, would not ho divulged till the team had left New Zealand a fortnight.

PERSONAL NOTES. NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 7. Mrs E. W. Alieon, of Auckland, and her two daughters have-arrived in Lon«lon, having left the Marmora at Marseilles on April 6th, and spent two months in Paris en route. Miss Ivy Alison took the opportunity in Paris of placing herself under the tuition of Mine. Marchesi, the celebrated teacher of singing. They reached London on May 26th, and will leave again shortly to visit Manchester, Mrs Alison’s birthplace, and also Plymouth, Cornwall and Scotland, where Miss May Alison is to be married in September to Mr John Fotheringham, of Glasgow. Afterwards Mrs Alison will go to Ireland. Her health is greatly improved, aiid she hopes to return to New Zealand very much the better for her trip.

Lieut.-Gol. F. W. Abbott, D. 5.0., of Auckland, arrived with his wife and child by the Omrah on May 17th, and is now staying in London. They propose visiting Scotland and Devon si lire, but will spend the greater part of their time in London. They return to the Antipodes by the Ortona in October, joining tbe vessel at Naples. Mr and Mrs L. R. Wnson, of Dunedin, and their son, arrived by the lonic and spent a fortnight at Torquay before coming on to London last week. They have been sight-seeing in the metropolis, .and Mr Wilson has placed his son at school at Linton House, Holland Park. Mr Wilson’s health lias slightly improved, and he has placed, himself in the hands of a leading physician here, Dr Frederick Taylor. If his health permits he will take a three weeks’ trip to Norway and then visit Scotland, Ireland, and the Continent. The Misses Jean and Nancy Wilson and Mr Noel Wilson, of Bulls. Rangitikei, came Home by the Oroya. After a pleasant voyage to Marseilles they spent a week in Paris and are now staying in London till the beginning of July, when they go north to pay visits in Scotland and the North of England. They leave early in September for a few weeks on the Continent, whence the Misses Wilson return to New Zealand, their brother going to America. Mr O. G. Meredith, of Masterton, who arrived by the Turakina last month, will spend about five months in this country, returning to the colony via Suez. Mr H. P. Richmond, of Wellington, who is visiting England on business, travelled from New Zealand via Vancouver and Quebec, spending some time in the' Rocky Mountains en route. The weather interfered somewhat with the pleasure of the trip, as Canada was still in the grip of a severe and late winter, and snow and icebergs were encountered on the Atlantic even though it was the month of May. Mr Richmond will spend some time in Scotland and will also revisit Paris this month.

Mr and Mrs J. M. Cameron, of Dunedin, with Mr A. Cameron and Miss Cameron, arrived by the Orontes on April sth, and have since been visiting Paris and London. This month they will tour in Scotland and Ireland. They are on a pleasure trip, and expect to be absent from New Zealand for ten months. Mr J. W. Harding, of Waipukurau, who arrived by the Omrah on May 18th, intends remaining in England until the beginning of September, returning to New Zealand via Canada. Mr Harding’s visit is chiefly for pleasure, though he intends seeing some of the best flocks of Romney Marsh sheep in the county, with a view to buying several rams of that breed foT his own'fioclc. He intends vi-it-ing the Royal Show at Lincoln and also' the Highland and Agricultural Show at Edinburgh and the International Horse Show at Olympia, being interested in the breeding of Clydesdale horses. Mr Harding will go over several of the motor manufacturing works at Coventry and in London. He intends to send out a car of the latest model to be ready for him on liis return to New Zealand.

Mr E. C. Wilcox, of Christchurch, who arrived by the Turakina on May 25th, is at. present staying in London to consult a specialist. He will be in England about three months, and intends visiting “relatives in Birmingham and Scotland, afterwards returning to New Zealand via the Cape.

The Rev. Father Fay, of Wellington, who is visiting London on a holiday travelled from New Zealand by way of Canada, leaving Sydney on March 18th, and reaching Vancouver on April 11th. The journey through the Rocky Mountains and the great plains of Canada was very trying, as the weather was extremely cold and enow was lying very deep on the ground. The train was held up by a snow slide for 34 hours in the most dangerous pass in the Rockies. Canada was also* seen at a great disadvantage, for the weather was more like winter than summer. The trip across the Atlantic was, however, very fine. After remaining in London for a few weeks Father Fav intends visiting Scotland and Ireland, afterwards returning to England and leaving then for the Continent. He will travel through France, Switzerland and Italy, cross tlie Mediterranean, and tour through Egypt and Palestine. Joining a North German Lloyd steamer at Port Said, lie will go on to China and Japan, returnin'? to Sydney by way of Northern Australia. This trip will occupy about six months. Father Fay’s brother, Mr D. Fav, of Wellington, who is also* at pre.seiit in London, will accompany him on his tour.

Mr and Mrs J. W. Bridge, o? Wellington, are on a pleasure trip to l the Old Country. They travelled hither from Sydney" by the Blue Anchor liner Wakool, and had a most pleasant voyage. At Durban they spent three, days, and were very hospitably entertained by the Durban Golf Club. They reached London on May 14th, and have since been sightseeing "in the metropolis. Having waited to see the Derby run last Wednesday, they are now starting on a Continental trip, which will include visits to Lucerne, Rome, Florence and Venice. On their return they will spend a few weeks in the north of England with friends, and afterwards visit Scotland and Ireland, reaching Dublin in time for the Horse Show. They will probably leave for New Zealand at the end of September.

Mr Arthur McKee, of Wellington, who was a pass-eager from Sydney by the Moo 1 tan, left that vessel at Port Said and toured in Egypt, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland .and France, spending about six weeks oil the Continent. Mr McKee has now arrived in London, and is staying at the Arundel Hotel, Thames Embankment, where Mr P. C. Freeth, of Palmerston North, and Mr and Mm J. Yv. Bridge*, of Wellington, are also located. Tie will visit friends in different parts of the country, and expects to be in England until September, when lie leaves for the United States and Canada, en route for New Zealand. Mr and Mrs Frank Feist, of Wellington, and their eldest daughter, Miss Ida Feist, have been spending the past month sight-seeing in London. They travelled hither via Suez and the Continent, leaving the Orontee at Naples and visiting Rome. Florence, Venice, the Italian and the Swiss Lakes and Paris. Later on thev will visit the provinces and tour in Scotland and Ireland. Mr Feist is combining business with pleasure and intends to visit various manufacturing centres. He hopes to return to New Zealand about November.

The Rev. F. G. Evans, of New Plymouth, and Miis Evans, arrived by the s.s. Oroya on Sunday last. They left New Plymouth on February 12th for a year's rest and change and caught the s.s. Orontes at Melbourne on February 23rd. They had a remarkably fine passage to Ceylon, and from there to Port Said. They were joined at Cairo by Mr Evans’ sister-in-law, Mrs Broham, the wife of the late Inspector Broliam, ivell-known in New Zealand, and travelled together in Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Unhappily, while they were at Nazareth, Mrs Broham was attacked by dysentery, and with great difficulty she was brought on to Haifa and Port Said. At the lastnamed .place they were able toy obrai.” the beet medical- advice, and Mrs Broham was placed in Lady Strangford’s Lno.hs hospital, where everything possible was done to overcome the disease; but an o a heart trouble unfortunately intervened, and she died on May 13th. The chaplain of 11.M.5. Minerva kindly officiated at the funeral, and the captain sent foot blue-jackets to act as bearers. 1 his great misfortune has naturally interfered with Mr and Mrs Evans’ tour a good deal, but they have decided to spend a month or ,so in London, and after that to go for a short visit to Kent. They will then probably go down into Devonshire for a month, and then work their way up to Lancashire and Cheshire, where they will stay for a while, afterwards visiting tne Lake District, and some of the principal places of interest in Scotland. They expect to leave England about the end or October, and to spend a month in Italy, catching their boat at Naples on the return journey to New Zealand.

Announcement was made early this week of the death on June Ist, a\Bancaster Gate, of Miss Gwyndohne Marie Anderson, younger daughter of Mr Gilbert Anderson, of Christchurch, New Zealand. Miss Anderson was only m hei eighteenth year.

Among the recent arrivals in London from New Zealand is Mr Arthur Hunter, of Banks Peninsula, who made the trip to the Old Country in pursuit of experience and information likely to be useful to him in journalistic work. He came from Australia by the Ophu as far as Port Said, and spent about ten days m Palestine, chiefly in and around Jerusalem. Finding the weather unbearably hot there he went on to Cairo, and having spent a week in that city came on via Rome and Paris to England, landing in London a fortnight ago. He struck one of our many recent cold snaps and spent his firat week Home in bed. Mr Hunter’s future plans ar© very indefin-

ite and will shape themselves according to his health which is at present very indifferent.

Dr R. Walter Baron, of Dunedin, id combining medical study with a holiday trip to the Old Country. He has taken a course of instruction at Queen Charlotte’s Lying-in Hospital, and lias now joined the London Hospital. Dr Baron is greatly fascinated with England, and is “only sorry he didn’t come Home sooner.”

Here is a little tale which has at least the merit of being true. A worthy colonial Premier was invited to one of the universities and was made much of by the students of a certain college who owed their residence to Rhodes. Among the beauties of the ’Varsity to which they drew the Premier’s particular .attention was an oak tree said to be over 600 years old. The Premier looked at the tree for a minute and remarked, “Six hundred years old, is it?” “Yes, sir,” said his Cicerone, “quite that.” “Umph!” said the Premier, “Six hundred years old and —let’s see —about sixty feet high. Why, now, in Giypsland we’ve got trees that ain’t been planted more than twenty years, and they’re over eighty feet high. That knocks you, eh?” It did.

Mr Cyril Keightley, who will be well remembered in New Zealand as a young Shakespearian actor of great promise, is playing the part of “the villain,” Harry Dallas, in Mr” Bourchier’s revival of Sutro’s sentimental drama, “The Walls of Jericho,” at the Garrick Theatre. It is hardly the sort of part that appeals to Mr Keightley, and .apparently his acting makes this plain. “The Times” critic i.s prompted by Ins performance to throw off the following jocular remarks: “Mr Cyril Keightley succeeds Mr Nye Chart as the philandering Harry Dallas, the snake in the grass. Mr ’ Keightley, we believe, is by birth an Australian, and, as a worthy son of that virtuous land, must necessarily be out of sympathy with the wicked ‘set’ of which Dallas is the blackest sheep.: dt was a mistake to ask him to* gink his praiseworthy, his noble, prejudices in favour of virtue—as great a mistake as it was to waste so* good a romantic Shakespearian actor on such a 'clockwork rabbit’ part as this.” Mrs G. P. Mirams, lady superintendent of the Victoria School for Maori Gi “s in Parnell, Auckland, arrived by the Turakina on the 25th tilt., and is at present visiting Commander and Mrs Colquhoun in South Kensington. Mrs Mirams is on a pleasure trip, and after staying in London for about three months she goes to Devonshire for a short visit, thence to Warwick, Stafford and Voi k. Later on she hopes to visit friends at Winchester and in Sussex, and afterward will spend another week or two in London jurst before sailing for New Zealand via the Cape in September. Tlie fear which the late Mr Abraham Dixon, of Leatherhead. had of Socialist legislation finds expression in his will, ukhdi has just been proved. Mr Dixon, who left estate valued at £lo2.rig, advised his trustees not to increase his holding in Dixon’s Investment Co.. I bruited. which is limited in its operations to investments in New Zealand, as, while he had every confidence in the company and its directors, lie did not wish to increase his or his wife’s interest in that colony, as he feared a recurrence of Socialist legislation in the island, which would be inimical to the interests of investors.

Mr James Glanville, of Lyttelton, who arrived in England by the Ophir early in May, is spending a very enjoyable holiday in England in spite of the atrocious weather that has obtained since he landed here. He spent a fortnight in Sussex and went thence for a spell to Cornwall, and is now doing London from headquarters in Peckliam. Later ho proposes to tour the provinces, visiting among other centres Manchester, Leeds, Liver poo l , and Glasgow. In all probability he will return to New Zealand by the Ruapehu, sailing in August. Miss Alice M. A. Maunder, of Christchurch, who recently arrived by theM' oltan, is studying the pianoforte under Claude Pollard at Tobias Matthay’a Pianoforte School. Mr George Ilogben, Inspector-General of Schools in New Zealand, was the official representative of the colony at the Federal Conference on Education convened in London by the League of the Empire. He thinks the conference lias accomplished a great deal, but is of opinion that in future it should be made .an official affair convened by the Government. Speaking of the work of the late Conference, Mr Hogben remarked to an interviewer: —“Some steps which were suggested have already been adopted by individual colonies. For instance, the recognition of certificates of teachers from other parts of the Empire seems to me most important, and we already recognise in New Zealand any certificate issued by the Education Department of any other part. of the Empire. Meeting with other delegatee at this conference will enable us, w© hope, to obtain mutual recognition for our teachers if it is wanted. We have found the system has worked quite satisfactorily, and it has a strong bearing on the interchange of teachers, which is particularly desirable —although it is hardly possible, perhaps, in the form in which it was proposed—namely, for a. term of years. But I agree cordially with the spirit of the understanding at which we arrived in the conference, first, that by the introduction of a certain number of teachers coming from time to time from other parts of the Empire, with the intention of settling permanently, and, secondly, by the visits ot teachers and inspectors accredited by their Education Departments, and receiving facilities from the authorities of the countries visited for seeing the actual working of the various educational institutions, the outlook of - others of the teaching nrofcssion throughout the Empire would be widened •*. •• d

their sympathies broadened.” Or whole Mr Hogben thinks the conference got through its business very smoothly. Of course, there were differences of opinion, but there was no friction. ■ He thinks all felt that excellent work had been done. Recent callers at the High Commissioner's Officer—Mr Neil H. Procter (Christchurch), Mr Herman Meyer (Avalmate), Mr H. P. Richmond (WeW? ton), Mr and Mrs \V. H. Rooney (Oreymouth), Mr Jas. Glanville, Mrs Mf ry Glanville (Christchurch), Mr M. Luther, Mrs Luther (Auckland), Mrs A. Aubrey (Taranaki), Mr W. Sanders Johnstone (Hawke's Bay), Mrs and Miss Crosby Martin, Miss Wilson. Miss Nancy eon and Mr Noel Wilson (buns, Rangitikei), Mrs S. E. Shrimski (Oamaru), ft r H. C. Collins (Wellington), Rev. John Honnyhill (Greyniouth), Mr Geo. Prince (Wellington), Mr H. O. Man: (Wellington), Mrs and Miss Fogo (Dun edin), Lieut.-Col. x E. N. Abbott, D.u. and Mrs Abbott Mr .. m. Read (Wellington), missy Alice M. A'. Maunder (Rangitikei), Mrs G. P. Altrams (Auckland), Miss Canning (Christchurch), Mies Cato (Ponsonoy), Mias J. Collins (Invercargill), Mrs .Y. Jacob (Auckland), Mr Clias. Duggan (U._ church), Air and Mrs Allan Strang (La 1merston North), Mrs C. \V. ALiffon ana the Misses Allison (Auckland), Air and Mrs S. J. Atkins (Auckland), Air and Airs Leslie Wilcox and Master D. Wilcox (Dunedin), Mr ana Mrs G. Stead and Miss Stead (Christchurch), Mr h_ Jackson (Wellington.), »>ii‘ A- Young (Auckland), Mias? O. Dull man (Wellington), Mrs Rigarlsford, Mr and Mass Rigarlsford (Wellington), Mr and Airs AA 7 . H. Sergeant (Invercargill), Mr Arthur McKee (Wellington), Rev. F. C. Evans and Mrs Evans (New Plymouth), Mr Samuel Wigg (Hawke's Bay), Air and Airs Cameron, Miss and .Mr A. Cameron (Dunedin), Air H. 11. Loughman and Air Louis Loughman (Christchurch).