OUR LONDON LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2403, 8 January 1895, Page 2

OUR LONDON LETTER.

From Our Own Correspondent. PERSONAL NOTES. London, December 1, The Temuka footballer and fisherman, Mr W. Mendelson', now in. residence at Jesus College, Cambridge, is rapidly making a big name for himself , amongst the sporting and athletic section of collegians. Ho is acknowledged to bo one of the very best full-backs ever included in the University “Rugger ” team, and on Tuesday lust ho proved himself a “ bad ’un to beat" in other, forms of athletics. ,On Wednesday, whilst playing full-back for the’Varsity against Leeds, Mendelson, after distinguishing himself greatly in the initial half of the" game, got his right knee badly hurt soon alter recommencing. He retired for a brief space, but pluokily attempted to continue later. But his pain was so obvious that Captain Tucker ordered him off the field. Minus one the Cantabs bad' hard work to keep their opponents in cheek, but managing to retain their early lead, won by three goals to ono. ’ ;1 Mr W. L. Murdoch is organising a bazaar at Brighton in aid of the Sussex County Cricket Club, at which Lord Shot-, field will, for the first time, exhjbit ■in public his remarkable collection of cricket curios. These include the balls used in all the matches played by his team in your part of the world. To a philistine like myself there doesn’t seem to be a great deal to look at in 17 or 18 cricket balls all manufactured by the same maker. The thought occurs to one indeed that seme difficulty might be experienced in distinguishing, “t’other from which.” But that, I suppose, only shows how little one knows. There is not much to be said concerning' Mr Andrew Robertson’s “ Nuggets in the Devil’s Punch Bowl" and other other Australian tales recently published by'Longman’s. They are readable sketches -of colonial life rather of Mr Hornung’s than Mr BoldrewoOd’a quality, and not to-be mentioned in the same breath as Paveno’s "Tales of the Austral Tropics.” The December number . of, Longman’s Colonial Library is Miss Edna ; Lyall’s “ Doreen,” of which Mr Gladstone . (to whom the book is dedicated) has been Baying such nice. things. The tendency to prose rather grows on Miss Bayly (to use her proper name) she becomes‘Older, but apart from this the story■ will' be ■ found, like “Donovan,” both interesting andedifying. ‘ Blackwood for December contains some entertaining reminiscences of- .James Anthony Fronde by Mr Skelton, which all Australians should read. The historian’s “Life ” has been undertaken by. Sir Theo. • Martin.; , ■- ' ,

. Mr Patohett-Martm has discovered from some old files that most of Mr Gladstone’s translations of Horace, were'written many years ago. . . - The Dean of Eoohester: who (as X recently mentioned) is negotiating-'with Messrs B. S. Smythe and Son for a lecturing tour in your part of the world, either alone or in conjunction with the EevHi E". Haweis, has just brought out a' new. book of reminiscences. Dr Hole’s first effort in this direction came out two winters ago, and was a most interesting work. Like all or nearly all sequels, “ More Memories” is. not so good. It contains many good stories, certainly, but - alas! the majority arc fine old crusted “chestnuts.” I met Mr AV. A. Low, erstwhile of Hanmer Plains, a few days ago. He is living with his family dt Eichmond, but has experienced no particular inconvenience from the recent Thames floods. Mr Low still takes a keen interest in.tho welfare of tho Colony, and anyone decrying How Zealand will speedily discover that he has a *• rough side to his tongue.” Dr and Mrs Hope Lewis and family have' definitely engaged passages in tho Edme; sailing the first week in January, and cx-peot-te be in Auckland before .his leave as health officer-expires. The doctor is just at present “going through, a course of ears” at (I think I- heard) the Ear Hospital in Soho, but I would not be sure about the place.- In tho evening Dr and Mrs Lewis go frequently to ■ tho- theatre, and the other day they renewed an acquaintance, commenced in Auckland some years ago, with Mr Charrington rand his wife (Janet Achurch) and Mr Herbert Flemming. Like most good colonists in business at Home Mr Harrison Davis, who stiil. supervises the London business of the New . York Life Office, has his finger in tho AVestra-li-m pie.. AVhenl ran across him on Thursday lie was looking fagged, yet triumphant, having, after working night and day for some time, successfully floated i the Lady Loch mine. • .£70,000 is the capital of this premising "sjmio.,” but; only 25,000 one

pound shares were offered to the public, and, in Spite of the many tempting things previously ; put forth, Mr ; Davis had the satisfaction' of seeing his venture fully subscribed. The applicants for shares have also the satisfaction of seeing their bread bock, again .with a little butter on top iu the shape of an eighth premium. |Mr Davis does not appear on- the; directorate, but he has secured four first-class jtion of business to look after matters at Homo, whilst Lord Percy Douglas , and Mr- F.- C. Monger, M.L.A.; will hot’as local directors; The site Of tho mine is one mils and a half south-west of Bayley’s Howard Claim. The reports are, of a yiji-y foyonrapli; ngyuto, though ibis hot; cdnoeaiha.sthat-;a’ “ water find ’’ will Kate to be made before the mine chi! be Worked economically enough to show big profits. ■’ Mr Harrison - Davis-, tells mo that, lus better half is ■ hard at work, • putting the finishing touches to her new novel, which, publishers acquiescing, .will bo called “Angus Murray." ■■ Mrs Davis has no now theories of life to put-forward, no now gospel of sexual relations to teach; in her latest work. " Angus Murray,"'her husband says, is a simplo'etory of a man’s life, in which seekers after now; sensations will bo disappointed* It will probably bo published by Hutchinson. Mrs Davis’s play "A Life Policy,” which was successfully “ raatineed" at Terry’s, has not yet found its way into an .evening bill; Tho authoress has considerably revised the piece. She has had several otters from tho provinces for “A Life Policy,” but prefers to “bide a woo” and make a London success.

A biography of the late Professor Owen, tho eminent naturalist, : possesses no special Interest to anyone in Now Zealand ekooptaffew local satants and members of scientific societies;, But -his name will bo for over famous in connection Atditli the now extinct moa (dintn'ma gigantica). Long before a complete skeleton of the great wingless bird was discovereda single fragment of a thigh bone of some unknown species was sent to the.'Professor. From this very slight duo ho constructed, with a degree of anatomical skill and insight which was nothing short of genius, tho outlines of tho moo. Tho story of the confirmation by subsequent discoveries of Professor Owqu’s speculations roads like Bi-romanco. Tho biography of tins great scientist is written by his: grandson, tho Rev Richard Owen, M.A.; from materials .supplied in. 15,000 letters,■ and the diaries kept by tbb late Professor's wife and sister. *lt \i-oiild, appear that amongst his other eccentricities „he , used to have the carcases of wombats, kangaroos, chimpanzees, and'other animals brought into his backyard for dissection and anatomical study, and bo frightened his cook by bringing into'dlio, kitchen a specimen of r the Anarrliicbas lupus." She thought a fish with shot a name could, not bo a fit thing to send up. to table; It turned out to be a “ vvolf-Cah,’’i'aiid not at all bad., ■’■■■;■. - 1 . ■ Mr Carlton Dawes’ "The Pilgrims: A Bit of Cornwall in Australia,” just pub-" dished by Chapman and Hob. > e being ou the Whole very ; favourably'reviewed. The bookseller in To-day (i.c.. Douglas Sladon) says that his brother-colonist can always command J-200 on account for a new novel. Is that indeed so P . Then-MrDawes well deserves the Nipithot luclty.' I - doubt if Christie Murray could do more, admirable story-teller though ho still iS; ■ Mention of Ml- Murtay.reiniitda mo that bo has been ■ filling up , out- American coiisins with. some ! tallish; tales of the G.O.M. Foi- .uistailcc, ho says that when he wont to Hawnrdon at tho timb of the Bulgai-ioa atrocities to.interview Mr Gladstone for a 'London •, daily,’ the light honourable gentleman -took* him - into-the castle grounds and kept him walking about there for seven mortal-hours. -From tho respectable Spiles of the now edition of hPaving the Way" to bo seen on the London bookstalls, X should think, that it is going off uncommonly well, und that Gay andßird will-have, a nice cheque to send the author presently, . ■ . Mr Louis Book’s "By Reef. and Palm " has also started selling-like the proverbial ” hot cakes.” ■ ITis said, the; enthusiastic review in the Fdll MaU by Mr Henley, and that another -influential critic Will devote an article to itin tbo December '■ iuagnilncs. • , Sir George Bowon,-in vtlie course of rt letter to tbo times on Mr-Ilbert's address On the “ Record, of Comparative. Legislation ” at the Imperial Institute, recalls tb<s saying- attributed to -Lord Beaobnsfiold 80 years ago—viz., that ..“ if Englishmen Wish to knpw what England will be. politically in tho next generation let.them study what Australasia is now.” “ And he was right. Duiing tho last 30 yearsEnglond has adopted almost avowedly after Australasian models a largo number of political and administrative reforms,; fromvote;by, ballot, a very low franchise,’ and compulsory popular education dawn to Ranging criminals inside instead of outside the'gaols., I say ‘ almost avowedly,’ because before most of these reforms wore adopted .by the Homo Government circulars;.. wbre‘.i sent to,.us Governors asking for-detailed information as to their practical Working -in tho colonies.” '

A GREY tSTDEY. Sir George Grey tells ah'anjnsing story about the contemplated '; annexation of Samoa by the Government iff Now Zealand. It was in the halcyon lime of the Vogel regime, before the triple .protectorate was established over Apia by Great Britain, the United States and Germany.' As all the world knows, and asNow Zealand will have good reason to remember ’for’- many a day, that was the period of vast land daringprojects when such an exploit as the annexation of Samoa was a comparatively unimportant item' _'in iambitious pro- ■ grammes involving, the expenditure of tons of millions of borrowed money. , There is in Sir George’s possession a most interesting relic in. the form of a deck chair, made at the time for the Government steamer, llihemoa. ,On the back of the chair -is inscribed the legend, “ Samoan Expedition.” Several of these chairs were made tor Ministers and others who contemplated a sort of grand embassy to Samoa, but nothing came of it. Sir Goorgo says ho intends'to present this article of furniture to some New Zealand museum, where, in future ages, it may excite the wonder, and .admiration of the antiquarian as a reminiscence of the ambi-: tions of the young Cqlonyi