PERSONAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4847, 27 December 1902, Page 5

PERSONAL.

Ml* D. Gardner Jones, headmaster of the Lovnka public School, spending his Christmas vacation in New 14ear land.

Mr and Mra T. B. Divan were passengers by fcbo Waikaro yesterday for Sydney, ichoi'o they intend to spend the holidays. Bishop Wallis—who is on Ida way to England—telegraphed from on Christinas Day to Archdeacon Fanoourt: —“Well. Christmas blessings to fill.” The footballers of Gisborne and Waikato havo ercctod a handsome raonurnont at Hamilton West to the memory of Thomas Kirk, who died from injuries received in tho football field. Lady Berkeley and tho Misses Berkeley left Wellington yesterday by tho W»ikare for Sydney, en route to Hongkong, whoro Sir Henry. Berkeley was recently appointed Chief Jnstioe. At tho recent Government examinations at Groymonth .Mr 'lhomas Bayne, of the steamer Petrine, passed with credit as a chief marine engineer. Ho is tho first man to pass for lids rank in Groymonth. Tho death occurred at tho Old Men’s Home at Gisborno of John Fagan, late of tho Fourteenth Kegiment, with whioli ho came to tho colony in 18(54. Ho served in the Waikato under Colonel Alexander, and removed to Gisborne in 1873. Mr J. Cuthbort, of Stanmoro, England, luia been appointed, out of forty English and Scotch applicants, professional to tho Wellington Golf Club. Air Cuthbert is said to bo an exceptionally good player, and is coming out to Now Zealand because his doctors havo advised a change of climate. Mr and Mrs It. H. Headdoy, of LoVuka(Fiji Islands), who arrived recently in Now Zealand from tho islands, wore entertained a fortnight ago by the townsmen of Lovnka. It is tho intention of Mr and Mrs Headdoy to porma nently reside in Now Zealand. Mr Headdey was for twenty-two years a member of tho community of Lovnka, during which timo ho occupied positions on the Municipal Board of tho city.

The ago of tho Boor Generals has boon a matter of surrniso from time to tame, and no (wo histories of the Boor war agree on tho point, Bioro or lotis doubtful dates havo boon assumed as correct in some quarters, when it was a question of birthday congratulations. A correspondent of tho London “Daily Chronicle,” who has had an opportunity to loam from tho lips of Generals Botha, Da Wot and Do la Key tho accurate d4ks, furnishes the information that Lolls Botha kept his fortieth birthday in September; that J. H. Do la Hoy was fifty-fivo in October; and Christian R. do Wot, on nearly the same day, was forty-four. Dr Bakowell, of Auckland, has received tho following reply from Sir Rodvors Bnller to a letter sent to him;—“ Downos Creditor!, Devonshire, October 26th, 1902. Dear Sir,— I have to thauk you for your letter -of September Bth last, which I have just received. I highly appreciate the kind spirit in which your letter is written. In these days of rather- bitter party feeling, Governments havo to live ■ in order to rule, and if our present English Ministers find it to their advantage to make mo thoir scapegoat; I don't know that I can seriously complain. It is just another risk of war. I know I did all that I knew how todo, and so am satisfied with myself, and the people of England have been ■very good to me. As for tho rest, time will show what I did, and why I did it, and I can well afford to wait for tho verdict of Time os to ho;!' I did It. Such fetters as yours—and indeed, I havo many such—make that waiting an easy task. —With renewed thanks, yours faithfully, Rodvors Buller.”

The predominance of the Glasgow School iii Art has bean acknowledged by the olootion as president of _ tho Royal Scottish Academy in succession to Sir George Reid of Mr James Guthrie, one of tho leaders of tho school. Tho new president, who was born near Greenock in 1859, spent his young life in London, and after being educated at Glasgow University and spending some time in Germany, began his private art studies in London in 1879. Ho may ho said to bo a self-taught artist, for lie was never a student in any antique or life school. Ho worked away by himself, receiving help and encouragement from tho Faeds. and Messrs Pettie and Graham. In 1881 ho wont to Paris and was so struck by tho French' system that ho resolved to train himself on similar lines. Returning to Scotland the same year. Mr Guthrie painted “Tho Highland Funeral,” which was exhibited at tho Royal Academy in 1882, and which was seen at tho Edinburgh International Exhibition in 188 G. A second large picture, “To Pastures New,” painted at Orowland, Lincolnshire, was also exhibited at the Royal Academy, and this was seen at the Glasgow International Exhibition. Sis artistic development in stylo, colour and technique proved very rapid, and ho became one of the band of Glasgow artists, who, throwing aside the conventionalities, made themselves a new force in Scottish art- He was tho first of this school to be elected an Associate ofitho Scottish Academy, ami His promotion to full academic rank followed in 1892.