OUR LONDON LETTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7017, 4 January 1910, Page 7

OUR LONDON LETTER

MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE. LATEST PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME. t'EOJI One SPECIAL CORRESI'OVDEXT. LONDON, November 26. ■Vrnotiß the passengers leavinß Lon■'nn to-dav for Nov/ Zealand by the Orient liner Orvieto was Miss Kath-fp'-ii Irene Wis, daughter, of Captain '•■;.•■ Koll.-vr Wix. She is going *° • Now 'Zealand on an extended holiday, ami is likely to bo absent irom London for twelve mouths. Nurao S. E. Maude, of Christ-J church, is at present, hi London for rest and change. Rest Nurse Maude evidently is determined to .have,, for Mho politely but firmly declines to be interviewed, even by a sympathetic London correspondent. Mr Laurence Henderson, a wellknown Glasgow business man, left London to-day with Mrs Henderson by th-o Orient liner Orvieto, on route for New Zealand. Mr Henderson intends taking a course of mineral baths at Rotorua. Captain Bryce Wilson, an army ofhcor who has served a large portion of his time in India, is taking his wife, two sons, and daughter out with him to New Zealaaid, where lie proposes to tako up land and settle permanently. He and his family will leave for the Dominion next week. Captain Bryce Wilson is a fine, athletic-looking typo of military man, in the prime of lite. He has interested himself largely in the physical culture of the soldiers under his command, and his experience and knowledge should make him a useful settler from the point of view of military training in New Zealand.

The Hon. Hall-Jones was sufficiently ■recovered from his recent illness to go this week from London to his nativo Folkestone, where he will'stay to recuperate. Mrs Hall-Jones has accompanied her husband to the seaside.

Mr HorbeTt , Bailey, formerly of Wellington, who came to London some seven or eight years, ago, is now holding an exhibition of modern artists' work in Brmiton street, off Bond street.

Colonel E. A. Grove, C.8.,'0f Red. lull, Surrey, loft London to-day for New Zealand, accompanied ,by Mrs Grove, on a fishing and deor-stalking tour. They propose to remain six months in the Dominion: ■ -'

Lieutenant J. Hughes, of the New Zealand Defence- Forces, who came to England a few months back, has been attached to an Irish regiment for training.

Mrs Parke, wife of Mr J.; Stuart Parke, solicitor, or Levin, left Leudon to-day by the Orient liner Orvicto on her return to Xciv Zealand.

Captain Hope Johnston, who, as I stated last week, has recently married and intends settling in New Zealand, where he has nought a farm at To AivamutiT, left London to-day by the Orvicto, en route for the Dominion, with his wife. Captain Hop--Johnston, by the way, is considered one of the crack riders of. tho British Army.

Mr and Mrs H. F. Sibbatt, of Seddon, Marlborough, who arrived heir by the Sha-w-Savill steamer Arawa on November I.oth, intend milking a prolonged stay in this country. Whik' hero Mr'Sibbatt will endeavour to obtain an appointment with a London firm.

Mr C. Martyn, of Mount Eden, Auckland, who arrived by the Rnapehu some weeks ago, has since visited relatives in Cornwall. Ho camo to London this week to sit for tho Spec-tacle-makers' Company's examination, and ho intends to remain two years in England.

Miss Eva Mario Handle, eeoond daughter of the late Howard Handle and Mrs Handle, • formerly of New Zealand, died at Novenn Square, London, S.W., on November loth.

I hear that Mrs Adlam, author cf " Emerald Hours in. New Zealand," intends appealing against the verdict in her recent action against Messrs AVhitcombe and Tombs, the Chris tchuroh publishers. Mrs Adlam brought a, claim against them a few weeks ago in connection with the publication of her hook, but the King's Bench gave judgment for the defendants.

Mr J. Sinclair Thomson, of D«iuedin, undergoes a minor operation next week under the hands of the same surgeon who operated successfully on Sir Robert Stout a few weeks back.

3lx George Gould, of Christchurch, left by the Kuahino to-day. Mis Gould remains at present in London.

Recent callers at tho High Commissioner's office:—Mr-Robert and . Miss Mill (Dunedin), Mr Henry Wilson (Auckland), Mr John Hiin-tor Brown (Wairoa, Napier), Mrs.S: A... Watson (Tuvereargill), Mr H. F. Slbbatt (Seddon, Marlborough), Mr Charles Martyn (Auckland).

Five N T ew Zealanders took part in the Eugby County championship match between Kent and the Eastern. Counties, decided at Blackheath yesterday. L, B. Stringer figured.in the Kent threequarter line, and A. H.. Hoby in the front division,- whilst A. U. Palmer and Alan Adams played at threequarter for the Eastern, Counties and J. Mehaffy in .the forward line. Both Hoby and Stringer scored smart tries for Kent, but Palmer and Adams

got few opportunities for anything save defensive work. The Counties' forwards were completely overmatched by tho Kent serummagers, and, poorly served at half-back also, tho Counties team was overplayed everywhere. The Issue, indeed, was never a doubt after the first quarter of an hour, and Kent, after crossing over at halftime, with a lead of 17 points to nil, finally won by 32 points to hone, their score being made, up of four goals (one mark and one dropped) and five, tries.: ../.■.. ..'■■-■

Mr J.' "W. Stack, late of the Maori Mission, and late Hon. Canon of Christchurch,. has just published through 'U'hitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., a little volume entitled " Koro," the life story of am old Maori friend of his. The book describes the good work done by Koro .. among his. fellowermntrymen in Canterbury between 1859 and 188-I,'and'it gives some interesting scenes of wild life among the Maoris in the early days. "My object in publishing' the book," says -Mr Stack to your correspondent, "is to draw attention to tho reality of the change wrought in the character of the first Maori converts to Christianity, and to encourage all who are interested in the welfare of the race to help them to maintain amongst themselves the ministrations of Christian religion, which through poverty or other causes thoy a;c now in danger of losing." Though the chief contents of the book are likely to appeal only to a-.special class of renders, there are many facts described in it which cannot fail to be of interest to the general reader. .',,■..

It was announced this week that a Polar medal, with a clasp inscribed " Antarctic,-. 1907-1909." has been granted by the King to the undermentioned members of the Shaekleton Antarctic .expedition, 1907-1909, tho clasp alone, being awarded to those who already possess the Polar medal; the medal and clasp to be in silver for the shore- party, and iai bronze for those who roinaitied. with tho ship: Silver—E. H. ■• Shaekleton, C.V.O. (clasp only), Lieutenant J. B. Adams. R.N.R., Dr E. Marshall, Professor T'. W. Edgworth Davis, F. 8.5., J. Murray, I). Mawson, 'lt. E. Priestley, Dr A. .Forbes Maokay, Sir Philip Broc-kle-hursi, Bar-onct, A. E. L. A. Mackintosh, E. G. Marstoh, B. Day, B. Armytago, W. Roberts, E. Joyce (clasp only), F. Yi T ikl' (clasp- only)'. Bronze —Sub-Lieutenant R.; G. England; E.N.R. (clasp; - only),- ■' F/ P. Evans, J. K.' Davis, A. E. Ha'r'bbaid, A. Chcctkam (clasp .only), G. Bilsby (clasp only), E. Ellis, 11. Bull, \Y. Ansell, S. Riches, J. Patou (clasp only), J. Montague, W. A. R. Mitchell, H. Dunlop.