OUR LONDON LETTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7025, 13 January 1910, Page 6

OUR LONDON LETTER

MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE. LATEST PERSONAL NOTES FROM home. ritOM GUIS SPECIAL COBBESPOSOEST. LONDON, December J. Tho llov, A. Lucas, who Ims been bouse master at Tonbridge school lor tblny-one years, is retiring at tbe end of the present term, and will spend jonie time in visiting Australia, ami Now Zealand. On Jus return bo will probably take np diocesan work in London or Keche.Aer. Ini; -Mark Isaacs, of Auckland, who arrived early in October by tbe Orsova, is revisiting England aider an absence ot tour years .spent in New Zealand, in London he has been staying with his brother. tbe Rev. Oatcbell Isaacs. die is returning shortly to New Zealand, of which country his four years’ exDerience has made him an enthusiast.

Miss Parker, a. New Zealander, addressed a woman’s so lira;; e meeting, at Hamilton, Scotland, tins week, under him auspices of the .Scottish University 'Women';-; Sliifrago Union. -Miss Parker, who had to put up with some goodhumoured heckling, argued that women’s sullrage had been of benefit to iVcw Zealand, anti llio meeting voted in favour of the reform being adopted in the United Kingdom.

“Sid.” Tort ill, St. Helens-New Zealand full-back in Northern. Union football, has settled in St. Helens ■with his wife and bairn, and opens ns i tobacconist next week in the late -Mr oeddon’s native town.

Two New Zealanders, H. S. TurtiU and G. W. Smith, played ou opposite sides on Saturday in a, romarkahlo match 'between St. Helens and Gluhaia, in the Northern Union League competiThe game was played at St. Helens (Turcill at full-back for the local team) in pouring rain and half-way through the second spell the scoro was 5 points all. Then tho game took an extraordinary turn. St. Helens went to pieces, and Oldham ran out the 'vmnors by 31 points to 5, having added -20 points in tho last twenty minutes. “It -was a bit too thick for my Ilk■mg,’’ ncmarked Sid. Tort:'. 1 after thcmatch.

The folio-winr New Zralanders are an. r.ouncod" this «<k ns having passed the Spectacle Slaters Company exam illation to qualify as opticians-vlr \ ji. • Davits ("Wanganui), Sir J. A. Peacock (Auckland), Air W. E. Suckling (Christchurch). Air A. W. Wychodil (Wanganui), and Air H. &. Gilberci (Napier). In the official list, by the way, AVangairui is spelled in one enso ff >V a* iiwoam,”" and in another “Wanganiakai.” Near Zealand nomenclature is full of pitfalls for tho Englishman.

.One- of the twelve men who are to superintend the principal Government Labour Exchanges, at a salary commencing at £-100. and rising by yearly increments of £ls to is Lieutenant J, B. Adams, H.NJI., tho oheorful young man with indomitable pluck who went “farthest South" with Sir Ernest Sbackleton. Air Adams appivu-s in tho latter’s narratives finder tho familiar nickname of “Bill." Ho was meteorologist to tho -expedition.

liioutenant W. L. Robinson, of tho Now Zealand Defence Forces, has passsed “with distinction, tho examination held for qualification to instruct in ■tho Maxim gun. The examination was held on November IGth, and the results were announced yesterday.

Mr A. P. O’Leary, of Now- Plymouth, is returning to New' Zealand by the Nf.D.li. Bremen, which ship ho joins at Naples on January sth. Ho. will bo accompanied by his daughter Olavo, who h.ua just finished a course of studies in Europe extending over six years. Miss CVLeary, who gained a first class diploma for German and French literature at the Marsh urg University is an accomplished violinist. Mrs O’Leary and Miss Iris and Miss Eileen O'Leary will remain in Europe for another year, making their headquarters at Brussels.

Sir ’Robert Stout, who underwent an lOperation some weeks ago, will bo able to leave the nursing homo next Monday. Ho is going in charge of a nurse to Bournemouth for' a few weeks. Sir Robert is gaining strength, but is still very weak. Ho bas been out for threo-drawtes during the past week or two.

Lady''Stout was amongst tho visitors .this week to the Colonial Fruit Show, 'at which. New Zealand was represented -by a display of apples (from cold 'Storage), honey, jams, wines and preserves.

Mr TTaU-Jones is progressing favourably towards recovery, and: Lis doctor assures him that ho will soon bo in bettor condition than ho has been for

The w-dl-known New Zealand footballer and runner, A. O. Palmer, who is now qualifying at the London Hospital for a medical career, represented that institution in” the middle-weight competition forming part of -the Cambridge University v. London Hospital boxing and wrestling tournament held at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge, last Tuesday evening. Palmer's opponent was J. A. Croft, hut the Cantab made only a poor show against the New Zealander, who displayed considerable cleverness and great strength. Palmer took the first fall with a. half-Nelson and press down in •Inrin o7sec and tho second and deciding fall with an arm-hold and press down in 4miu. lOscc.

Another hospital representative won the light-weight wrestling, hut in all • tho boxing and fencing event® the 'Varsity men proved too good for their rivals, Cambridge winning tho tourney bv S events to 2.

The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister of Education in New Zealand, in a letter to Mr Thomas W. Orr, of Woodford Green, London, published in the “Daily Nows” this week, says that he sent type-written conies of Mr Lloyd George's now famous LimehovUo speech on the English Budget to about seven of tho leading editors of the Liberal papers in New Zealand. Two papers reprinted it in full. “Other newspapers.” says Mr Fowlds, “have* written loading articles on it, and embodied a good portion of it in their columns, and nothing which has appeared in tho local papers for years has created so much interest ns tho reproduction of the speech in the 'New Zealand Times.' “I havo.no- ..doubt that its influence

will extend far beyond the bounds of ho British Isles.”

Mr John Hunter Brown, of Wairoa, anil his wife and daughter, who have been spending the past

eighteen months in this country, tend remaining until tho cncl of Feb. ruary, when they sail for New Zealand' liv the P. and 0. liner Morca. During his slay in tho Old Country Hr Brown underwent a. serious operation, width he- had performed on him in Üb.sgow, that city standing vary high at present for surgery. The rest <h lilt; time has been spent in motoring, fishing, shooting and visiting, ■chiefly in Scotland. Neither tho fishing nor tile shooting was up to tho overage this year, and tho summer and autumn weather was on the. whole against motoring. A month was also spent in visiting Franco and Geriina ny. Mr Brown has attended most of tho British cattle shows, and ho tells mo that lie will probably bo sending out to Now Zealand a, couple of Lincoln red bulls, of the dairy type of short’horn, from Mr John Evens’ Burton herd.

The Northern Union League aro considering the case of an imported colonial footballer for whoso services two ichib.s are disputing, both claiming tha t they engaged him. Tho player in question, it is stated, conducted negotiations by cable with both clubs, and ■each thought they had secured thoir ar.au. Hr arrived in duo course, and eventually the announcement was made, that tho colonial had signed for inno club, ami tho usual permits duly granted by tho Northern Union nmi the Northern League. Now, however, ooracS tho sequel. According to tho “Athletic Nows,” tho colonial had accepted tho disappointed club’s terms by cable, and on arrival in England signed for the other ■club. If tho Northern Union does not (settle the dispute by arbitration, the (.matter may be taken further. Tbe player in question, I may add, is not the' new arrival from Now Zealand, David McPhail- Probably he is one of tho Australians.

Recent callers at the High Commissioner's OfQco: —Air Claude B. WelsIcy Air D. Latimer (Auckland). Air L. Harris (Groyroouth), Airs J. Clive Collins (Gisborne), Alisa Eileen Collins ■ (Gisborne).

AVhether Sir Herbert Tree will visit .Australasia with some of his big London productions is, unfortunately, by ■no means so definitely' certain as it ■appeared from tho interview with Air J. O. Williamson, quoted recently in ..tho Australian and Now Zealand press. Air Williamson on his return to Australia was reported as saying, I have arranged with Sir 11. Boerbohm Trco for a tour of Australia, and ho .will bring such loading > members of .his company as Miss Marie Lohr, Miss Constance Collier, Mr Henry_ Ainloy and. other’s. , . • Tho details have been definitely fixed, with the exception of dates', which aro dependent upon the arrangements in connection with Sir Herbert’s London theatres.’ I brought this announcement under the notice of Sir Herbert Tree this week, and received through his business manager tho following explana“lt is quite true that when Air J. iC. Williamson was last in London the practical details wero gone into that pl'ii" Herbert Tree should visit Australia, but these arrangements wero contingent upon his plans for tho future here. “The names you mention,. Miss ■Mario Loir, Alias Constance Collier and Air Henry Ainloy were only disicu'scd as possibilities. “While- Sir Herbert is most anxious ■to nay a visit to Australia, it is a big responsibility with a large theatre like this. Ho much hones that arrangemonts may bo concluded, but nothing .at present is settled.”

Sir Ernest Sbackleton has been describing in amusing fashion his experience as a South Polar editor to an audience of London journalists. He had reproduced his journal, he said, just as it stood, except that he took out nearly all the swear words. He was under tho impression that he had taken them all out, until he received a letter from a lady pointing out one which had been overlooked. His reply was that he would doubtless he able to alter tho word to “havoc,” as they both began with the same letter I Speaking of Milton and the freedom of the press Sir Ernest told a good story—l rather suspect he dragged in Milton’s advocacy of the freedom of tho press in order to get in the story. They all, ho said, admired Milton for what ho had done, but not in the same way as tho American who was in a museum being shown Milton’s chair. “And is that really the chair?” queried tho man. as he knelt down and kissed it. “Yes,” said the museum attendant; “and that is the table on which he wrote ‘Paradise Lost/ f * “Did ho really write ‘Paradise Lost?* ” asked tlie man, with surprise. “Of course Milton wrote ‘Paradise Lost/ ” answered tho astonished attendant. ‘Oh. Milton! Why, I thought you said Lipton,” replied the American with disgust. , . Just now Sir Ernest Shackleton is in tho thick of lecturing and other engagements through which his progrep must be nearly as arduous as it was in tho wastes of "tho Antarctic. His lecturing tour began on November Ist, and will continue on this side of the Atlantic till March 17th, 1910, after which date ho sails for America to start touring afresh. Ho has already spoken in Paris, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Norway.

Prior to his departure for Now Zealand for tho purpose of organising a mission, Canon H. C. Pollock, of Rochester, preached to a crowded congregation in tho navo of Rochester Cathedral. ' Basing an interesting discourse on tho text. “And yo are witnesses,” Canon Pollock made mention of tho many strangers, some from faroff lands, who from time to time worshipped ,in that, one of the most beautiful of English cathedrals, and proceeded to point out what noble witnesses were to bo seen, witnesses to tho love. of tho people of God in years gone by, taking them back, back, back, through the centuries. In .the font, tho open Bible, tho pulpit in their midst, they saw witnesses of what God was doing for them still. Travel through England and they saw the same, in smoky town ,and country hamlet there was a Church of God. “On all hands,” said tho preacher, "we hear cries for. more churches, more clergy, more workers, hut are we entitled to expect that God will give us more until w© have shown that wo value what wo have got?” One way to show their appreciation was to help the work which was so sadly needed in the colonics. He stood there that evening as one of the old band of the Mission of Help in South Africa. One of tho secrets of tho success of that mission, were prayers of people in dear old England. Ho asked for their prayers for this mission in New Zealand.