PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13837, 26 February 1907, Page 3

PERSONAL ITEMS FROM LONDON.

(FiiOJl OUB OWH CORKESPOKDEKT.) LONDON, January 18. Mr W. Tcmplcr Powell (Christcliureh) will at an early date be aeon in London, ae he has just been re-engaged to play the loading part in "The Freedom of Suzanne/ 1 - in which play ho supports Miss Mabel Love, one of the most noted of the stage beauties of tho time. Tlie company is to open at tho Fulham Theatre next month, and after a short London season the provinces will bo visited with tho same piece.

It is officially announced that Colonel A. Pole Penton, Commandant of the Ordnance College, is to be appointed brigadiergeneral, to command the Scottish coast defences from February 2, succeeding Major-general T. Perrott.

At tho last meeting of the counoil of the Royal Colonial Institute Sir Francis J. S. Hopwood, K.C.13., K.C.M.G., Permanent Under-seeretnry of Rtato for the Colonies, was duly elected a fellow; and at ihe earno meeting- it wns announced that tho institute had received some interesting addiiions to its collection of portraits, one of these being a picture of Mr Edward Gibbon Wakefiold, author of the "Art of ColoiiiRiition," who was prominently associated with fho early settlement o( Now Zealand nnd South Australia. Tin's portrait was presented by Mrs Freeman, nicoo of tho late Mr Gibbon Wak-efield.

A successful student af. the second professional examination in anatomy and phvsiology, held recently by flio Royal Colleens of Physicians and Surgeons, was !Jfr Frit/. Kohlenberg (Otago University), who is continuing his medical courso in London at Guy's Hospital. . v

Now that ho lias completed his courso of study at the Royal Dental Hospital. London, whiihor lie went, to gain the Ensriish diploma in dental surgejy, Mr E. D. lienton is leaving for New Zealand. At tbe conclusion of his work last November he went, liorlh Io Scotland, where hn has stayed pnwliciillv over since. Mr Ronton has booked his passage by the White Star steamer Runic, travelling thus by way cf Soiifh Africa and Australia.

In flic list ot passengers who intend to leave London l>v tho Orient steamer Ophir, saiiinp on (lie 25th inst., T notice tlio names of Mr A. I'latfs ami Miss Platf.s. Miss A. R Beard, Mr Clirysfall, and Mr 0. 11. Blnmlcll.

Numbers of people, ave leaving London every day to spend the spring months in a more simnv climafo than England is usually accredited with possessing. Among those win started this week for the Riviera, worn Ladv Onslow and tho Hon. Hnia Onslow, who were bound for Beaulieu, and who wero to be joined there in the eoiii'so of a few days by Lord Onslow and Lady Dorothy, Onslow.

Mr T. N. Watt (Romahapa, Clutha), who ramo to London somo months ago to lake his professional degree of M.R.C.S., 1i.11.C.P.. has recently learned from the authorities of his success in tho examinations, which wero held a short iiino ago. Mr Watt has ljpcn working at various loading London hospitals, but most of Vis time has been spent at the Middlesex Hospital. Ha expects to leave for New Zealand at an , early date, having' successfully attained the purpose of his visit.

Under fho heading "Sir John tho Terrible." the Leader says:— "No prophet halli honour in his own country.- Wo have always admired Sir John Gorst's candid friendship towards tho Tory party and subtle sense of hnmonr. But wo confess wo hardly reco<nii?e the portrait of him that is painted 1)\- the old Maori chief Tukorohu. As the representative of the British fJovernmont nt the International Exhibition in New Zealand, Sir John is visiting a«a.in the scent": of his early life. The Maori?, more friendly to-day than they wow in-lhoso days, travo him a joyous reception. Tukorohu likened his .appearance to Hie first dawn of light in the morning elty. So might anv of us sav with a littlo oratories.! licen<w. But the sifted enokesman, the Standard correspondent tolls us, proceeded to chant the old Maori song:

Listen, oh, yo people, this is tho parent : of Dcafli. ' Sir John.' it, is ?aid, ' made an appropriate reply.' Wo await a fuller report."

Alfred Shaw, tho once-famous cricketer, who has just passed to his rest after a lingering illness. Iras this connection -with Now Zealand: 'flint, he visited the colony twioc —once as capiain and once as manager of on all-Knglaml cricketing team. All the details of his caroor are so familiar to Xew Zealand cricketers that I need not recapitulate them, but eomo of the most attractive Glories are,.l regret to say, mythical. Ho himself declared to lie wholly unfounded the tradition prevalent as to hie methods while captain of the Notts County Eleven, that before a match, after carefully inspecting the wicket at each end, ho would say to Fred Uorky, the renowned loft-hand fast bowler—his invariable partner in the opening atfack—"l am going on at this end, Morlev, you can go on where yon like!" Quite a- new variant of the proverbial "Hobson'e choice." Shaw believed implicitly in accuracy of pitch, and small amount of break, as tho chief bowling merits. lie despised "off theory." holding thai a bowler should always aim at tho wicket, and that he should only make tho ball break enough just to boat tho bat—no more. He was tho last of tho famous "oH gang" that in a. previous generation won for Notts first place among tho counties— viz., Shaw. Morloy, Daft, Oscroft, Shorwin, ttmin, Scot ton. Shrewsbury, Barnes, Flowers, and anotlier whose namo I forget.

The news lias just reached this country of tho tragically sudden death of Mr Hugh John Murray, who.. im£ killoj by lightning at Pilgrim's Rest, Transvaal, on the 9th inst. • Mr Murray, who was a former resident of GalashieU, had friends in New Zealand. Ho was 40 years of ago at the time of his death.

I hoar Hint Miss Daisy Davidson, the soprano singer from New Zealand, is making her way well with variety audiences. Last week she was one of the most successful vocalista at tho Empress Theatre, 13rixton.