PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1913, 9 October 1890, Page 32

PERSONAL NOTES.

The oldest man in G-it-at Britain is Hugh M'Leod, a Scotch crofter, who was born on the 24th o£ November 17815. lie lives in County lloss, and is still healthy and vigorous. Mr William Astor, of Now York, enjoys an income of £47 IS) a day. Mr John D. Hockfeller's amounts to <1?<71',) ; Mr Cornelius Vanderbilt's to £:>OOO, and Mr Jay Gould's to £1490. The present Empri'ss of Germany is a lineal descendant, oi ihe last Norwegian king, Hakau V, who died in 1311). Hakan V descended directly fiotn Harold I, founder of Norway. It i^ bucauso of this that the Emperor of Germany has determined to build a palace in Norway. Mr W. C. Macdon.itil, a merchant of Montreal, has given the liiunilicent donation of 400,000J0l (£80.000) to tho M'Gill College. Part of thi-s i.*> *o be devoted to endowing two chairs in '.bo la>v faculty, and a third for experimental physics ; and the remainder is to be applied to Lhc erection of classrooms and laboratories Probably the nearest relative to Shakespeare now living it. (says an exchange) one Thomas Hart, n it-idcnt of Australia, who is said to be the eighth, in descent from Shakespeare's sister Joan. Walter Scott's line ended with the second or third generation. Napoleon, Wolihitrr.on, and Washington have no direct descendants to perpetuate their names. The Punce of Wales has again been solicited to allow the erection, of a public house on his estate at Mandringhani, and has again refused the request. Oar Future One is net a teetotaller, ,H;?d never lends his practical support to any of those busybodies who insist on interfering vi'h the private affairs of their fellow me. 1 !, by bothering them to "sign the pledge " ; but no public house is allowed at Sandringhani. It is reported tl.at Mrs William H. Vanderbilt and her son, Cornelius Vanderbilt, will erect, at a c-hl, of £00,000, a " People's Palace," somewhat after the plan offered by Walter Besant in " AU Sorts and Conditionsof Men." The building will stand at the corner of Forty-second street and Third avenue, and will be devoted to the use and recreation of the i>oor of New York.