PERSONAL NOTES FJROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 34

PERSONAL N OTES FJROM LONDON.

(Feou Ova Owx CoKßxsposn^sT.) LONDON, March 9. Mr D. J. Fyfe (Dunedin) arrived in London by the last Homeward voyage of the Sha.w, Savill, and Albion steamer lonic. He has now entered the employ of Messrs Thomas Wallis and Co., Holborn. In the course of a letter writrem to M.A.P. by Nina, Countess of Seafield, that lady says: — "I would like to take this opportunity to point blank deny an oitrepeated. but totally erroneous statement, which has so often hung on the public clothes line of the wess (it surely ought to be well aired by this time). My husband, the la'.e Earl of ScaEeld, was not a bailiff — there is nothing I hold in such detestation as I do a tjaihff, — but when the law of necessity forced him he was an honest ■working man. Yes. I am proud to confess that w hen he was Wt to sink or swim (starve) in New Zealand, he, like the noble man .he was, pulled off his coat and picked up his pick and spade again. The present Lord Seafield . . . has taken his seat in the House of Lords, but is living in France. It would indeed have been a great satisfaction to me if he had stood as a Lahonr candidate. He was most certainly ror a bailiff, and I must \egrct to state that he never did a clay's work in the foio::y." Mr Charles Begg. manager of the welliknown New Zealand firm of Messrs Charles Begg and Co., has been on a business visit to the Mother Country and the European Continent during the past few months, but he took his final departure from London yesterday on his return to Dunedin. During his etay in Euiope Mr Begg has, of course, been investigating and studying matters connected with the manufacture of musical instruments, etc., and he tells me that he has gained much information that will prove useful and interesting. During ' the course of his wanderings on ths Continent — he has been a preat deal in Germany and France — Mr Begg was able to secure some very good violins by celebrated old makets, and these valuable instruments ought to be a very great acquisition fo the New Zealand musical world. Mr Begg left London yesterday^ intendingto travel overland to Marseilles, there to join the P. and 0. steamsr Himaia.va, proceeding by her as far as Australia, and going on tlience to New Zealand. Referring to the intended departure to the colony this yeav" of Dr A. N. Fell, the prominent New Zealand football player, of Edinburgh University, the organ of that institution remarks: — "Let us hope that it will not be adieu, but au revoir, and w.hcra. next an ' All-Black ' Fifteen shout the haka in Inverleilh field, may their leader be the famous figure of our old University captain !" Dr Fell has been in good form this season, and has scored 46 points for his university. Tho names of some other New Zealand football medical students have been prominent th^s week, by the way, for three were playing in the Hospitals' Rugby Cup final, which came off nl Richmond last Tuesday afternoon, when Guy's Hospital met the London Hospital. As the result, the London Hospital proved the victor by 13 paints to nil. The New Zealanders were: — Messrs A. C Palmer (Otago University, three-quarter back), for the winning team : and L. B. Str.nger (threequarter back) and P. J. Monaghan (half back), for Guy'?. The game vkis a hard one — one of the real Hospital Cup sort, — hut London is considered to have fully deserved its victory — 'two goals and one try to nothing. One who was present remarks : "' Palmer, the clever New Zealander, on the right wins: for London, had not many chances, but his kicking and tackling were good, and he made the mest of his pace in defence."' There were scenes of great enthusiasm at the finish, and the winning players were shouldered to the dressing rooms. The name olf Stringer is mentioned more than once, and it noted that he and Llewellyn (three-quarter back) in particular used their heads splendidly when the situation had to be saved in times of danger to Guy's, . . . Palmer tried to land a pena'ty goal for London, but had not one of the Guv's men just touched the ball in its flight the attempt would not have been far out. " The little New Zealander " (Palmer), s-aya " Astral," " showed his mettle in several smart sprints. . . . Stringer was too fond of plunging into the ruck to be of much service. . . . The nearest that Guy's came to scoring was just after the change of ends, when Stringer, running at full speed, was knocked into touch-in-goal." At the end of the afternoon the strikingly big silver cup was brought back to London on a big four-hoise brake, which was filled with shouting students of the victorious side. In the "cradle column" of The Times to-day ihe following announcement of Now Zealand interest finds publication :—" On the sth March, at Liverpool, the wife of Lieutenant George E. Warcer, R.N.R. (nee Edith Moore, Dunedin)— of a son." A wedding of interest to readers in the colony took place a few days ago at Edinburgh. The bridegroom was Mr Frederick Faithfull Pryde, traveller, eldest son of Mr John Pryde. of New Zealand ; the bride \\a,s Miss Christina M'Failane Sutherland, eldest daughter of Mr Daniel Sutherland, a-nd grand-daughter of the late Mr Peter Fair, of Dui.s. The ceremeny, which took place on the 2nd inst.. was performed by the Rev. John Morgan at 33 Pohvarbli creicent. The March iv>uo of the British Empire Review contains the first part of an interesting contribution by the High Commissioner for New Zealand. Mr Reeves takes for his subject "A Council of the Empire." - Master Roy Halea, an enterprising lad of 14 years of age, son <yi Mr A. G. Hales, the well-kno-wn journalist, has made up his mind to start on a tour round the world. He will take no money, neither Mill he trouble lum&elf with much in. the way of luggage. According to present arrangements. Master Ilalrc will sail next month on a. "'niuttoin boat,' 2<>m§ first to Aus-

tralia, and then on to New Zealand. __ H« intends to- work his passage. This lad has been commissioned by a well-known firm of publishers to write his impressions for a publication which is brought out by them, for boys. After he returns to England from Australia and New Zealand, he has plamned to make an expedition to India and China. In the course of an "interview,"' Master Hales announced his intention of calling on all the colonial Premiers and all the editors of newspapers for a atart, and he thinks this will be great fua. There have not been many callers of late at the London office of the New Zealand! Government. Those who have been there this week «.nd left their names include: — Mrs P. B. Barker (Gisborne), Mr A. H. Boyce (Wellington). Mr C. M. Begg (Dunedin), Mr amd Mrs W. A. Crawford (Dunedin).' Mr N. Guthrie (Christchurch), and Mr C Begg (Dunedin). March 17. It is with regret tkab I have th : s 'week; to record the death, whJch occurred in London, of L'r E. G. Wright, who for several years past had been instructor of electricity at the Thames School of Mines, Auckland. It will bo recollected that Mr Wright was granted leavo of absence last year on accoanfc of his health, he having suffered from the- effects of using X rays, which led to the loss of his left hand. Medical examination* discovered him to bo suffering from appendicitis in an acute form, and an immediate operation was considered to b? neorssary. With all possible speed the sufferer was taken to the Middlesex Hospital, where the operation v.a.3 performed, but other serious internal trouble was found to exist, ami his case was from ths outset regarded as hopeless. It is announced that, the University of Oxford has " grateJullv accepted " the valuable and important collection of Nevr Zealand birds formerly belonging to the late S. William Silver, -F.L.S.. and offered to the University Museum by his widow. This collect on is one -of the best of its kind in existence, if, indeed, it be not the fines-t. A young man naitted Harry Carter, stated to be a New Zealander, ■ wh:> is walking round the world for a wager of £2000, has turned up in France ; having parsed through Dunkirk a week ago. According to his statement he started at Wellington (N.Z.) on January 21, 19G2. with a capital of &c\ and since then he has visited nearly every country, excepting Belgium. Holland, Germany, and Denmark. He has been twice shot at in Paraguay, laid up' with fever int Mexico, and arrested in Russia- and Turkey as a spy. Apparently he has had som« exciting experiences. Miss Helene Fodor. of Ghton College, Christchtireh, writes to me this week as follcws: — "I am now on a visit to Europe, chiefly on literary business. I came by the s.s. India from Sydney, arriving at' Marseilles on February, 24th. From them I took train to Parie, where I 6ta.ycd until 1 last Monday with my brother. I only intpnded taking a holiday in Paris, but when There I found the French wer»- so much interested in" New Zealand — what _ with watchinsr 4ts politics and/.lho recent visit of the footballers— that I was tempted to rr what I could do there for the colony. I found "some of the papers desirous qf phototrraph? of the New Zealand life and sconorj" for reproduction, and I only wish. I had had far more -with nw\ for I could have placed) many. As it is. our country will figure in sorno of the chief iournals. They were also much interested in hearing of the Exhibition. Of course by being able to speak ihe language helped me, or I should) not have discovered the feeling of the poonle. or, in fact, htrve had any ehanoo of finding it our. I was also very fortrnatp in meeting some leading American iournalists. All seem to lake nweh interest; jn watching our doings r>olifc>ca]. especially wrrh regard to social quost'ons. I shall stay some weeks in England, ns^ I have Mmou* commissions for -writing articles already. and then I shall return to the Continent, making London my headquarters, howovor. I have many relative to visit in TCnsla.nd, nnd ' my father's f-ltl friends. My trip from Australia and New Zealand was altogether a most enjoyable one. and I met a pood many distinguished! and delierhtful people." Mr C. Mackie Beg*. M.D., F.R.C.S., MRC.PEa'., of Dunedin. intends returning to New Zealand next month. Since qualifying in Fdinburgh over three yea'.s ago he has held several surgical appointments in various British ho-snitaU. and he has a^o visited some of ihe befit Continental schnols. I understand' that Pr Begg iniovrk to practice his profession ltt New Zealand.