PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 54

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 24. _ This week the Royal Academy of Music prize list has been circulated. One of the Academy Club prizes ha 6 been awarded to Arthur Alexander (a native of Dunedin, New Zealand) for sight-playing of pianoforte music. The University of Edinburgh has just issued its latest list of successes in its medical section. A number of names well known in New Zealand are to be found in this listnamely: The degree of M.D. has been conferred upon Kenneth Mackenzie, John M. M'Phail, Charles T. H. Newton, Arthur B. Pearson, Waldemar Barthalin Sommers, and Victor F. Ussher. Among those who have passed the final examination for the degree of M. 8." and Ch.B. are: Mirza S. J. Begg, Robert Hamilton, and John B. Haycraft. The names of William A. Bowie, George Cromie, 8.A., and Hubert 0. Washburn are to be found among the list of those who have passed in chemistry of the first professional examination. Those who have been I successful in anatomy of the second professional examination include: F. J. Hen--1 derson, Begg, Gilbert V. Bogie, 8.A.. Allan L Christie, Maurice B. Lawrie, Charles J Tisdall, William B. Stewart, and Charles M. Rout, "Hugh W. Bell and Arthur T. Todd have got through their physiology in the second professional examination. David C. Monro has passed in pathology of.the. third iDi-ofessional examination, and those who have been successful in physics of the first professional examination include: Andrew R. Hamilton, Leslie F. E. Jeffcoat, John M'Phail, and Alexander H. Michie. To-day the s.s. Ruapehu has sailed trom London in command of Captain F. Forties, and with Dr B. W. Mudd as medical I officer. The first saloon passengers are:— ■ Mr and Mrs A. Dousrall. Mr and Mrs P. Gibson, Mr and Mrs J. Sinclair Thomson, Miss Sinclair Thomson, and Master bini clair Thomson, Lieutenant-colonel R. D. ! Wynyard. Mrs Ballantyne, Mrs Gerrard, Mrs E. Martyn-Shannon and son, Mrs b. 'White, Miss C J. Wyld £; Browne, Miss i Herbert, Miss Foster, Mr W Ching, Mr I J. Duncan, Mr R, C. Foster. Mr W Murj dioch Mr A. Spence-Hitchman. Second saloon:Mr and Mrs W. E Metherell and Misses Metherell (2).- Mrs A. R. Duffed C S Matthews, Miss M. Lden, Miss M. L. Harper. Miss E. H. Dannatt Mr D. Bringans. Mr C. A. Brown, Mr C. f r Browne, Mr H. Dodd, Mr H. E. Harper, Mr E. W. Ransom. In the third class there are just over 100 passengers. _ | Major-general Robley was able to obtain from the- family in possession the tiki -which was given bv Tamihana— son of the famous chief Rauparaha—to Colonel Mundy (author, of "Our Antipodes ) ; It was given in gratitude for his. care or his father when he was taken prisoner by Sir George Grey in 1346. .Tamihana was ■ the chief who, after being baptised by the i Rev. Mr Hadfield, went with his cousin I Matene Te Whiwhi on the mission (1843) ito repair the injuries inflicted on the ' southern Maori by Rauparaha raids. The Ngaitahu were won over to the Christian I faith, but during the ' whole time spent on the mission these young .men were in great danger. The tiki is well worn, but complete/of the type with chin uplifted, and ears; the left hand across the breast. It has the usual six fingers and.six toes of old art. From India comes the announcement of the marriage of Mr Henry David Ni.colson, first lieutenant. R.N.R.. son of the Rev. W. Millar Nicolson, D.Sc, and Mrs I Nicolson, Ravensbourne, New Zealand, to j Meta, widow of Mr Turner, of Rangoon. I The marriage took place on the 24th Noj vember at Christ Church, Rangoon, Bur- , mah.

On the 18th irist., at St. Marylebone j Church Marylebone road, Dr R. Walter j Baron, youngest son of ;Mr H. W. Baron, | of Dunedin, New Zealand, was married to | Miss Margaret Henrietta Sadler, third j daughter of the late Mr Thomas Sadler, ! barrister*at law and treasurer of the Eighty. Club, and of Mrs Sadler, of 5 St. Andrew's | place, 'Cambridge Gate, Regent's Park, and granddaughter of the late Right Hon. Sir Henry. .Storks, G.C.8., G.C.M.G., etc., M.P. The ceremony/ was performed by the Rev. Dr Morrison, assisted by the Rev. Alex. Lloyd and the Rev. W. D. PettefDr Alfred E. -Baron officiated as best man, and the service was choral. There were six bridesmaids—the Misses G- A. and . Ruth Sadler (sisters of the bride), Mabel Christop h'erson, Gwendolen Whitcombe, Margaret Whitcombe, and Ethel Judge. Mrs Sadler held a reception, which was numerously . attended, and later the bride and bridegroom loft for Torquay. Dr Baron. I has a practice in London, and he has no intention of returning to New Zealand. Many beautiful presents were received. | A young colonial musician had a remarkI able escape from kidnapping at the hands I of an alleged Russian countess last week--1 He was Mr Magnus Laing-Meason, formerly of Timaru. Mr Meason. whose professional name is Magnus de la Laing, has been studying in England for some years past, and resides here with his mother. Ho is 21 years of age, and gave his first concert at the Bechstoin Hall more than two years ago. He studied under Busoni at Berlin and under Lesehetizky in Vienna. and has had some concert successes on the Continent. Mr A. M. Finlayson the abte young Ota-go geologst, who is now studying at the School of Mines in South Kensington, has just i been elected a Fellow of the Gelogical J Society and an Associate of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Finlayson ' appeared before the Geological Society recently with another paper on British ' mineral deposits, the result of bis work : during last summer. i Old Cliftonians in New Zealand will bo interested to hear that Mr J. E. King, himself an old Cliftoniarr, has been appointed head master of Clifton College. . This appointment also is interesting to old j students of Manchester Grammar School and Bedford Grammar School, for Mr King was head master of the former for 12 years, and he has been head master of the latter since 1903. ' This week the callers at the London

office of tire New Zealand Government have been:—Mr T. P. Talbot (Christchurch), Mr C. A. Grav. Mr 0. Allison (Auckland), Mr F. Tufts (Christchurch), Mrs J. Edmoiid and Master Edmond (Invercargill), Mr J. T. Wellwood (Hastings), Mr Guyon, A. M. Macdonald (Orari).

December 31. N«»w Zealanders are probably nofj generally aware of the fact that there are still alive in England two ladies at least who were closely connected with the first British authority in New Zeaianch the Government of Captain Hobson, R.N. Lady Rendel, the wife of the distinguished! Indian engineer, Sir A. M.' Rendei, K.C.1.E.. is the eldest daughter of Captain Hobson. Born in England, she went to New Zealand with her parents as a child, and has a lively recollection of the first few eventful years of the colony when, she was a constant I companion of her father. In those days she was an accomplished horsewoman, and accompanied the first Governor on many of his excursions. When Captain Hobson died, Lady Rendel was 13 years of age. She is a charming" old lady, and retains all her affection for the land in which she speirt 6ome pleasant years of her childhood. Sir Alexander Rendel has been for many years consulting engineer to the India Office. He was the engineer, too, of the Ugunda railway, one of the greatest examples of a eolorrising line under the British flag. The.othen lady referred to is the widow of Lieut.. Willbughby Shortland, who was' Colonial l Secretary under Governor Hobson, andi was afterwards Administrator, of Tobago. Mrs Shortland, who- has now reached' an advanced age, .lives a very quiet life in the country. . A whole,list of names has been mentioned! of gentlemen who are to be appointed -to succeed Lord- Plunket in the Governorship of New Zealand. • Admiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes. and even Baron Fisher (the late First Sea Lord of the Admiralty) aave been suggested. In reply to a question, Lord Crewe has informed me that as no appointment has yet been made he cannot »onfirm or deny any of the reports. ' Sir Robert Stout, accompanied by Lady. Stout, has been recuperating. his strength by a stay of some weeks at Bournemouth. He has now definitely decided to return to the Dominion by the Moldavia, leaving on, the 14th January, and will probably reach home on February 27, They will come up to town on the Bth prox. Sir Robert 13 feeling much stronger and better for. hia rest. The New Zealand wars of 1863-66 hare frequently brought to memory of late owing to the death of various English officers engaged. This week there is a further reminder by the will of Lieutenantcolonel C. M. Churchill, who saw service in the Dominion during those three years. The deceased gentleman, who died on October 25, resided "at Wimborne, Dorset, and left estate valued at £53,892. He was 67 years of age. , . » Another will recently proved, bearing a. certain amount of New Zealand interest, is that of Miss Mary Garner • Savage, who latelv died at Hampsiead, leaving estate valu-d at £26,274. " 3 Mrs J. Edmond (Invercargill) has -placed' her son at Maidenhead College, Berkshire. During his education-completion London will be the- headquarters of Mrs Edmond, who has planned visits to the Continent and many centres of interest during the course of her absence from the Dominion. She has recently been staying at Leeds, Manchester, , and Blackpool with relatives. . There have been very'few callers at the' London office of the New Zealand •Government during this Christmas holiday period. Those who have left their names since last Friday are:—Miss Katie Clark (Roslyn, Dunedin). Miss L A. Greene (Merivale), - Miss Els'e E. Greene, the Rev. Percy Jones (Dunedin), Mrs Thomas Banks and Miss Banks (Christchurch). * Mr E. G. Honey, formerly of Palmerstoii, New Zealand, and latterly of the Melbourne Argus, is at present engaged on the staff of the Daily Mail. The Pligh Commissioner's health has been gradually improving during his stay at Folkestone, and he expects to return to his duties early in January. At present the Misses Hall-Jones, are also at Folkestone with.their parents. Mss May Beatty, of Christchurch, who is known in England as the New Zealand nightingale, is playing the part of Dick WhittHisrton at the Britannia Theatre, Ho.xton. All the papers unite in according her generous praise. The story of "Dick Whittington " is always popular with Home audiences, who deiight in hearing how the hero rose from lowly* origin .to be Lord! Mayor of England. The Daily Telegraph! savs that Miss May Beatty the title role vivaciously and sang well, while the Morning Post 'describes the actress as a handsome Dick" with some capital songs. The Daily Mail refers to Miss Beatty aa the merriest of principal boys, and the Standard uses the adjectives "handsome and vivacious." - Miss Olive Lenton "is again at the Coliseum. ?«,'»* Miss Alice Pollard is playing " Goody in "Goody Two Shoes" at Bristol, and is receiving capital notices. Miss Mab« Morgan is princirjal boy at Bolton. Miss Ettie Maginnity (Mrs Morrison), the popular Wellington actress, is now singing in " The Fallen Fairies" at the. Savoy. She has the minor nart of Locrine., There was something dramatic in the success of Miss Tit-ell Brune at the New Theatre as Claire Forster in " The Woman in the Case." It was a sensational incident. Miss Brune tells me that; she very nearly had stage fright and ruined the performance. She was waiting; for her cue to enter, and as the line was' spoken she saw marked on the scenery as she passed, the words " not wanted/' J It took her breath away, and she hesi-. tated. Then pulling herself together she muttered, " Not wanted. Well; I'll try.-"-At the end of the act she received six'; curtain calls and at the end of the act was already a favourite. The of the placard was that Mr Sleuth wasp "playing matinees of " A White Man," and* was using some of the scenery for then., purpose. Thi.3 particular piece was not? intended to be used. The. pure accident? by which the words caught Miss Bruno's eye at a moment wihen she was naturally a little nervous, might have ended seri-i lously. Moreover, her test was a several one, as j»he had to succeed Miss Voilefi Vanbrugh, who had made the part in a play which had been an immense attraction to Londoners for many months,,,