PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 28

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Mr Harry Cohen (Duncdin), who, after being rejected both in New Zealand and Australia, came to England to offer his services to the air service, and was again '"turned down" as being medically unfit for cither the Royal Flying Coins or the Royal Naval Air Service, has appointed secretary and treasurer to Messrs Daniel Mayer and Co., one of the biggest theatrical and concert agencies in the United Kingdom. Mr Cohen, who is a son of Mr Albert Cohen, Dunedin, will be remembered as being connected on the managerial side of numerous New Zealand tours of such stars as Maud Allan, Madame Clara Butt, Madame Calve, John M'Cormac'.:, ao well as of other successful entertainment ente: prises. Lieutenant Edward W. Sinclair, R.N., H.M.S. Vernon, son of tho late Mr Edward Sinclair, formerly of Duncdin, was married at tho Church of' St. Thomas a Beckett, Portsmouth, on July 25, to Miss Edythe M. Bell, second daughter of Mr William Bell, of Westmount, Montreal, Canada. Lieutenant Sinclair was on board H.M.S. Cornwall at the time of the Falkland Islanc\ battle.

At the close of the visit of the representatives of tho Dominion Parliament to the Grand Fleet, the following message was im mediately signalled to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, on trio Iron Duke:—"Overseas representatives! of the Empire Parliamentary Association offer grateful thanks to Admiral Jellicoe and officers and men of tho Grand Fleet for all they have been privileged to witness. They know that the Empire is safo in their keeping." The following reply was signalled back by Sir J. Jellicoe: ''Your message is greatly appreciated by Grand Fleet, who feel greatly honoured by your visit."

Mr Sydney D. Rhind (Wellington), who has been continuing his medical studies at St. George's Hospital. London, lias gained his qualification of L.R.C.P. Latest callers at the High Commissioner's office have been: Mrs F. W. King (Auckland), Lieutenant P. B. Cooke (Palmcrston land). Mr J. W. 11. Piper (Christchurch), Mr Edgar C. M. Withell, 2nd Battalion C.R, (Mayfield, Canterbury), Edmond L. Malone (Stratford). Ist Wellington Battalion, Captain and Mrs Rupert England, Mr W. B. Scott (Christchurch), Mr J. W. Coo Barnes (Kelburn), Mr Andrew B. Hamilton (Wellington), Sister T. d'Emden (Wellington),

A number of dead rainbow trout have been seen floating in the Maowhango River, near Taihape, and it is thought that dynamiting is being practised there. Splendid shearing weather has been experienced in this district during the past fortnight (says the Lake County Press), and one shed "cut out" on the 13th inst. after an unbroken run of 12 days. Food experts state that there is more nutriment in the Christmas plum pudding than. in three times its weight of prime meat. —No anxiety about shaving is felt by the French conscript when he joins the army. For he is encouraged by the authorities to grow a beard, and, indeed, it is from this fact that he has obtained his nickname of "poilu," the French equivalent for Tommy Atkins, which literally means staggy or hairy. The beard was favoured in the English army during the Crimean war for the protection it gave from the intense cold of the trenches before Sebasfopol, and the apparition of so many beared men in England after the war made beards fo" a long' time fashionable in that country. What is the ideal length for a sermon? The late Dr Parker gave half an hour as the outside limit. "After ,50 minutes of sermon-hearing," he averred. " deep sleep falleth upon man." But tho modern churchgoer likes his sermons even shorter, not. exceeding 20 minutes. In tho little, chapel of the Savoy there is a mute appeal to brevity in the preacher. It is a pulpit glass which was presented by Queen Victoria to the chapel on its restoration in 18 r )7. The glass is timed for 13 minutes,and it was understood to be a protest, on tho part of the Queen against some of the long sermons she had been compelled to hoar.