PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 57

PERSONAL NOTES.

Sir Charles A. Harris, who has been appointed Governor of Newfoundland, was connected with the Colonial Office as far back as 1879. Sir Charles, who is 62 years of age, is one of the most active and athletic men in the public service, end in his younger days he. used to walk seven miles every morning from his homo to the Colonial Offico and back every evening. Fly-fishing occupies a good deal of his leisure.

• —Surgeon-general Sir Charles Pardey Lukis, K.C.5.1., Director-general of -the Indian Medical Service, who died recently, served with the Mahsud Waziri Expedition in 1881, and with the Zhob Valley Expedition three years later. He was honorary surgeon to the Viceroy of India from 1905 to 1910, and in the latter year was appointed Director-general of the Indian Medical Service. In 1913 he became an honorary surgeon to the King. Sir Charles was the author of a "Manual of Tropical Hygiene," and edited the " Indian Journal of Medical Research." President Wilson's guide; philosopher, and friend in general during the last six years, Colonel E. M. Houso, has been appointed by his chief to " gather peace data." He is the power behind the White House, and is regarded by many people as the most influential figure in American polities to-day. He is that rare combination—a diplomat and politician; and that still greater rarity—an American who won't talk. Of all diplomats he is the most skilful in the art of saying nothing. Colonel House, who is 59 years of age, began _ life as a Texas farmer and planter, at which work he built up a fortune. Sir William James Herschel, who died recently at the age of 84 years, was the son of the discoverer of Uranus. Educated at Haileybury and Oxford, Sir William was for many years in the Indian Civil Service, and at one time Commissioner of Cooch -Behar. In 1859 he discovered the use of finger-prints, and, after long investigation, introduced this means of identification in Bengal in 1878. He succeeded the first baronet in 1871, and the title goes to his son, the B.ev. J. C. W. Herschel, .vicar of Braywood, Berks, since 1914. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who once looked upon Spiritualism as the greatest nonsense, is now a believer in it. In a recent lecture he traced the steps by which he had been brought to change his views—his personal experiences of psychic phenomena and the views of great men like Crookes, Wallace, and Flammarion. The now doctrine taught that passing was easy and painless. The spirit body was analogous to the earth body. There was a period of oblivion or sleep before entering on 'the duties of the spirit life, which was a pleasant condition in the world beyond, from which no one wished to return. The world beyond was no vaguo region of floating emotion, but a definite reality attested by a body of evidence nobody could reject. .

H.R.H. Prince Christian, who died recently in London at 'the age of 86, married Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Helena Augusta Victoria, in 1866, and he had lived in England ever since. He was more of the thoroughly British country gentleman than of the courtier or the soldier, though he could lay a foundations'tono or open a bazaar gracefully, and made a dignified appearance in uniform. But he never seemed to love the limelight; and did much Useful work in a quiet, retiring, and always amiable way. Sympathy with him has been general of late years., for the loss of his son, Prince Christian Victor, in South Africa, was a groat blow to him, and of his other troubles the fact that his surviving son was with the enemy in the field cannot have been by any means the least. Sir John Simon, who resigned his position as Attorney-general in the Asquith Ministry because of his strong objection to conscription, and after resuming private practice and earning very large fees unexpectedly joined the British army, has written a letter to his constituents in which he explains why he feels it his duty to join 'the army. Surveying the war situation, he cannot bring himself to believe in the possibility of negotiating an immediate and satisfactory peace. "The peace wo want is a peace which will prevent a war like this ever happening again. To be content with less than this is~to mako all our sacrifices of no avail; to demand more than this is. to forget the objert for which we went to war and the ideal which has inspired ns." There is only one crime which is to be compared to the crime of permitting the war to go on for an unnecessary hour, and that is tho crime of slackening in our purpose, after all the sacrifices wo have made, before a. real opportunity of securing it has arisen. And sinco a real peace can only bo won bv further fighting. Sir John Simon, whilst fully alive to the disabilities of a man of his age and training, decides to join the army in tho field. The Bishop of Hereford, who has practically " handed in his resignation," was tho subject of a remarkable " church record." A little over throe years ago Dr Percival completed his eightieth year, and a servico in celebration was hold in the Cathedral. It was led by the Rev. A. Duncombe, aged 85. The first lgsson was read by Canon Copes, aged 83, and Canon Palmer, aged 84, read tho second lesson. Then came Prebendary Lambert, nged 82, who read the epistle; and Prebendary Hanbury, aged 85, read the Gos-

-pel. And among tho congregation were four ladies whose nges totalled 349 years. Two stories are told of two of the Serbian lenders. One is of Pashitch, the Prime Minister. Ho was put in prison during the lato King's reign by a rival. When lie came to power again ho signed an order for the imprisonment of his old enemy on a treason charge. A few hours later tho two men met in the street, the ono on his way to the prison to which ho had previously committed the other. "Thoy stood etill and eyed ono another for a moment without speaking." Then PashItch's eyes twinkled, and he said: "Get them to put you in No. 17: you will find it is 'the most comfortable. The hero of the other story is General Mishitch, the Serbian Field-marshal. During the Turkish war a position held with tho greatest stubbornness was at last captured, and the survivors, a Turkish captain and half a dozen others, wero brought before Mishitch. White with anger, the .Fieldmarshal turned on the Serbian guard: " How do vou daro to bring such a. soldier as tin's before mo without his sword? Give it back 'to him at once." Later in tho day, as he was returning to headquarters, he- said: " I expect the Turkish captain is rather tired. He had bettor ride back with me in my car."