PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3397, 23 April 1919, Page 54

PERSONAL NOTES.

glory his country can give him," says the World's Work "He has thrown aside a magnificent career, and has sacrificed the life of an artist to the deliverance of his country. No man could make- a greater sacrifice, end no man deserves a greater reward."

—To quote the words of a fellow-mem-ber, the only thing that can bo said against Lord Robert Cecil, who was appointed to deal at the Peace Conference with questions connected with the League of Nations, is that "he is a positive disgrace to his tailor" —a criticism arising from Lord Robert's absolute disregard for appearance and dress. With his shabby lounge suit and soft black felt hat, he looks more like an extreme Socialist than a Minister of the Crown.

"The speech which was delivered by Mr Davis, the United States Ambassador, at the Pilgrims' Club lunch, stamps him as an orator of the finest traditional type, and brings him into line with Lowell, Bayard, and Choate, who were all orators of the first rank," says the Daily Express. "Cnce more the United States representative stands out as an upholder of the tradition that all their diplomatists are consummate orators." "He has a striking personality, for his grey hairs are belied by his slim, upright figure and his youthful-looking face,, and he was conspicuous even in the distinguished group by whom he was surrounded."

never fidgets. But ho is very different in the Cabinet room. He will sometimes address his colleagues for 20 minutes or speak for half an hour to the delegates at some special conference, all the while sketching most impossible things on the blotting-pad in front of him, so that at the end it looks like some Futurist caricature. The leader of the House finds himself able to concentrate on his theme all the better for this process of spoiling his pad. Yet he can address the House of Commons for an hour and a-half, delivering a most intricate financial statement, without any memory aid and without the slightest sign of restlessness. The assassination of the Amir of Afghanistan recalls an amusing incident of his official visit to India a few years ago, says a writer in the .Pall Mall Gazette. A much-disturbed Government official wished to welcome his Majesty with the strains of the National Anthem of his country, but as no one had ever heard of such a thing ho appealed to Lord Kitchener. " Tell the band to play any old thing it likes," was "K. of K.'s" impatient ■ retort. So it came about that the Amir arrived to the strains of the first eight bars of "The Rajah of Bhong" from "San Toy," and this tune followed him wherever he went during his tour, so that there are now people in India who actually believe that this is Afghanistan's national hymn. Mr Dan Scott, chief sub-editor of The Times, died recently in his year. "As chief sub-editor, a position to which he was quickly promoted, Scott displayed all the qualities which are associated with tho best tvne of Scottish journalist." says The Times" . "He was extremely careful, an admirable judge of good work, intolerant of wordiness and obscurity, never ruffled, and never late. The strain of the last few years must have told on him more than he would admit—and the normal strain of newspaper produotion was greatly intensified by the war —but to the last night of his working fife he remained as industrious, as courteous and as imperturbable as ever. He was one of tho most brilliant English scholars of his time at Glasgow University—a favourite pupil of A. O. Bradley." Out of office hours Lord Crewe is a prodigious bookworm. The walls of his rooms in London are lined with books, and the total number of volumes in his possession, both in his London and country libraries, is said to be nearly 40,000. Like Mr Birrell, he enjoys the ease of his library after the stiff ceremonials to which he is frequentW subjected. But perhaps subjected" is an ill-chosen word. Lord Crewe is a perfect host, and never acts as though the ceremonials bored him. His sister, the Duchess of Leinster, on the other hand, can get heartily bored at social functions. When Lord Crewe was Viceroy of Ireland she acted as hostess to him at the Castle, and she did not relish all the stiff etiquette which this involved. Whenever her brother entered the room she was obliged to stand, and to curtsey profoundly before addressing him. Subsequently, when they left Ireland and were safely on the boat, she turned to him and exclaimed, "Now, then, Bobby 1 We're out .of Ireland—go and fetch me a rug, and make yourself useful, please!" , , , , , Lord Michelham, one of the best-known financiers in Europe, died in London on January 7. His father was the late Baron do Stern, of the firm of Stern Bros, great citv bankers and negotiators of British and Continental loans. The late Lord Michelham nossesscd wealth estimated at 20 millions "sterling. He was a most generous public-spirited man. It is estimated that his gifts to war charities alone exceeded half a million of money No one can tell his investments in war loans. Though not always seen, his generous hand _ was in many public enterprises. For instance, when a committee of gentlemen with artistic taste sought to acquire the Rokeby Velesquez. he gave £BOOO to the purchase fund. He also contributed £IOOO to the fund' for acquiring Rembrandt's "Mill." Early in the war he promised £IOOO each to the first 10 men who brought down Zeppelins, and Leefe Robinson, who died last

week, won the first prize. Queen Mary s ambulance train was largely his gift; and he contributed almost all that was needed for a war hospital in Paris. One of his most handsome presents to the nation was the largo bronze quadriga, which stands above the arch at Constitution Hill, opposite Hyde Park corner. Ho also provided a large part of the fund that was necessary to restore Selby Abbey, which was set on fire 10 years ago. His wife was the daughter of Mr Brawshaw, of Powderham Castle. Lady Michelham possesses some of the finest jewels in the world, including several famous gems which belonged to an Empress of Russia. Only a week before his father's death Lord Michelham's son and heir was married to a Miss Capel, whose brother married a daughter of Lord Ribblesdale. Lord -Michelham's wedding present to the bride was a cheque for on© million pounds!