ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7070, 11 April 1901, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

PERSONAL AND GENERAL. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, March 1. Professor Herkomer has finished his portrait of Sir George Grey, which now stands in the Agent-General's room awaiting the approval of the trustees of the National Portrait Gallery, to whom it is to be presented. The portrait of the old man eloquent will rank as one of the best of the Professoi^'s works. The picture is a fine piece of quiet, refined painting, the subject has been handled with a reverent S3-mpathy, and the whole effect is restful. Although Professor Herkomer never saw Sir George Grey, and had only very inadequate photographs from which to work, he has used his vivid imagination to such a purpose as to produce a quite startling likeness of the statesman in his old age. Sir George is depicted in about his eightieth year, while his faculties were still keen, veritably a grand old man. Tho picture might aptly be termed " Grey. An Arrangement in Black and White," for there is hardly a touch r of bright colour in the whole picture. Clad in a black frock coat, with black tie, the statesman sits at a table, as he often sat in the House of Representatives, bending slightly forward, his hands crossed on some papers, the white of M'hich and of his cuffs brighten up the long stretch of black above them. Hair, beard, moustache and eyebrows are white as the driven snow, and from under his shaggy brows his blue eyes look out in half -dreamy mysticism. The face is full of a kindly expression, as if the stateman were pondering the problem of how best to advance thh. happiness of the " unborn millions." It is the period of the venerable idealist, not that of the autocratic man of action. I understand that the Agent-General is trying hard to get the length of the visit of the Duke and Duchess to your shores extended, and has interviewed Mr Chamberlain himself on the subject. There has as yet been no official intimation as to whether Mr Reeves' request has been granted, but i<n view of the subsequent visits to South Africa and Canada, it looks as if the Royal sojourn on your shores is more likely to be curtailed than extended. Mr Gilruth has just returned from an extensive tour of the north and west of England, in the course of which he visited the farms of most of the important breeders of Shorthorns, and purchased six Shorthorn bulls and four cows, subject to the tuberculine test. I hope to be able to give you some particulars of the animals next week after the test has been made. Mr Gilruth expects the cattle to leave by the Mataura on April 14, accompanied by the veterinary surgeons still to be appointed. In his tour of inspection he was accompanied and assisted by Mr Frank Webb, who has 'had large experience of cattle as the manager of Mr R. T. Cooper's at Shenstone Court, Lichfield. This week he visits the Shire Horse Show at Islington. Mrs F. A. Steel, speaking at the annual meeting of the Associated Guild of Registries, declared that the domestio servant was well-nigh as extinct as the dodo, and advocated the licensing of registry offices. In the course of an amusing speech, she confessed herself a supporter of " prime Canterbury" by telling a tale of her cook, who once said with respect to a joint of New Zealand lamb, " Well, madam, if you don't object to eat it, I don't object to cook it." Mr Wason is losing no time in convincing his constituents in Orkney and Shetland that he is a real live representative. The other day he collected a substantial sum for the dependents of those who lost their lives in a fishing: disaster. Mrs Wason is also active in. good works, and next Wednesday she holds, under the patronage of the Marquis and Marchioness of Zetland a sale of soft wraps, shawls, etc... knitted by the wives and daughters of the crofter fishermen. The sale is to help raise funds for a public hall and library at Scalloway, the ancient capital of the far north. Lady Ranfurly and her two daughters leave for New Zealand by the Himalaya on March 21. Mr Onslow Ford's bust of Sir, George Grey is not yet quite ready to be" placed in the crypt of St Paul's. I understand that the sculptor is making a few slight, alterations in the way of thinning the face a little. The funeral of the late Mr J. A. Randall, the London manager of the Ohristchurch Meat Company, took place last Thursday at Brookfield Cemetery, when, beyond his relatives, several gentlemen intimately associated with him in business paid the last tribute to his remains. Mr Randall's death was very sudden. Only on the Friday he was busy in Smithfield Market looking after the in- I terests of his company ; on Tuesday he had- j joined the great majority, leaving his young wife a widow ere six months had elapsed since their marriage day. The friends of Mr Henr^ Stockwell, the New Zealand tenor who has been settled some time at this side, will learn with concern of the death of his wife, who leaves several young children. Mr Stockwell accompanied Amy Sherwin on her last Antipodean tour in 1898. Mr a,nd Mrs Manson are now comfortably settled at 25, Cranbrook Road, Ilford, and Mrs Hanson's prospects seem rosy j enough to determine her to stay in England. She sang a few days ago at a large "at home " at Hyde Park, having Miss Ada Crossley and. Mr Kennerley Rumford as fellow-vocalists. Her items, the " Jewel Song" a-nd "Fairies' Lullaby," were much appreciated. Next month she is booked for a concert of Mr Vert's at the Freemasens' Tavern, and for '" Hiawatha," at Torquay, together with Mr Watkin Mills. She has been also engaged to sing in " Elijah," with Messrs Santley and William Green, ab Eastbourne. Two offers, one to tour the colonies and another for three year* in grand opera, she has declined, as she does not wish again to break up her home. Trooper Hanson, of the First Contingent, who has been spending his sick furlaugh away up in Scotland — Mi<V"ox, Tighnabruaich — was one of the few New Zealanders who took part in the Queen's funeral procession through London, and he had the honour of attracting the attention of •• Bobs " as that great little man passed through Sb James's Street on, his way to Buckingham Palace. The Earl made brief but kind inquiries as to the reason of Hanson's home-coming, and whether he was keeping well and enjoying himself. The incident has figured in all the papers, the New Zealander being identified as a " stalwart colonial," " a lithe, sinewy Australian," "a hard-bitten burly Canadian," " a handsome Maorilander," etc. Trooper Hanson expects to leave England shortly for New Zealamd. Mr A. N. Fell once again played a brilliant game in the international football match between Scotland and Ireland, played last Saturday, but, as in the match v. Wales, the New Zealander was too closely watched to bring off one of those "greased lightning " runs which have earned him no great a reputation and so unique a scoring record in club matches. He was marked by A. E. Freear, of Lansdowne College, and that player is to be complimented on I the way he carried out his mission. Once, I however, during the second half, Fell got : away from his ••shadow," and actually ! crossed the line, but ere he could ground the ball he was fiercely tackled by Magee, who prevented him scoring. The Irish captain was rather like the "coo" in the well-known story, for in the collision he received such injuries as prevented him taking any further part in the game. Tbe iSeots^wer'e victorious kv &ree tries to a. goal, and scored six points within a quarter of an hour of starting.