GENERAL' NEWS ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10924, 13 November 1913, Page 5

GENERAL' NEWS ITEMS.

The Plunket Society's Ball was held in the Art Gallery last night, and was a,gi;eat success,, there being about two hundred present, j.ne arrangement of the ball, which was in aid of the So-! ciety's Nursing Fund, were in the hands of a special committee consisting of Mesdames W. Morton, president of the Plunket Nurses Society, H. Reeves, Pyne, Boyle, Stevenson, Free and Palmer. The laying up of the Government steamers Tutanekai and Hinemoa, a Wellington paper states, is a serious matter, by reason of the fact that some I of the automatic lights on the coaat are due to go out shortly unless they' are attended to. Amongst these is the Jackson's Head light. It is expected, however, that a orew will be obtained for . the ship before . the lights tail. The Tutanekai is not in commission at present, and presumably the same difficulty would be found 111 putting men in this steamer as in the Hinemoa. It was recently stated that the bluejackets of H.M.S. Psyche would man the Government steamers' if other means failed. The late Dr A. R. Gaul, who died in Birmingham in September at the age of seventy-six, occupied a prominent position in the musical life of that city both as a teacher of music and singing and as a composer. His first song "The Silent Land," appeared in 1877, and was almost immediately successful. It was published on the advice of Mr W. C. Stockley, of Birmingham, who had seen the author's manuscript. Dr Gaul followed up this atir-r-oca wi+.Vi nnothflr in his Kn-rrprl

song "Ruth." In 1882 he wrote the cantata "The Holy City" for the Birmingham Triennial Musical Festival. 7t proved immensely popular.and; has been produced in all parts of the world. Among other of Dr Gaul's successful compositions were " The Ten Virgins," "Joan of Arc." his Passion music, and the anthem,"Praise God in His Holiness," which was composed for the London Church Choirs assembled at St Paul's Cathedral in 1886.

It is believed that the Czar's eight-year-old son and heir (whose illness last autumn was surrounded with mystery) will be taken to tho Sakki salt lake baths, near Eupatoria, for a special " cure while the Court < is at Lreadia, the Czar's summer residence on the south coast of the Crimea. A military officer from Sevastopol, whose official duty enabled him to see much of the Czar s son during the few days' stay of the Court in Odessa, toid a London newspaper correspondent that he looked well, and even robust, was vivaciously interested in naval and military reviews, and gave the impression generally of happy boyhood, but his 'physical movements were "grievously restricted." He is closely attended by a burly, but fentle Cossack, who carries him ither and thither, lifts him into and out of the Imperial equipage, and ministers to his convenience and comfort in every possible,.way.

By the death of Captain Bertram Dickson, Royal Artillery, which occurred at Ross-shire a few weeks ago, aeronautics lose a man of remarkable ability and the British Army the first expert airman in the service. Captain Dickson, who was in his fortieth year, obtained his first commission in the Royal Artillery in 18y4. was promoted to captain in 1900, and retired three years ago. " After service in South Africa, he was sent out in command of the detachment of Horse Artillery which acted as a speoial escort to the Duke of York (now King George V.) when ho visited Australia. On his return Captain Dickson went out to Somaliland to take part in the little war with the Mad Mullah, and that over he spent some time in Uganda, and did such excellent work in exploration that on coining to England the Government appointed him as arbitrator in the disputed boundary question between Chile and Argentina.