MR TOOLE AT THE ANTIPODES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11280, 29 May 1891, Page 2

MR TOOLE AT THE ANTIPODES.

♦ (His Visit To Wanoantji.) Under the above heading the London Daily Telegraph publishes a long message, from its special Paris correspondent respecting Mr Toole and his trip to the colonies. We make the following extracts :—Full of health, youth, and vigoxufM r Toole. has arrived here, (Paris), on his way from Australia to King William-street, and his numerous friends will rejoice to learn that he is physically in great form, and mentally m excellent spirits. He has seen .the world to best advantage; rested beneficialy on his voyage out and home; and, as a material result, has placed some thousands of pounds in the hands of his bankers. He is doing Paris with the zest and energy of a schoolboy en his holiday, and in a few days will be once more in London. After the warmest of greetings, I told him that we were all interested in his Antipodean experiences, and that I should like him to give me a panoramic view of all he had seen, and of all his impressions since he bade farewell to that enthusiastic body of his admirers gathered together to do him honour, under the presidency of, the Solicitor-General, at the'HotelMetropole. "Arriving in Melbourne, we had the honour of a special ;tug to receive us, on board of which were most of the dignitaries of the town, and shortly after the day of our landing I was entertained on different occasions by Lord Hopetonn, the Governor, by the Mayor and all the principal officials, and was made an honorary member of all the clubs in the city. Melbourne, as a city, I think, perfectly remarkable. In conveyed to me in a far greater degree than Sydney an impression of an American character. The trams are most extraordinary) the people of a hospitable a«d kindly nature, during the nine weeks that I spent there I enjoyed a series of fetfes, picnics, and a really triumphant reception. The same privileges and the same experience I enjoyed in all the other places I visited. At Sydney, that most popular of gover-' nors, Lord Carrington, extended to me the greatest kindness, and my friends de • clared that it was difficult to decide who got the warmest reception, tho Governor in front of the footlights or the other Governor behind the footlights; but I believe firmly that Lord Carrington had the best of it. Of course, I need not tell you all about Sydney Harbour,.or the marvellous wealth of flowers, or the busy aspect of this remarkable city, ' These, facts are known to everybody, and if they are not, everybody had better go' and make himself acquainted with them. After Sydney, where I played five weeks, my engagements at Brisbane and Adelaide were signalised by the-same enthusiasm and popular favour. Naturally, at Wagga-Wagga I enquired after the Claimant, and was not surprised to leain that for the moment he was missing. " I then went to New Zealand, where I played for three months in the different towns. At Dunetiin I was received by Lord Onslow, who has already established himself in the hearts of the people, and who entertained me at Wellington at a banquet, at which were all .the chief citizens. At a town called Wanganui I fraternised with the Maori chiefs, to whom I was taken by the German Consul, Mr Krull, and a large party. As a harmless practical joke, someone had spread about the report that the Governor was on the point of arriving, and, with the utmost humility, I may mention, in a stage whisper, that I was honoured musically with the usual Royal reception, and that it was only when I sang the most pointed verse of •' A Horrible Tale " that my true professional acquirements as a leading tenor and my real personality were discovered. The customary war dance was executed in my honour, ctad I have some idea of reproducing its principal features in a popular form later on. I went on various expeditions in search of game and curiosities, and acquired various trophies of a startling character which will shortly be exhibited in my box-office in King Wil-liam-street to those who book for the stalls,dress-circle,and private boxes. The hours will be, as usual, from ten to five. The allusion is, I need not say, historical and geographical, and must not be considered In the light of an advertisement.