LETTER FROM LONDON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19830, 3 May 1927, Page 8

LETTER FROM LONDON

TOWN AND COUNTRY GOSSIP

SCENES ON THE RIVER

LONDON, March 10. Intrigues Against Mr MacDonald. There is more than meets the eye in the fact that “Labour correspondents” are beginning to write comments in an ostensibly sympathetic vein on the possibility of Mr Ramsay McDonald having lo surrender the leadership because of the state of his health. To my knowledge he has laboured for at least fifteen years under a physical handicap, but it is no worse now than it has been, and he has not the least intention of giving up the duties which in his view alone make life worth living. His intimate friends are wondering how long it will be before Mr MacDonald deals firmly with the pin-prickers. He must know that his personality alone holds the party together and that, if he were to disappear, it would resolve itself into the four or five groups of which in reality it consists. He is, therefore, in a position to dictate his own terms and need not allow himself to me tugged by the coat-tails in directions which he knows to be foolish. His dubious attitude in regard to China is the latest illustration of how his own judgment is warped by efforts to placate the extremists, who are not in the least grateful. Commander of Constables. While the salvoes of Jutland, as a result of Mr Churchill’s book, still reverberate, and specially about the devoted head of Lord Jellicoe, who could have won. or lost the war for the Allies “in an afternoon,” the man least likely to make his voice heard in the din is the Admiral himself, who is evidently quite ready to leave justification of his tactics on that fateful day to the verdict of history. People who meet him nowadays* socially or on committees, are struck by nothing so much as his reticence and piodesty, but all notice his suppressed enthusiasm for details of which large results always depend. One vivid impression of his activity of mind and body was given to me by one who came into contact with him during the general strike, when Jellicoe began to organise a little command of special constables in the neighbourhood of Oxford Street. Probably he rejoiced as much as anybody over the collapse of the strike, though he had left nothing to chance in his organisation of mon and material to meet all eventualities.

Aerodrome for Garden Cities. Tn spite of the remarkable progress that flying is making in all directions, far more rapid and impressive than anything that marked the earlier stages of motoring, some people persist in regarding it as a scientific freak that will never make good in the popular sense. They merely smile at anyone who ventures to suggest that, within a decade at most, taxiplanes will be more familiar objects than taxicabs. These sceptics who shut their eyes to the accomplished fact that we have indeed at least secured the conquest of the air may find food for reflection in one significant omen. Three such hard-headed and practical municipalities as Leeds, Bradford and Brighton are, in the housing schemes they are planning, making due provision for the lay out of aerodromes. Perhaps the remarkable developments that civil aviation will show during the coming summer may help io awaken people to the “arrival” of the aerial car. The King’s Health. It has been stated in some of the London newspapers that, owing to much-improved health, the King will not this year repeat last spring’s yachting trip in the Mediterranean. Though it is happily true that his Majesty is looking very fit just now, and seems to have come through the winter without any renewal of the bronchial catarrh that troubled him last year, I believe, that much will depend on the sort of weather we get in this country, so far as another sea trip is concerned. If we have a trying early spring it is probable that his Majesty will be advised to get away for a few weeks. He personally thoroughly enjoys a sea trip, but the Queen is not a good sailor and, on this account, unless it is imperative for health reasons, his Majesty will remain in England. While Parliament is sitting, moreover, the King prefers to keep in close touch with London and his Ministers. Coal Distillation. Colonel Moore-Brabazon, M.P.. tells me that the system of coal distillation which he surrendered his Ministerial post to take up, will produce from a ton of coal twenty gallons of oil, six thousand cubic feet of gas, and about fourteen cwts. of an ideal smokeless fuel, suitable for either domestic or industrial use. If that estimate can be made good, even approximately, it will revolutionise the British coaa trade. The company is also developing what is claimed to be the world’s richest seam of oil-bearing coal, which is situated near Melbourne. The promoters of the scheme have evidently complete faith in it, for they have raised all the capital among themselves and no assistance is being asked for from the public. So many schemes of low-temperature carbonisation have been launched with high hopes and at large expense to the public, that it is refreshing to find one which the promoters are backing entirely with their own money. London’s New Zoo. Dr. Chalmers Mitchell hints that half a century hence the London-Zoo may be 35 miles out of London. By that time, no doubt, excursionists will easily reach the lion house in ten minutes from Charing Cross by taxi-plane. The 400 acres acquired by the Zoo, or, in other words, the Zoological Society, on the

Ashridge Estate out Watford way, consist of magnificent “wild,” woody country and, when the essential alterations and buildings have been provided will at once become a sort of combined breeding ground, sanatorium and holiday resort for the Regent’s Park animal community. It should also be *.l popular show place for excursionists from London. Even this phase will necessarily take some years to develop, but eventually no doubt the Zoo will remove completely to Ashridge. Amusing to ro fleet how, in the days when the Roman legions were pioneering from St. Albans, and building their Icknield Way and picketting against our barbarian ancestors of some of the animals now to be removed there were roaming these same woods.

Queen and Princess Elizabeth. An interesting little packet was posted off to the Antipodes this week for the Duchess of York. In it was the! latest portrait of her baby daughter, the) little Princess Elizabeth, taken a few! days ago at the express wish of the Queen, who has herself sent it to the Duchess. With the portrait is a long letter from the Queen describing the baby’s latest achievements in the way of trying to walk and talk, and the hundred and one other pretty baby ways which the young mother will delight in hearing about. Princess Elizabeth is described as ‘ ‘ very forward for her age.” Selling Russia’s Treasures. It. is very difficult to know what tn believe about Russia. But there seems no doubt that the Soviet is actually engaged in turning some of the ex-Tsarist treasures into money. Through the courtesy of M. Tronitski, guardian of the museum at the former Winter Palace at Leningrad (Petrograd) I was able to see the complete collection at the former capital, including many not usually shown to the public. Those I remember most are a drinking-cup weighing no less than a stone and a half of solid 22-carat gold, a bird cut out of a solid emerald, a sword scabbard encrusted with emeralds the size of one’s thumbnail, and a wine vessel in solid silver, which held sixty gallons of wine. The latter was a lottery prize, and the winner had to go as far afield as St. Petersburg to find a purchaser for such an extravagant luxury.

First Fruits. Next month, the first batch of ex-scr-farm students complete their training binder the auspices of the Ministry of Labour at a special settlement in Suffolk, preparatory to emigrating to the West. It will be supremely interesting to know how the first trial of this big practical experiment works. The scheme is to take suitable ex-ser-vice applicants, give them intensive instruction on practical lines at farm settlements in this country, and, when they are successfully through their course, send them out to Canada. It is certain that no better material could be found for this purpose than the best type of ex-service man, and there is the added advantage that they will, on reaching the Dominion, be assisted both by the Canadian Government and the British Legion. The pioneers of the first batch, who are due to sail West next month, number 100, counting their wives and children, and they exhibit a most intelligent enthusiasm for the adventure that is opening up a new life for them “where the pavement ends.” Knowsley Memories. I met to-day an Australian doctor who served with the “Aussies” in the war. He was chortling over joyous memories recalled by the fact that the King will stay with Lord Derby at Knowsley Hall for the Grand National. His “mob” underwent their intensive training at Knowsley Park, and were taken long route marches roundabout. His particular contingent included many University and medical students, who possessed a peculiar repertoire of utterly unprintable songs which they sang whenever on the march. One day at the mid-way halt, the officer in charge, a British Regular colonel, severely reproved them for their ribaldry. He said he admired their soldierly qualities but never had he heard any troops sing such awful songs, and he thougnt they should know better as educated men. When the march was resumed, tho Aussies, with a specially doleful Bethel intonation, struck up “Abide With Me.” All the way back to camp, growing pinker and pinker in the ears, that O.C. marehed ahead of a column singing the most lugubrious hymns. The Industries Fair. In conversation with officials of the British Industries Fair, just ended, I gather that the fair has been a genuine success. “Discounting all newspaper

‘boosts,’ ” one of the staff told me, “Exhibitors have been really astonished by the new business they have opened up.” Many orders, and several serious enquiries, have come from South American, sources, and enthusiasm was expressed at the interest which the recent speech of the Prince of Wales on the subject of South America, had aroused. The commercial attaches of certain South American States, to whom I spoke at the fair, wore somewhat disappointed to find that, neither in London <fcnr in Birmingham, was agricultural machinery exposed, but only machine tools. In a general way, they were most interested in agricultural machinery and in motors, textiles, wireless parts, artificial stockings, and ladies’ clothing.

Office Stools in Park Lane. Estate agents in London are now generally of the opinion that Park Lane, which, for a century and a half, has been the home of the elite, will eventually become a street of commerce. A start has already been made with Stanhope House, which, having been bought by an insurance firm, is now being lot off as offices. Dorchester House, that masterpiece of Italian architecture, which has always been reckoned to be the finest dwelling-house in London, may be the next to fall into the hands of commerce, if present negotiations with a European country for its sale as an Embassy do not prove successful. Commerce is rapidly movmg westward across London, and it may not be many years before it engulfs Mayfair. Park Lane as a street of commerce would not look a gfeat deal different from wnat it looks to-day, for many of the mansions, with their dozens of rooms, would mako ideal offices. It is interesting to recall that in Queen Anne’s reign Park Lane, then Tyburn Lane, was a mean, dismal thoroughfare leading up to the dreaded Tyburn gallows, which stood on what is now Marble Arch.

Rural Venice. After the torrential rains of last wee.k-end, there is no prospect of tho Thames Valley floods subsiding yet awhile. Up-river the smooth grey waters have invaded monstrous tracts of riverside landscape, so that even motorists, with whom the old inns and quaint hamlets out Pangbourne and Goriug way are favourite haunts, now encounter those same adventures “by flood and field” with which Othello intrigued the romantic Desdemona. Inns where travellers awheel normally drink their beer and shade their eyes with a hand to gaze towards the distant Thames are now serving customers in punts. And dusty villages in whose narrow streets the motorist is warned to go slow witness a majestic procession of boats and canoes. I doubt whether even the R.A.A. can quite keep apace with the swift and stealthy inroads Father Thames is making on demesnes where even the loudest roar of his wgtrs has never been heard on the stillcjct night. Berkshire might well advertise itself at the instant as a rural Venetian resort.

Light Blue and Skin Pink. At Richmond, which no longer counts any more than Putney as “up-river,” but is thoroughly metropolitan, the towpath, usually six-feet above the river’s level, is flooded over a foot deep. The Cambridge crew must splash bare-legg-ed to and from their boat at daily practice, and it is one of the sights of Richmond to watch the Light Blue cox being ported pick-a-back to his stern perch by a lazy waterman in deep waders. But no floods can damp the interest taken by Richmond’s flappers —reputed the prettiest and most flirtatious in all London—in the Cambridge athletes. They invade all the dry spots around their boathouse, with an display of skin-pink silk stockings, and combine hero-worship with autograph-hunting.. What an old-time coach might say about these manifestations it is hard to guess, but they can scarcely conduce to the vital “eves in the boat” tradition. The Glory of—Blackpool! The New Gallery cinema has broken all precedents by starting off two new British films in one week. One is British only so far as concerns its producer and cameraman, being in fact the Chinese “Willow Pattern” film that the Queen so enjoyed at a special advance charity matinee. It is a pleasantly unusual picture, entirely filled by Chinese actors and scenery, with exteriors taken last summer at Hangchow, south of Shanghai, a neighbourhood nearly as notorious at the moment as Hankow. The other is quite glowingly British, a film version of Stanley Houghton’s Lancashire play, “Hindle Wakes,” with Norman McKinnell in his original part, and Estelle Brody as Fanny Hawthorne. Miss Brody, a Canadian, lacks the rugged vigour of Miss Marie Ault as her film mother. But then Miss Ault is a native of Wigan, and should know her way about a Lancashire film. The film has been produced by Maurice Elvcy, the most experienced of British film dirctors, and the opening mill scenes at “Hindle” and photographic sketches of the tower and “Fun Fair” of Blackpool are the most brilliant things he has done.