PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XXIII, 7 June 1902, Page 1168

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our London Correspondent.) LONDON. April 25. Dr. Jas. H. Neil passed his M.R.C.S. •nd L.B.C.P. examination last week, and is off to Ireland in a few days for a holiday. Miss Napier Bell is engaged to Mr Mavrogbrduto, a wealthy Greek. The wedding will take place shortly, and the honeymoon will be spent on a tour of the world. Mr Walter Nicholls, formerly a sheep-farmer of White Rock. Ashley, who had been living at Southend for several years, was, a few days ago. found at 9.30 a.in. dead on the floor of his bedroom in his nightdress by Mr Edward Winslow, in whose house he was living. Mr Nicholls had complained of pains the night previous, and the doctor who had been in the habit of attending him eertiti ' that death was due to epilepsy and heart failure.

Lord Charles Beresford, who was returned to-day unopposed for Woolwich, in addressing meetings at Eltham last nigh"., expressed himself in favour of old age pensions on New Zealand lines. .

Mr and Mrs J. J. O'Brien (Auckland) leave to-morrow for Ireland to witness the opening of the Cork Exhibition. They will return to London for the Coronation, and after the festivities are over tour in Scotland, Wales, and the Continent, making their way home via Canada and the U.S.A. in about, six months’ time.

A meeting has been called for next Tuesday at 15 Dowgate Hill (by kind permission of Sir Montague Nelson) to nominate a committee to make arrangements for the collection of contributions to present Mr Seddon with an address of welcome, accompanied by a substantial mark of recognition of his Imperial services.

which may take the form of a piece of plate or as may otherwise be decided. Mr W. C. Dawes has expressed his willingness to act as hon. treasurer of the fund. The King has accepted the four vessels offered by their respective steamship companies for the <.ccommodation and entertainment of His Majesty’s personal guests and of the guests of the nation at the Spithead naval review on June 28—viz., Arabia, 7903 tons, owned by the P. and O. Company; Teutonic, 0984, White Star S. Company; Kinfauns Castle, 9652 tons, Union Castle S. Company; and Akabo, 3800 tons, Elder, Dempster and Co.

Applications for seats on the Government stands are coming in daily and steadily to the Agent-General’s office. Already over 300 applications have been received, and about ten a day is tire present rate, which will probably increase as New Zealand arrivals become more numerous next month. At the Diamond Jubilee only 125 seats were allotted to New Zealand, and although the colony may receive a few more this time, it is quite clear that a large proportion of the applicants are doomed to disappointment. It is not yet settled on what lines the seats are to be allotted, except that only bona fide visitors will be eligible, but I foresee much heartburning whatever scheme may be adopted. The good old rule of “First come first served” has much to recommend it, or failing this a ballot would be fair to all. Any attempt to separate the distinguished from the rank and file, the> sheep from the goats, is bound to cause much bitterness.

The latest V.C., though tardily bestowed, is well deserved. The recipient is Sergeant James Rogers, of the South African Constabulary. On June 15, 1901, during a skirmish near Thaba ’Nchu, a party of the rearguard of Captain Sitwell’s column, consisting of Lieutenant F. Dickinson, Sergeant James Rogers, and six

men of the South African Constabulary, was' suddenly attacked by about 60 Boers. Lieutenant Dickinson’s horse having been shot, that officer ■wm compelled to follow his men on foot. Sergeant Rogers rode back, firing- us he did so, took Lieutenant Dickinson up behind him. and carried him for half a mile on his horse. The sergeant then returned to within 400 yards of the enemy, and carried away, one- after the other, two men who had lost their horses, after which he caught the horses of two other men, and helped the men to mount. All this Mas done under a very heavy rifle fire. The Boers were near enough to Sergeant Rogers to call upon him to surrender; his only answer was to yntlnue firing. Mrs Brown Potter last New Year’s Eve recited for the Rev. Forbes Phillips, the vicar of Gorleston, near Yarmouth. at one of his night services. Pope’s “Vital Spark,” and the church was rushed like a theatre at a first night. Now she has purchased from -the vicar a modern society drama in four aets, and when she retires from tire- role of Calypso she will produce the new play in London and America, and, it goes without saying, play the leading part herself. She is also to take a prominent part in services of St. George's Chapel, AlbemarleStreet. whose incumbent, Dr. Ker Gray, holds 9 o’clock services, largely attended by fashionable folk in evening dress. On Rogation Sunday, 4th May. Mrs Potter is to recite the solo, “Jerusalem,” in the sacred song, “The Holy City,” and on May 18th she will take part in “The Star of Bethlehem.”

It seems quite possible that litigation may arise out of Mi Rhodes’ will, turning on the question w'hether he was at the date of his death domiciled in Rhodesia or England. If, in spite of the declaration in his will, it is decided that he was domiciled in England, the estate, will be liable to death duties, which, at 8 per cent., will amount to at. least £ 168.000, the will will fall under the provisions of the English Wills Act,

1837, and questions may arise as to the secret trusts on which it is generally supposed tht residue is left. It is very likely that the De Beers’ shares will in any case be caught in the meshes of the English death duties, as that company has a share register in England. As regards Mr Rhodes’ domicile, the purchase of Daleham Hall, Newmarket, is strong evidence of his intention to return and live in England, showing that he never really abandoned his domicile of origin, England. The mere statement in the will that he is domiciled in Rhodesia is of no weight in law, except as evidence of his intention or belief that this was so. All doubt as to who will be the Royal guests representing the colonies at the Coronation has been dispelled by the publication of the following official list:—-Mediterranean, comprising Gibraltar, Malta, and Cyprus, General Sir Francis Wallace Grenfell, G.C.8., G.C.M.G.; Eastern Colonies and Protectorates, Fiji, and Western Pacific, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph West Ridgeway, G.C.M.G., K.C.8., K.C.5.1.; West Indies, Bermudas, British Honduras, and the Falkland Islands, Sir Walter Joseph Sendall, G.C.M.G.; West African Colonies and Protectorates, Sir William MacGregor, M.D., K.C.M.G., C. 8.; Canada, the Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, G.C.M.G.; Commonwealth of Australia, the Right Hon Edmund Barton, K.C.; New Zealand, the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon; Cape and Saint Helena, the Right Hon. Sir John Gordon Sprigg, K.C.M.G.; Natal, Lieu-tenant-Colonel the Hon. Sir Albert H. Hime, R.E., K.C.M.G.; Newfoundland, the Hon. Sir Robert Bond, K.C.M.G.; other Royal guests, His Highness the Sultan of Perak, G.C-.M.G.; Lewanika, Paramount Chief of the Barotse Kingdom.

The authorities responsible for the allotment of the seats in Westminster Abbey are doing the thing handsomely as far as the colonies are concerned, ail the Agents-General and their respective wives being given seats at the great ceren ony.