The Premier’s Engagements.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IX, 30 August 1902, Page 536

The Premier’s Engagements.

A BUSY SOCIAL WEEK. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, July IS. Dining and dancing have been Mr Seddon's chief occupations during the past week. Mr Cbaanberlain's accident having suspended the sittings of the Colonial Conference. Friday Mr Seddon lunched with Lord Onslow, and the state of Mrs Soddon's health that afternoon necessitating the attendance of three doctors and a nurse led him to cancel his engagement to attend the Empire Coronation banquet and to stay quietly by her bed si da that evening and most of the following day. By Saturday night, however, Mrs Seddon was so much better that her husband was able to attend the dinner given by the Association of Lancastrians at the Hotel Cecil in his honour. On Sunday Mr Seddon and Miss Seddon lunched with Mr Henry Seton-Karr, M.P. for St. Helens, who is a great traveller and sportsman, specialising in big game. On Monday the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough's garden party was the great attraction. Mr Seddon and Miss May Seddon missed the special train provided at Paddington for the one hundred and fifty guests, but the duchess, hearing of their plight sent a motor car to meet them at Oxford, thereby enabling them to reach Blenheim just in time fur

luncheon In the great hall, the ceiling of which is adorned with Sir James Thornhill’s allegorical fresco commemorating the battle of Dienheim. Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer were also to have gone, but were prevented by some contretemps. During lunch and afterwards performances were given on the great organ in the long library. In the afternoon the visitors strolled round the beautiful grounds, listened to Herr Gottlieb’s Vienna orchestra, and gazed on Blenheim’sartistie treasures and trophies. Tea was served in the Italian gardens, which formally, but with exquisite tase. are laid out with red and white and pink pelargoniums, scarlet fcegonias, heliotrope, lobelas and box. the waters of an ornamental fountain plashing in the centre. In the evening Mr Seddon dined at the Natjpnal Liberal Club, and afterwards went with his daughters to Mrs Bischoffsheim’s reception at Bute House. Mrs BiscofEsheiim, who has

not recovered from the effects of an accident resulting in a broken leg, received her guests seated in a wheeled chair at the door of the central of the three, fine reception rooms opening - one into the other.

On Tuesday Mr Seddon attended a conference between the colonial■ Premiers and the representatives of the Pacific Cable Board in reference ta the Pacific cable and the Vancouver mail service, and afterwards dined with Sir Wilfred Laurier and the Canadian representatives at the Hotel Cecil. Princess Louise and the Governor-General were present, and about one hundred guests. Subsequently Mr Seddon took his daughters to the At Home of Land Wenlock and Lady Esther Smith. On Wednesday Mr Seddon went out to Alexandra Palace and witnessed the presentation of medals to the colonial troops by the Duke of Connaught. at whose invitation Mr Sedand Sir John Forrest joined him at the presentation Jable. Mr Seddon and his daughters and Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer stayed and lunched at the Palace. In the evening Mr Seddon went to St. Paul’s Schoo] Apposition dinner in the hall of the Mercers’ Company, and responded for the guests. Later on he went with his daughters to the Grafton Galleries, where a reception was held to meet Lord Kitchener. A number of the Indian chiefs and leading members of the aristocracy were present, and a very varied programme of music, recitations, whistling, and so forth, arranged by Madame Rosa Bird, was gone through. Yesterday the Earl and Countess ol

Onslow gave a luncheon and garden party to about two hundred of the distinguished colonial and Indian visitors at Ciandon Park, near Guilford. Mr Seddon and his daughters motored all the way from the Cecil. Luncheon was served in the great hall. The band of the Manchester Regiment played in the grounds, and the “.laps.” performed on the lawn, Some of the guests also paid a brief visit to Sutton Place, by invitation of Mr and Mrs Alfred Harmsworth, before returning. Colonel Porter and some of the chief members of • the Maori and Fijian contingents were also present. In the evening Mr Seddon was the guest of the new Vagabonds’ Club at their annual dinner under Sir A. Conan Doyle’s presidency. Three hundred ladies and gentlemen sat down to dinner, including Miss May Seddon and Mr and Mrs Frank Dyer. The party finished up at Sir Albert and Lady Dime’s reception ami ball at the Hotel Cecil.

This morning will be occupied by the Coronation Conference. Mr. Chamberlain, who will probably have a permanent sear as the result of his wound, is presiding, and the subject under discussion is the commercial relationship between the Mother Country and the colonies. Mr. Seddon, I understand. is to open the ball; and when I called at the Hotel Cecil was just off to the conference with a sheaf of statistics under his arm, showing the steady increase of American and German imports into the colony. This evening Air. Seddon goes 1o Mr. Cathcart Wason's dinner at the Reform Club, find afterwards has a night off. Mr. and Mrs. Seddon were to have spent the week end with Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain at Highbury, but Mr. Chamberlain’s accident has necessitated the postponement of the visit. To-morrow Lord Salisbury’s garden party at Hatfield, and Mrs. Houlder’s “At Home” are down on the Premier’s programme.

Mr. Seddon is shortly to receive at a luncheon the Freedom of the Tallow Chandlers’ Company, and on the 20th will receive the Freedom of Edinburgh and an honorary degree from Edinburgh University.

'Mrs. Seddon's health, I am glad to say. has steadily improved during the week, and she will probably leave on Tuesday for Ramsgate, where, in the course of the next week, Mr. Seddon is to inspect the working of the Marconi system of wireless telegraphy. If Mrs. Seddon is well enough she will attend the presentation to. Mr. Seddon and herself on Monday. .■