PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9, 4 March 1905, Page 43

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Oar Special Correspondent.)

LONDON. January 21. It was reported last week that Lady Buffenn, who was then en route for Spain, would after a brief sojourn there make a. trip to Australia and New Zealand, primarily for the purpose of paying a visit to her daughter, Lady PlunIret. Inquiries Lave elicited the fact that her ladyship has no intention of making a voyage to Maoriland, but will return from Spain to her Irish home, Claudeboye, County Down. Dr. IV. Grattan Guinness, of Waihi, arrived in London on January Sib, and was joined there by his wife, who has been in England for the last eight months. After a short stay in London and the South of England, Dr. Guinness intends to go to Dublin, and take out a post-graduate course of study at Dublin University and Hospitals. Ilis .Wife and he will remain in Dublin for about three or four months, and then after a short tour will return to New Zealand. Rangiuia, the Maori singer, has had to cancel all his English engagements owing to an attack of pneumonia, brought on l.y the. severe log. His doctor has ordered him to the South < f Europe until after the winter. The second round of Mr. ami Mrs. C. Mopkins* progressive euehre tournament for Christchurch friends in London was concluded this week. Ibe first prize, ail ver-mounted walking stick, was won bv Mr. B. Spiller, and Mr. J. Foster annexed the consolation prize. Callers at the Agency-General this week: Miss \V. J. Bathgate (Dunedin), Mr. A. K. Falconer, M. 8., D.l’.lL, Miss Kathleen Ryley, Dr. and Mrs. V.. Grattan Guinness (Auckland). Sir A. P. Douglas, late of New Zealand, was elected a Fellow of the Colonial Institute at the last meeting of the Council. A New Zealander carried off the lion’s share of the honours for the past year’s work at the National Dental Hospital and College. The Dean of the Hospital, in his speech at the annual dinner of past and present students, mentioned that three gentlemen monopolised all the class prizes for the year, and one of them, from New Zealand. Mr G. H. Parkinson, had been particularly brilliant. Mr Parkinson’s performance certainly bears out the Dean's words. He carried off one gold and five bronze medals, a case of instruments, and six first certificates. His record for the year stood as follows:—Dental Anatomy —Medal and Ist Certificate. Dental Surgery—lst Certificate. Dental Meelranies (Practical) —Ist Certificate and Medal. Dental Mechanics (Theory)—lst Certificate and MedalOperative Dental Surgery —Medal and Ist Certificate. Dental Histology—Medal and Ist Certificate. Ash Prize—£3 3/ ease of instruments. Rymer Medal (gold)—For General Proficiency. Mr Spencer Goltan, the well-known Antipodean sportsman, ami his friend, Tom Sullivan, ex-sculling champion of England, were instrumental in saving a couple of lives on the River Thames not far from Hammersmith last Sunday morning. A tub-four with a coxswain of the Alpha (Tub were rowing up river, ami when opposite the Doves ran into very rough patch caused by a sudden tijuait. and a moment later the crew’ were struscling in the water. Of the five not one could swim even fairly well, ami the stroke (a young man named Davies) not at all. Fortunately, at the critical moment Mr Gollan and Sullivan wore proceeding up-riv.:r for their Sunday morning spin in a double-scttlling boat. Seeing the danger of the party they at onee sculled over io them, and taking one on the end of their boat rowed with him to the shore. They returned and rescued another. In the meantime the m«n in the water had dung to the boat, and, in their efforts to board her they turned the craft ever. AB Uie men were thrown

clear. One of them named Hancox seized an ear Heating by and gave it to Davies. He then swam ashore. A man in a rum-tum and two scullers in a skiff had meanwhile rescued the fourth man, but Davies had disappeared, and it was not until two o'clock that his body was recovered by the drags. At the inquest the coroner warmly complimented Mr Gollan ami Tom Sullivan on their promptitude, but for which he said the Court would certainly have held an inquiry on more than one corpse.