PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIV, Issue 14, 8 April 1905, Page 43

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, February 17. The selection committee appointed by the University of Otago to fill the vacant Chair of Physiology have chosen, out of a number of applicants, Mr. John Malcolm, M.D., of the Physiology Department of Edinburgh University. At precent Dr. Malcolm is lecturer on chemical physiology at Edinburgh, and assistant to the Professor of Physiology, a position he has held for five years. His testimonials are exceedingly good. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Edinburgh, Mr. A. It. Simpson, M.D., D.Sc., F.R.S., describes Dr. Malcolm as an able and strenuous worker of unusual promise, and adds: “Trained as he has been under the most accomplished physiologists of our time, he is not only familiar with all the best methods of modern research, but he has shown himself to be capable of making important original investigations, and to be a most efficient and acceptable lecturer in his teaching of the students in our University. The University of Otago is to be congratulated on having as a candidate for its Chair of Physiology a man so well fitted as Dr. Malcolm to fill it with success.” Dr. W. S. Greenfield. Professor of General Pathology at Edinburgh, says he can bear “personal testimony to the value of Dr. Malcolm’s scientific research work in a very difficult line of investigation from a careful study of his thesis for the M.D. degree and from other papers which he has published, and also on the ground of various pieces of work he has done for me from time to time. He is a most diligent and thorough worker, and has become especially expert in some of the most difficult and important of those branches of physiology, which are the most important for future physiological and pathological advance.” Dr. Malcolm has also excellent testimonials from Sir Thomas Fraser, Physician in Ordinary to the King for Scotland; Dr. Neil Stewart, Professor of Physiology at Chicago University; Dr. D. Noel Paton. Superintendent of the Research Laboratories at Edinburgh; Professor Zuntz, Director of the Institute ofAnimal Physiology at Berlin; and others.

Dr. Malcolm is 31 years of age, and unmarried. Before taking up medicine he had four years’ training as a public school teacher. During his medical course at Edinburgh he obtained firstclass honours in nearly all the University classes, with medals in six subjects. He won a £42 prize in his second year, a £2O bursary in his third year, and a £3OO echolarship for pathology, medical jurisprudence, and public health in his fifth year. After graduating M. 8., Ch.B. with honours), in 1897, he was invited to assist the Professor of Physiology in research work in his laboratory at Edinburgh University, and since then Dr. Malcolm has been more or less engaged in either teaching physiology or in researches into physiological problems. A thesis on his two years’ researches obtained for him the degree of M.D. in 1899. together with a gold medal—the highest distinction conferred by the University. Afterwards he served six months as outpatient medical officer of the Victorial Hospital for Consumptives, and also at the Royal Infirmary, and in 1901 studied for six months at the Physiological Institute of the Agricultural University, Berlin. From time to time he has contributed papers to the “Journal of Physiology.” Altogether, Dr. Malcolm appears to have made the most of the exceptional opportunities he has had for observing and practising the best and most recent methods of teaching physiology. He leaves for New Zealand on March 18, travelling via San Francisco.

Mr. H. D. Madill, of Auckland, who left home recently in search of health, has reached London after an extensive tour through America. After visiting the World’s Fair at. St. Louis, Mr. Madill spent six weeks in Canada, where he formerly lived for several years. Two months after landing at San Francisco he set sail from New York in the Oceanic, and despite a very rough passage, arrived in England feeling much better in health. Since then Mr. Madill has visited Belfast, Glasgow. Edinburgh, and Liverpool, the beautiful scenery of

Scotland impressing him greatly. He leaves again for New Zealand on February 24 by a North German Lloyd liner.

Mr W. R. Hackworth, of Wellington, arrived by the Corintbic on January 22, having come to England to gain experience in electrical engineering. He has been introduced to several leading engieers here, and finds that they are "always anxious to assist a New Zealander.” The duration of Mr Hackworth’s stay in this country is at present indefinite.

Mr Leslie Smith, a Dunedin artist, who came Home last month via Durban and the Canary Islands, intends making a prolonged study of art in Europe, and will probably take up his abode on this side of the world. Mr Smith is at present painting a copy of an “old master” in the National Gallery for a Colonial Commission, and is also studying at the Westminster School of Painting.

Callers at the Agent-General’s office this week: —Captain Hooper (Wellington), Mr Herbert Fitzherbert (Wellington), Mr H. Vernon Wylie (Wellington), Mr W. R. Hackworth (Wellington), Mr Wemyss C. Bear (Napier), Mr D. 11. Madill (Tuakau), Captain and Mrs Irvine (Dunedin), Mr E. J. Greenstreet (Christchurch).

The Agent-General’s department was overwhelmed with applications from New Zealanders for scats to sec the opening of Parliament in the House of Lords on Tuesday. As the Department had only five tickets at its disposal, the number of requests that could be granted was decidedly limited. The favoured New Zealanders who received the tickets were Mr and Mrs Moss Davis, of Auckland, the Misses Beauchamp, of Wellington, and Mr P. A. Vaile.

The Rev. Haskett Smith, well known in the colonies as an entertaining lecturer, gave an address at the Caxton Hall on Sunday under the auspices of the League of the Empire, on “The Evolution of Australia from Bush to Commonwealth.” Incidentally the reverend gentleman told a good story which, though not new, will bear repeating. At a dinner given in the Prince of Wales’ honour in Melbourne, at which the lecturer was present, the Prince stated that when taking leave of his parents at Portsmouth he felt a little nervous, and told the King that he was rather sorry he had undertaken the Australasian tour, as he knew nothing about the opening of Parliaments. The King replied, “Don’t be nervous; you can open anything in Australia with a corkscrew.”

LONDON, February 24. The Ear] of Ranfurly is to lecture on “New Zealand” at the Royal Colonial Institute on May 9. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, AgentGeneral for New Zealand, has accepted the position of hon. president of the Association of New Zealanders in London. The association, by the way, intends communicating with the New Zealand Natives’ Association, bringing its objects under the notice of that body, with a view to strengthening its connection and extending its sphere of usefulness as a centre of social intercourse for young New Zealanders in London.

Callers at Agent-General's office this week were —Mi - Frank O. Pope (Papanui), Mr K. Bockmaster (Christchurch), Mr A. J. Newbon’.d (Napier), Mr D. G. Davidson (Dunedin), Mr A. Carter (Patcae).

Auckland papers arc asked to chronicle the marriage of Mr Wm. Cross, of South Croydon, to Miss Minnie Edith White, youngest daughter of Mr Arthur White, of South Norwood. The wedding took place on the 18th inst. at South Norwood Baptist Church.

At the ' annual social meeting of George-street Congregational Church, Oxford, a pleasing feature of the evening was the presentation of a handsome gold watch and a handbag and purse to Miss Faulkner, who is shortly leaving Oxford on a visit to New Zealand.

Mr. G. S. Hooper, R.N.R., of the Government s.s. Ilinemoa, who is at present on leave owing to family affairs in

London, arrived by the s.s. Turakina on February 4th. He proceeds to lI.M. Drill Ship at Bristol on 20th February to undergo a couple of months’ naval training in the Royal Naval Reserve, and leaves on his return to the colony about the end of May, when he will command the Northern S.S. Co.’s new steamer Apanui from the Clyde to New Zealand. Upon arrival in New Zealand, Mr. Hooper returns to his former position as chief officer on the Hinemoa.