PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 6, 12 August 1905, Page 24

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LOX DOX. July 8. The New Zealand Bisley team were entertained tins week at tlie Dover Castle Hotel. Westminster Bridge Road, by the Association of New Zealanders ia London. The gathering, which was of a more or less informal nature, was held on Wednesday evening, and passed off very successfully. There was quite a large muster of New Zealanders, and the High Commissioner (Hon. W. P. Reeves) obligingly came away from another meeting in order to be present to welcome the Bisley team. Mr Reeves expressed his hope that fortune would favour the New Zealanders at Bisley next week. He felt sure they would acquit themselves with credit, and if there was such a thing as luck in shooting, he hoped it would not be against the New Zealanders. He hoped also for fine weather. Of course it was sometimes line in England, just as it sometimes rained in New Zealand. (Laughter.) Last year’s team, under Colonel Collins, did themselves and the, colony credit, and left good names and very pleasant recollections behind them. He could not wish the present team better than that, but if it was possible to do even better, he hoped they would. (Applause.) Mr R. H. Hooper, who presided, also said a few words by way of welcome to the team. Major Hughes replied in a brief speech, and made the hit of the evening when he remarked that although they had brought the Kolapore Cup from New Zealand with them, they had forgotten to bring the key of the box. “1 think it is a good omen,” said the Major, and to judge by the applause the company agreed with him. Several musical items were given by members of the Association. and the proceedings closed, with cheers and counter-cheers for the Bisley team and the London New Zealanders. The arrangements for the gathering were in the hands of Mr Bockmaster. the hard-working bon. secretarv. and did him credit.

In conversation with Major Hughes the other night, he told me that the Bisley team were shooting wonderfully well in practice, and if they kept up t heir present form at the meeting they were pretty certain of the Kola pore Cup. The competition for places in the Cup team have been wonderfully keen, and it spoke volumes for the strength of the team when two of the best shots had had to be passed over. Major Hughes is not too enamoured of Bisley as a shooting-ground, as the range faces the wrong direction, the light is not so clear as in New Zealand, and the wind can be abominably “tricky.” The tram are all in splendid form, and may be relied upon to put up a great light for the retention of the famous cup. '.rhe Major tells me he finds that last year’s victory has sent New Zealand up very high in the estimation of shooting men in this countrv. Prowess in shoot-

ing is thought more of here, he finds, than in the colony, and to win a contest like the Kblapore Cup Match is regarded as a very fine achievement, “it seems to me,” said the Major, “the New Zealanders’ win last year has been a splendid advertisement for the colony.” Air. Donald Maeiean. the young New Zealand actor who came Home a couple of years or more ago. after a tour in the East with Mr. Brough's company, turned up in London a few days ago, having recently finished a prolonged provincial tour with Miss Emma Hutchinson’s company. of which Mr. Henry Neville is the leading man. During the tour Mr. Maclean has undertaken the leading juvenile roles in “Mrs. Gorringe’s Necklace,’ “Mrs. Dane's Defence,” and the part of Nudge Harding in “Cousin Kate,” and has also shouldered the duties of stage manager during the latter part of the tour. Of course the New Zealander has picked up a lot of valuable professional wrinkles during his wanderings round the provinces, and he finds tin* life of the touring actor in a good company quite tolerable, in spite of a large amount of travelling and the idiosyncrasies of the multitude of landladies who have to be encountered the while. In one respect Mr. Maclean lias been very lucky, for, apart from the brief holiday he took on first arriving in England, he has only exj>erienced the—shall we say—“delights” of what is euphemistically termed in the profession “resting” for a few weeks at long intervals—at midsummer and Christmas to wit. He will probably rejoin Miss Hutchinson’s company for the autumn season, unless in the interval a London engagement with a first-class company happens to come his way. Every actor of course hopes for a chance of getting a London reputation, but in Mr. Maclean's view the provincial bird in the hand is worth half a dozen metropolitan ones in the bush, and he has no intention of “resting” when a provincial engagement is offered on the chance that some eminent London manager may require his services.

Lady Constance Knox. the elder daughter of Lord and Lady Ranfurly, only “came out” this season, but her engagement to Mr. Milnes-Gaskell, of Wenloek Abbey, Shropshire, has been announced this week. The bridegroom-elect is a grandson of the fifth earl of Portsmouth. and is thus a descendant of the ancient and honourable family of Wallop, which was settled at the village of that name in Hampshire antecedent to the Conquest. One of Mr. Gaskell’s forebears on his mother’s side was Sir Henry Wallop. Treasurer of War in Ireland. It was during his governorship of the “distressful country” that the Mars of Des-

mnnd terminated. and (h< head of that nobleman was sent to Fug la ml for the delectation of ‘Good Qneei Bess.” An interesting visitor the other day to the New Zealand Court of the Colonial Exhibition at the Crystal Palace was the Gaikwar of Baroda, one of the most influential and progressive of the acini-in-dependent Indian princes of first rank. The Gaikwar c.tme ace..-mpanied by a large party, ami the Crystal Palace authorities treated the occ u ion as one of State. While doing the. bomnirs Mr. Hooper, the o Nicer in charge, was closely questioned by the visitors as t<» t-ie character and trade of New / al; nJ. The Gaikwar also made special inquiry regarding tin* colony's imn. ig •a t ion laws, ami as to New Zealand’s attitude on the Imperial zollvcrein question. In leiving, he express'd his admiration of the. enterprist? and volume of trade of : uc’.i a young country, as evidenced by the exhibits. The Gaikwar. by the way, speaks perfect English, and on this occasion was quite “correctly” dressed in a grey frock suit and silk hat. Callers at the High Commissioner’s Office this week: Mr. JL Burton, Auckland: Mr. and Airs. E. Wilson, and Mr. P. J. Wilson, Wellington; Mr/. Sarah Lewis, Christchurch; Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Farrcdl, Dimedin: Mr. John Lambic, Canterbury; Mr. W. Osborn Rennie, Canterbury; Mr. T. C. Dennison, Oamaru; Mr. James Craig, Gisborne; Mr. J. D. Clarke, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Murphy. Gisborne; Mr. W. N. Stace, Wellington: Mr. R. Abbot, Wellington; Miss Myers. (’li ri st chai rt‘h : Mrs. Eyes and Miss*s Mabel and Daisy Eyes, Auckland; Mr. S. Martin, Timaru; Mr. IL Lankshear, Mr. Edgar 'fhomas Holmes, Wellington: Mrs. L. D. Dalton, (Jirisrehurch. Mrs. Alfred Nathan, Auckland; Mr. Ernest E. Arnold, Wellington; Air. and Mrs J. L. P. Bloomfield, and Airs. Bloomfield, Auckland: Air. George Cross, Timaru; Mr. and Mrs. S. Andrew, Feilding; Miss Garforth, Christchurch; Air. John Sparrow, Dunedin; Air. C. H. Drew, Wanganui.

Air. S. A. Shaw, a Wailii prospector, arrived by the Kumara last we?k. Mr. Shaw has come to London on behalf of a syndicate which has acquired a block of land adjoining tin? ’ Waihi Company’s property, the intention being if possible to raise capital to test the ore which has been discovered on the land. Mr. Shaw discovered a reef of low-grade or.?, running parallel to some of the Waihi reef, but so far it has not been tested below a depth of 20 feet, lie is < onfid.uif. however, that the reef is well worth following up.