PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 6, 12 August 1905, Page 44

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

U'in'u Our Special *'<>rn-»]»uu>l lit.) I.OXDOX. June ::n. Ji,.. bir.nv Sai ill R.M.*. Athenie left J .. ialmi y -tei'lav for New Zealand, via J’lviuo'il li. C:qietoWH and Hobart, with tbr following passengers:- Miss A. Alli I. Mr 1., and Mrs Atkinson, Mrs M. jiarlow. Mr M. Bowser. Mr T. BlV<l<ll<X Mis M E. Burn. Miss .1. B. Cameron, Hi. E. < ..•lira lie Brown. Mr 11. Fleming. Mr W. <l. (iordiui. Miss A. Harrison. Mr \\ . Ila.vbiltle. Mr W. and Mrs Houghton, Jlisses Ht.iigliton (3), Mrs J. Lewis, Mis. P. l.owi*. Mr 11. -I. Moore, .Mr W. and Mr- <Brvan. Miss 1,. O’Bryan, Mrs A M Pollock.' Miss 11. K. Pollock. Miss •I. 11. I‘eid. Miss .1 M. Reid. Mr J. and Mrs Ross. Sir Win. Russell. Lady Russell. Mrs I', s.iular. Misses Soutar (ft). Mr .1. t'ainom. Mrs 11. Williams. Air S. and Mrs W inn. Miss M inn. Miss M. Winn, Air B. M. Woodard, and about 250 thirdcias- passengers. Mr. A. Bevins, of Auckland, is in England mi business connected with X.Z. pioduee, and intends to visit all the principal -ent res. lie travelled home by the Sierra to San Francisco, and across. America to New York, arriving in Lombm on (he Ist done. He does not purpose making ’ very long stay. • Bevni will return Io New Zealand ay the same rout-, -pending a little time Mr. and Mrs. William Sibbald. of Am-klmil mid a plea-ant voyage to England in th- Kumara. Mr. Sibbald is travelling hi-ll\ for the ben-lit of his health which’ has suifered after thirtylive years of ollice work in the ( ivil Service. Hi- wife and he intend to visit Edinburgh Io sec (heir son receiv<‘ the diplomas of Alli. and Ch.AL. and they will also visit, various places of interest in England and on the Continent. They expect to he about three months in this country. At present they arc sightseeing. A prop..- of Harry Parker’s match against \\ . Larned, the American, at the tennis internationals on Wednesday, the “Daily Telegraph” remarks: “The Australasian has a very’ tricky backbreak -ervic*. and a wrist-drive on his lorehand which must delight the heart of .Mr. P. Vaile. for no Englishman has \ cl attempted it. Against anyone but a first-rate player of Larned’s great abilities Parker would prove a most effective ad versa rv.” Parker was put out by Larned in I he fourth round of the singles championship. A now club for women which should be of advantage io colonial girls in London !-< th- London t’uiinly Club, well situated at Si and S2 Holland Park. brom its pretty white and green drawing-room to the lopmo-it bedroom it is decorated and fnriushc.l with an eye Io taste and comfort. There are pleasant reading and writ ing rooms, while many of the bed ■ rooms are luxurious, both in size and fitting-. The bedrooms can Im* taken by the night, week or year, as necessity dictate-, and a fixed sum paid for Inaird or meals taken a la carte, in accordance with the day’- menu. The prices. I understand, ure ‘.cry moderate. “There are, of course, soim* of us who hup- to live to see the day when Xevv Zealand will turn out something beyond a firn*, sturdy race o. farmers, keen men of business. and fine at hlctcs—-when it will di-1 iugiii-h itself in the, walks of literature, art. a rchitcct ure and science—when New Zeal tnd books. New Zealand pictures. New Zea hi ml statue- and buildings. will gain some repute and note in the eivilis d world. (Cheers.) That is our hope, but we have to remember that I he energies of (he generation which is doing Iht* lir-t work in a young country an* naturally turned to solid and material matter-. Il was the business of the pioneers Io la\ the foundations. It is our Imsin • m. (In* business of their children, to erect tlie walls. » rear the building: it will • the lut*diirss of those-who come after u- Io adorn and to decorate the interior.” From Mr. Reeves’ speech at the New Zealand dimicv. Although the National Bank of’ New Zcalnnd has not done quite so well during tiie past y ear, it lias made a profit of L 125,K4K, iiiul Hu* sha-rciiolder- who will meet on Tuesday next—will re o-iv»* I he usual dividend of 10 per cent, aud a bonus of 2 per cent.—the same an

last year. The present capital is £ 1.750.01)0. divided into KMMNM) shares of £7 10/ each, and 100.009 shares of £lO each. None of (lie hitter have been is-ued. but the directors have had under consideration for some time past the desirability of adopting some plan whereby the unissued shares should be conformable in denomination with the issued shares. They have accordingly decided to recommend that the unissued shares of €lO each should he subdivided into 100.000 L*7 10/ shares and 100.000 L* 2 10/ shares. Should the resolution be passed, the shareholders will be asked to pass a further extraordinary resolution whereby of the 100.000 £2 10/ shares 99,000 shares, part thereof, shall be consolidated into 30.000 £7 10/ shares, and the remainder cancelled. Mr (». F. Court, of Auckland, who is on a trip voiiird the world, has arrived in London. He left Auckland on April 3rd by the .Manuka, and. his sister accompanying him to Sydney, they spent a week at the Blue Mountains before Mr Court joined the Ophir on April 19th. ’The voyage through the Red Sea proved very trying on account of the heal, ami one of the passengers succumbed. Air ( ourt left the vessel at Naples, and came across fhe Continent, spending a few days at Naples, Rome, Milan. Lucerne, and Paris en route. Sime reaching England he has been spending a few weeks ir. Yorkshire, visiting, amongst other places, the mills at Bradford, and he intends fo visit Leeds, Manchester and other centres of business. He hopes to spend a few weeks in Scotland before returning, via America, io the colony. Mr (ourt is especially delighted with London in the height of summer. “1 came here,’ he said, “expecting to see nothing but rain, snow and frost, and no sun for days at a stretch, and find instead this brilliant sunshine. London is a fascinating city, and L am in no hurry to leave it.” A colonial view of London, in the “Pall Mall Gazette”: “A sunny clime, a free life, and close contact with nature. all foster the artistic spirit in Australia, but, alas! in many cases it languishes through want of attention, (hit there we hunger for 1 he intellectual llesh-pots; here. I can listen to Mark Tlambourg or be ravished by Duse’s art for the outlay of a shilling, and gaze at the masterpieces of Watts at the cost of merely a little physical and mental exercise; and if I have any talent myself there are hundreds of schools and colleges to develop it. Yes. London is surely the goal of the ambitious. Londoners themselves do not always realise this, and there exists what I may call Ihe provincialism of the Londoner—that is. intimate knowledge <>f the geography of the city', coupled with profound ignorance of the life currents flowing through it. ’The provincial Londoner reads his daily paper, but has no library. He will take you Io Earl’s Court, hut has never been inside the House of Commons, amt ]u* will show you where to get the best dinner at a moderate fee hut is supinely imlitlercnt to the Wallace collection. But. then, he exists everywhere, after all. and his outlook is merely a matter of locality. In London it is a bigger locality than anywhere else- that is the whole difference bet wren him and his brother elsewhere. How often I find it diHiciilt to realise that I am within a network of stone. These spacious, parks, with their glistening swards, green-feathered trees, and wide paths, art* truly a pleasing deception. I can hear the birds twitter, watch Ihe deer at play, and catch the perfume of the sweetest English Howers, with mi unseen London all around me. I would not change it for the weird monotony of the sun-scorched bush assuredly. In the bush one tastes the fascination of the primitive. This London cannot offer me. hut what else is there which she cannot yield? Peace to the weary, ami turmoil to the ambitious; hope through great exemplars, and inspiration through splendid achievements, and love through the presence of countless objects of desire; while through all there runs the impetus of a myriad interests, A'erily. London to the colonial is a view of the Promised Land.” Mr. I*. A. Vaile, of Auckland, is writing special notes for the “Morning Leader” on the internalional teniiig championships at Wimbledon.

Mr. L AL Kehl nd I. who arrived by the Tonga riro a few weeks back on a pleasure trip, intends remaining in this country until the end of October. Mr. and Mrs. R. Sherratt, of GisbonW, and th.*’r daughters arrived by the Moldavia on Aiay 27. and hive made London their headquarters during the present month. They intend to spend .July in various parts of Scotland, and will leave for New Zealand from Marseilles in the Mongolia about September 7. Mr. Sherratt has been to Epsom and Ascot, and was struck by the fact that the arrangements there for the accommodation of the public were in some resjiects not to be compared with the appointments at Flemington. Rindwick ami the leading New Zealand racecourses. He has also visited the Northampton agricultural show and th* Richmond horse show, hut expects to get a liettor idea of high-class stock in England after seeing the Royal agricultural show this week. Mr. T. E. Donne. Superintendent of the New. Zealand Tourist Department, leaves London to-morrow for the Continent, with the intention of joining the P. & O. liner \ ictoria at Marseilles on July 17. He will visit Wiesbaden and other of the Continental spas to pick up hints in regard to their management. Mr. Donne has now been absent fourteen months from the colony, during which time he has gained a good insight into American and English life and methods. He has succeeded in arousing a good deal of interest amongst manufacturers in regard to the Now Zealand exhibition to be held at Christchurch next year. His efforts here, he tells me. have met with a very gratifying response. ..nd every day brings fresh inquiries from manufacturers desirous of being represented at the exhibition. After his departure the work which Mr. Donne Jias begun will be cirried on by the High Commissioner’s department, and then* seems every prospect of a strong representation of British industries at Christchurch next year. Mr Frederick A. Anson, At.A., of New Zealand, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute at a meeting of the Council this week. Sir William Russell and Lady Russell left by the Athenie yesterday on their return to New Zealand. Mr Reeves told the story of an omen at the Now Zealand dinner the other night. A fortnight ago. he said, he was ascending tin* staircase of the New Zealand Government OHices, when he was confronted with a staring notice, “Beware of the high step.” On entering the (diice his old friend Air Kennaway met him with a smiling face and Jianded him a telegram notifying his appointment as High ( ommissioner. “Luckily.” said Mr Reeves, “we do not live in the middle ages, and we do not all believe in omens. I am not yet in prison, and have not been run over by a motor-car, and inasmuch as the oHicial telegram was Antipodean. I hope it may turn the omen upside down.” Neatly' put! Callers at the High Commissioner’s office this week: Mr G. W. ( larkson (Christchurch), Mr G. F. Court (Auckland). Mr John Joshua (New South Wale*). Mr and Mrs A. A. Lesncur (Wellington). Mr Alex. Mc'Taggart (Wellington), Dr. A. E. and Mrs Mickle (Christchurch). Miss Nicols, Miss Parker (Wellington). .Mrs Arthur Rawson (Wellington). Mr J. M. Rolle (Auckland), Air B. B. Swinburn (Wellington). Mr S. A. Shaw (Auckland). Mrs and Miss Wil ford (Wellington). Mr Robert Young (Auckland). Miss Mdl ut chon (Whakai ake), Air F. Pearce (Wellington), Mr J Jew. B. Evans (Kaiapoi). Major I). A. Chaytor ( Bleiih(*iin). Mr J. Charlesworth (Wellington). Mr Erank Grady (Wellington), Mr R. Guidings (Greendalp. Canterbury), Air and Airs J. Falkinder (Christchurch), Mr Herbert T. Richardson (Wellington), Air Cyril Blundell (Wellington). Air W. I). Alathieson (Invercargill), Mr .lamps Wilson and Miss Wilson (Fairlie), Mr Edward A. Shaw (Auckland). Mr G*. 11. V. Kriiiiore ( Rangiora), Alr George Graham ( Alarlborough), Mr J. Brown (Temuka), Air John R(»berts (Dunedin), Mr and Airs Wm. Sibbald (Auckland), Mrs AL E. Skelton (Christchurch), Mr A. C. Fookcs (New Plyniouth), Mr Henry C. A\'ilki<* (Dunedin). Mr R. A. Webb (Napier). Miss Tui Reay (Christchurch), Airs Nichulls (Christchurch).