PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5, 3 August 1907, Page 49

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 21. Major Tuson, who was selected during Sir Joseph Ward’s visit to London to be Adjutant and Quartermaster-Gen-eral under the Defence Council of New Zealand, will leave for the colon/ next month. His wife will for the present remain in this country.

Dr. A. C. Knight, of Auckland, and his wife and family arrived by the Athenic on her last voyage. They will, I understand, remain in this country for at least a couple of years, Dr. Knight having disposed of his practice in Auckland.

Dr. William Brown, late of Dunedin and Tauranga, was in London this week on a holiday visit. His wife and he left New Zealand about a year ago, and are now settled in Glasgow.

Mr. A. L. Cook, of Palmerston North, arrived from New Zealand by the AllRed route on Friday last. He will spend a month in London to see the sights, and will then tour through the provinces, and in Scotland and Ireland. While on the Pacific Coast, Mr. Cook went through a number of the lumber companies’ works to study the American methods of handling timber, and was much impressed with what he saw.

Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Goodson, of Auckland, who came to England recently by the Ayrshire, have booked their passage homeward by the Dorset, which leaves Liverpool on October l‘2th. Meanwhile they will visit various parts of England, and will spend at least a month at a good Hydro. They are over here for change and rest, and to take leave of their large circle of friends in this country, as they do not anticipate again visiting England.

Mr. John Fenwick, of Napier, on a pleasure trip to the Old Country, accompanied by his son and daughter. They arrived in London last week by the Mimiro, after a pleasant voyage, and are at present sight-seeing in London. They intend travelling on the continent for some three months before returning to New Zealand, via Australia. It is ten years since Mr. Fenwick was last in England.

Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Lovell, of Auckland, have been sight-seeing in London during the past few weeks, and the former has renewed acquaintance with many scenes of his boyhood’s days in the metropolis. He finds London grown out of all knowledge. His wife and he leave on their return to New Zealand on August 30th.

Mr. Russell Bartley, oi Auckland, who came Home in order to acquire proficiency as an electrical engineer, has obtained a position in the well-known firm of electrical engineers, Messrs. Compton and Co., Ltd., of Chelmsford, Essex.

Mr. J. L. Kelly, of Wellington, was in town last week, and went on to Cardiff and Bristol. Mr. Kelly is visiting the west of England ports ns Special Commissioner for the New Zealand Government, to report on the best methods of developing the direct trade between New Zealand and those ports. He will pay a brief visit to Scotland and Ireland at the conclusion of his business tour.

The Hon. F. Trask, M.L.C., and Mrs. Trask, of Nelson, have been visiting South Wales and the Dublin Exhibition. Mr. Trask thought the New Zealand display at the exhibition a good one, but by far the best of all was the Canadian Court. His wife and he returned this week to London.

Mr and Mrs J. I. Horne, of Hamilton, arrived in London on the Ist inst., after an enjoyable journey by the Canadian route. They arc on, a pleasure trip, and will visit the Dublin Exhibition, Scotland, Wales, and also the Continent, probably returning to New Zealand in October, via Suez and Australia.

Mr and Mrs Janies Hutchinson, of Whangarei, arrived in London by the Medic, via South Africa, on the Bth inst., and now after 43 years’ absence

Mr. Hutchinson is revisiting his native town of Nottingham, to find all his brothers and sisters well. Both he and his wife are interested in temperance and social work, and intend to make themselves acquainted with the social conditions of the Old Country. Their intention is to settle in Australia, leaving England about October. Mr and Mrs Joseph Raynes, of Auckland, and their son and two daughters, who arrived by the Turakina four weeks ago, have since been sight-seeing in London. They will spend six weeks in the metropolis and then visit Scotland, Ireland, and Paris, afterwards returning to spend another month in London before departing for New Zealand. Mr Raynes will shortly pay a visit to his native town in Yorkshire, which he has not seen for 35 years. The Rev. Wyndham Earee, of Taunton, who has forwarded an invitation for the Maoriland bowling teain to visit his town, was formerly of New Zealand, where he was a participant in the old pastime. The New Zealand bowlers, by including the Isle of Man in their itinerary, are putting up a new record, no colonial combination having ever before visited Manxland. There are several greens on the island, one of which is in Mr Hall Caine’s private grounds at Greba Castle.

Recent callers at the High Commissioner’s office: — Mr A. C. Matheson (Feilding), Mr W. J. Shannon (Feilding), Mr G. A. Storran (Auckland), Mr Win. Kingan (Maungawera), Mrs H. Sullivan, Mr Sullivan and Miss C. Sullivan (Wellington), Mr W. H. Wraight, Mr F. H. C. Martin (Christchurch), Mr E. S. Lancaster (Levin), Mr E. O. Lewer (Wellington), Mr W. C. Lowe (Wellington), Mr H. J. Thorpe (Auckland), Dr and Mrs Stephenson (Dunedin), Mr Archibald Ewing (Dunedin), Dr John R. Don, Mr John A. Collinson (Dunedin), Mr E. A. Sinclair (Dunedin), Mr John Berry (Christchurch), Mrs J. Ingram (Dunedin), Mr J. I. Horne (Hamilton), Mrs Horne (Hamilton), Mr B. Whitcombe (Christchurch), Mr Jas. Horsburgh (Dunedin), Mr. B. Arthur (Gibson), Rev. and Mrs Lee and Miss Lee (Lyttelton), Mr and Mrs J. A. Paton (Christchurch), Mr and Mrs A. Hamilton and Master A. Hamilton (Wellington), Mr J. B. and Mis Fisher and the Misses Fisher (Christchurch), Mr H. Tompkins, Mr Shearer, Mr David Subin (Sacramento. U.S.A.), Mrs Henry Orbell and Miss Orbell (Waikowalt!), Mr and Mrs Goodson (Auckland), Mr and Mrs A. B. Carmichael (Gisborne), Mr F. J. Bourke (Wellington), Mr J. H. Morrison (Dunedin), Mr A. Thompson (Wellington), Mr John Fenwick, Mr Wm. Fenwick and Miss E. Fenwick (Napier), Mr Thos. H. Groome (Hawke’s Bay), Mrs Hutchinson, Mr T. Hutchinson and Miss Alice Hutchinson (New Plymouth), Mr Jas. R. Smith (Naseby), Mr W. Georgetti (Wellington), Miss Archibald, Mrs Archibald (Christchurch), Mr Wm. J. Bolt, Mr G. Bolt (Dunedin), Rev. W. Cuff, Mr Watson Shennan, Mr Douglas Shennan (Dunedin), Mr A. Michie, Mr Albert Cook (Palmerston North), Mr Ernest F. Matson (Canterbury), Mr S. K. Garrick (Christchurch), Miss A. Rawson and Mr 11. J. Rawson (Wellington).

The pianoforte and vocal recital given by Miss Caroline Peczenik, a pupil of Leschetiikys, and Miss Dija Fletcher, of Christchurch, who has been studying with Santley, drew a very fair audience to the Steinway Hall last evening. Of Miss. Pcczenik’s playing one need only say that it has these qualities of technique which are to be expected from a pupil of the famous teacher, and suggests that at some future time she will take a big place among pianists. Miss Fletcher’s voeal programme was not so ambitious as Miss Peczenik's She Was content to sing simple ballads for the most part. And it was well that she did so. She opened in a very nervous fashion and, though gaining confidence as the recital proceeded, never seemed on really good terms with herself. Moreover, she had been suffering from a cold, and there were traces of hoarseness at times. Her opening number was Santley’s quiet devotional "Ave Maria,” which Miss Fletcher rendered very well indeed. She not so happy in Mendelssohn’s “Zulieka,” in which the accompanist—a young lady —seemed somewhat ill at ease and failed to keep her instrument in proper sub-

jection. In Haydn’s "Mother bids me bind my hair,” and Bishop’s “Tell me my heart,” Miss Fletcher's sympathetic mez-zo-soprano was heard to best advantage, and in response to demands for an encore she gave “The Bailiff’s Daughter” in excellent style. Sullivan’s “My Dearest Heart,” and “Cherubinos Song” (Figaro), in Italian, concluded Miss Fletcher’s voeal efforts, which were all warmly applauded by an audience which included a fair number of New Zealanders. During the performance both artists were presented with beautiful bouquets. Concerning Miss Fletcher, the “Telegraph” critic says:—“She has studied with Mr Santley, and it was, therefore, not surprising to find that her production of tone was smooth and easy. Moreover, she has a sympathetic mezzo - soprano voice. But there was one drawback; she was exceedingly nervous. For that, of course, there was every excuse, yet it prevented her from doing full credit to herself or to her excellent teacher.” Mrs. Pember Reeves, the wife of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, was one of the speakers at a meeting held at Hammersmith a few nights ago in support of women’s suffrage. The speakers were frequently interrupted by a noisy st'Ltion of the audience, and at times the>r voices were drowned by shouts, whistling and ironical applause. Mrs. Reeves spoke of the results of thirteen years oi the enfranchisement of women in New Zealand. It had brought about less public-house electioneering, she said, and had greatly widened the circle of domestic interest. In New Zealand they could not find a roomful of factory girls who did not know the provisions of the Factory Act. Women’s suffrage had educated the whole nation, and the laws were obeyed as they never were obeyed except by the people who made them. The Rev. William Lee and Mrs and Miss Lee, of Lyttelton, arrhc.l by the Medic, via Durban, Capetown and Teneriffe, on the 9th inst., after a smooth passage. Mr Lee was appointed to represent the New Zealand Methodist Conference at the Irish and the British Conferences; he will not be able to attend the former, but hopes to be at the British Conference, which meets in London in July. Mrs Lee has gone with her daughter to Cornwall to visit a married daughter, while Mr Lee is on a visit to Ripon and Bradford to see his brothers. After meeting again in London they purpose making their headquarters for a time at Ripon, where Mr Lee’s brother is Mayor for the fifth time. The length of their stay in England is uncertain, but they expect tq be here for at least fifteen months longer.