People we Near About.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 50, 14 December 1899, Page 21

People we Near About.

Mr. W. E. Lcoky, M.P., the eminent historian, is married to a Dutch lady.

Among the war correspondents in -South Af rioa is Lady Sarah Wilßon, who is likewise a Red Cross nurse.

The learned Catholic historian, Dr. Pastor, professor of history at the University of Innsbruck, has been appointed by the Emperor of Austria a Councillor of the Imperial Court

Colonel J. J. Scott Chisholme, who was killed at the battle of Elandslaagte, on October 21, was a Catholic Colonel Scott Chisholme was commander of the Imperial Light Horse, whioh he raised and organised.

President Kruger's wife is a descendant of the same family as Cardinal Richelieu. His Honour has been wedded twice, and both his wives were chosen from the Dv Plessis family. He has had seventeen ohildren. His grandchildren number 104.

The Communal Council of Weimar, Germany, have decided to demolish a house in order to make clear the approach to a Catholic ohuroh. It is curious that the name of the proprietor of the house is Luther and that of the demolishing syndicate Papst, in English Pope.

Major Lord Edmund Talbot, who is an officer of the 11th Hussars, is among those who are now in South Africa. He is the only brother of the Duke of Norfolk. He assumed the* name of Talbot in lieu of that of Howard as he was heir of Bertram Talbot, the last undisputed Earl of Shrewsbury. He ia M.P for the Ohiohester division of Sussex.

Mr. Kegan Paul has been writing his reminisoences, which will shortly be published by his old firm under the title Memories of the Past. As a publisher and a man of letters Mr. Kegan Paul knew many distinguished authors, including Tennyson, Tyndall and Huxley, and his book is rich in stories of them, Through the volume there runs the course of thought which led Mr. Kegan Paul by gradual steps towards th« Catholic Church.

Professor Markham, the author of the much discussed poem, 1 The man with the hoe,' has taken winter quarters in New York, and sent for his wife, who will be an acquisition to the literary world, especially to the Catholic Writers and Authors' Guild, which will not be slow in enlisting her interest in its work. She is well known in the literary society of San Francisco and Sacramento, where she met Edwin Markham, long before he gave indications of being the poet of the hour.

Signor Foli, the eminent vocalist, whose real name was Allan James Foley, and who was a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, died on October 20, at Southport. Only three Bhort weeks before Signor Foli entertained a Glasgow audience, and the concluding lines of one of the songs which he then sang (' The mill wheel ') have acquired a startling significance by his unexpected death —

' I would the grave could hide me, For there alone is peace. 1 The great basso was an immense favourite in Scotland.

The 500 th anniversary of the birthday of Johann Gutenberg, the inventor of the art of printing, will be celebrathed at his birthplace, Mamz-on-the-Rhine, in June, 1900. The festival is to be an international one, and a ' printing exhibition,' to whioh all nations are .invited to contribute, will be opened on the first day of the festival. The exhibition will be arranged in three distinct olassi•n fcl ?n 8 \Q? H i storioal ; (2) graphic ; (3) mechanical. The first win illustrate the development of printing in different ages and amongst different races. The second will attempt to give as complete a survey as possible of the reproductions of graphic art by means of the pnnting-preßs in the present age. The third will contain the most modern machinery of the press.

Mr. W. J. Napier, who headed the poll at the General Election for Auckland City, is a well known member of the legal profession. He was born in Ireland, but arrived in Auckland when only fire years of age. He received his early education at St. Peter's Ca&olio school, Hobson street, Auckland, and later on attended the Grammar School. He was a great friend and admirer of the late Sir Geor_e ttrey, whose legal adviser he was for a number of years. Mr papier is now for the second time chairman of the Auoklard Harbour Board, and has been instrumental in largely improving the harbour and wharfage accommodation. He has led a Se of great activity, and is ajmember of many societies— social, scientific. and literary. He has been, or is, secretary of the French Club president of the Navy League, and Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute. He established a corps of Garrison Artillery Volnnteew 12 months ago, of which he is captain. He is a good writer andS able platform speaker, and frequently leotures on Imperial tonios Mr. Napier is just 40 years of age, and is full of vitality and vigour He is a supporter of the present Government. *

Mr. Kinmard Rose, who has gone to the front in the Transvaal war as the representative of Renter, is one of the trreatest if not the greatest living war correspondent. Rose (says a writer in the bydney Catholic Press) was my chief on the Brisbane Courier eight years ago, in the days when the Courier was a power. He was _ tremendous swell, and with his fine figure, beautifully attired, was the handsomest man in Queen street. To see him yon would never dream that he was equal to the rough life of the battlefield, yet Rose had before coming to Queensland undergone untold hardships on the battlefields of Turkey and Russia. Most gentlemanly in his bearmg and manner, he had won the friendship of the Russian generals, and is the author of the life of one whose name has slipped my memory. He diotated nearly all his work, and oould diotateto a shorthand writer a brilliant 'leader' in about 20 minutes. During the Cardinal's first visit to Brisbane Mr. Rose met him, and was deeply impressed with his Eminence's personality Rose's character sketch of John Dillon after an interview with the Irish member also won for him the hearts of the Irishmen of Queensland Rose's departure for Europe was celebrated in true Bohemian style at the Press Club. Since, he had gone through the war in Greece in which he carried off the highest honours ; he was with Kitohener at Khartoum, and had a terrible ride for his life through the desert. chased by Arabs. '