People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 10 December 1908, Page 28

People We Hear About

The infant Pu Vi was crowned Emperor of China in the Royal Palace last week. The coronation was attended with great ceremony. The Emperor toddled to the throne without assistance, and received the kow-tows of the princes and officials. Prince Chun, the Regent, will direct the Emperor's education and upbringing on modern lines.

• Mr. John MicCormack, the Irish tenor, who, it is said, has been engaged to accompany Madame Melba in. her next American tour, was born in Athlone in 1884. He studied for the Civil Service, and did not turn his attention seriously to music till 1902, when, at a friend's advice, he took part in the National Irish Festival, where he won the gold medal for tenors. In 1903 he Joined the choir of Marlborough Street Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, and sang at the St. Louis Exhibition in 1904. He studied with Sabatini at Milan 1905-6, and in 1907 he appeared in important roles at Covent Garden.

Sir Edward Elga-r, the distinguished composer, of whom his fellow-Catholics of England are so justly proud, has decided, in consequence of the delicate state of Ms health, to resign the chair of music in the Birmingham University, which he has held for nearly five years. During recent years it has become necessary for him to spend the winter months in. Italy, and this prolonged absence, he feels, is calculated to impair his usefulness to the University. He has accordingly placed his resignation iii the hands of the University Council. Sir Edward, who has ]ust turned fifty, takes the chief place amongst the musical composers of our day. In him the artistic talent is hereditary, for his father was a musician of considerable gifts.

Mr. Hugh Mahon, M.H.R. for Coolgardie (W.A.), who is Minister of Home Affairs, was Postmaster-General 'n the Watson Ministry (says the Sydney Freeman's Journal). Mr. Mahon was born in 1858 at Tullamore, King's County, Ireland, and spent his early years in the United States and Canada. Returning to Ireland on a visit, he became associated with the Parnell movement, and shared the Irish leader's imprisonment in Kilmainham under the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, when it was not necessary for the Coercion regime to establish any charge at all against a reputable citizen in order to imprison him without trial. Mr. Mahon's health having suffered, be was released, and came to Sydney in 1882. Here he was attached to the literary staff of the Daily Telegraph and other journals, and in 1895 he went to West Australia, where he conducted newspapers of his own on the goldfields. He won high opinions from the staffs of the postal and telegraph department when he was Federal P.M.G.

Emperor William of Germany is as prominent a devotee of strenuous life as is President Roosevelt. His regular working schedule for a single day, according to Leslie's Weekly, is as follows : — The monarch rises at 5 a.m., and sometimes earlier, if the press of business is unusually lieavy. At 6 o'clock he reaches his work-room, drinks a cxip of tea or bouillon and eats a sandwich, and then he seats himself before a great desk and commences his labors. At 7 o'clock the Emperor receives reports from his adjutants and Ministers, devoting three hours to this task. During this interval he also audits bills for household supplies, scanning the accounts of tradesmen with great care. At 10 or 10.30 a.m. the Emperor breakfasts with his family, his favorite morning meal consisting of oatmeal, bacon, and eggs. After breakfast the Emperor usually goes for a stroll, but by 2 o'clock at latest he is back at Iris office, where he puts in three hours' or more work with his secretary, going over written reports submitted to him, disposing of correspondence and handling many details of administration. It is the Emperor's rule to clear up the business of each day and let nothing go over to the morrow, no matter how late he must remain, at the desk. As a rule, he dines with his family at 5 o'clock, but the hour is later if ho has not then completed the work of the day. The evening he devotes to social enjoyment or to public functions.