PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 77

PERSONAL NOTES.

— Colonel W. R. Robertson, , who is to become Brigadier-general under the new Aldershot chief, Sir H. Smith-Dorrien, has liad a remarkable career. He enlisted as a private in the 16th Lancers 30 years ago, and spent over 10 years in the ranks before getting his first commission in the 3rd Dragoon Guards. He was only a captain in the early days of the Boer War, and in less -than eigiht years hafr risen from this, rank to brigadier. —It came- as a surprise to moat people to hear Mr Lloyd-George congratulate himself recently as a Lancashire lad on the happy settlement of the cotton trade dispute. Mr Lloyd-George. ,we have come to look upon as the incarnaibion " of Wales. It shakes the foundations of belief to hear his claim' to be "a Lancashire 1-id." But he is quite , right, for he was born in Manchester. He may, in fact, be described as a Welshman born in England.

—Mr Marshal'! Hali, wiho achieved so great a triumffti in the Camden Town murder case, has been described a3 the handsomest man a-t the Bar. The famous_ K.C. has also been called the Maitre Labori of the English Bar, and certainly in fearlessness and persistence in fighting uphill caSes he may

justly be compared to the brKliant defender of Dreyfus. Like so many other barristers, Mr Marshall Hall is a keen golfer and well known upon the Deal links, where he is a. constant player. He is a<)so a noted shcit, while athletics absorb much of his spare time. He is a member of the M.C.C., and was noted for has forward play, a ofoajraoteiristic which has been commented upon in his professional life also; for Mr Marshall Hall believes that attack is always the best form of defence. "

I — When King Edward desires to pay a. oall on a personal friend * message to this effect is sent earlier in the day. This rule w almost^ invariable, but on one occasion hiß" Majesty neglected, the precaution, and on arriving at the House of his friends found the hosts out of town iand the charwoman in charge. The King' desired to go in «nd write' a message, but was asked by the cautious caretaker for his card, and as (hat was not .forthcoming she declined to let him hi.- i'He was a very pleasant, civilspoken igontleman," she told her employers on their return, "but as he hadn't a card 1 Jeft him outside." It was on>ly some time afterwards that the master of the house discovered to his ihorror the identity of the visitor.

— Seldom does one find such a curious combination of talents in one man as that S? ich «-^' ined name * nd fam e for the late Mr William. Jacks, LL.D., whose wijl has just been proved 1 for £112,500. Mr Jacks, who was of humble parenftage, began life in a Hartlepool shipyard, and laid the foundation of his fortune by saving a cargo pf iron sold to & fraudulent Italian. A keen, shrewd business man, he soon earned promotion aft&r changing 6rom the manual to the commercial side of the works, and ultimately founded his own successful business as an iron and atoel merchant. Hi* leisure time ho devoted to self-improve-metit. and developed not only into a I notable man of letters, -but became one ol the finest Germain scholars in Europe. He wrote several valuable books, the best known of which, perhaps, are "Robert Burns in Other Tongues" and "Life of Bismarck." the latter earning the praise of all foreign critical. And yet Mr Jacks's education proper was limited to learning *he "thr.ee R's" irf the village sohool of Sw.in.ton, Lanarkshire. ' — The Swedish Royal Family ' has not been without its love romances. Gustaf V., who succeeds King' Oscar, ia a cultured man, like his father, with an extremely weU-balanced mind. He has practically held th«- rains of Government for the last seven ye«rs, and has proved himself a ruler in whom the people cari place 'every reliance. And yet in his youth he fell in love w* wie daughter -of a. coumtry clergyman, and" offered to" renounce all his royal rights if his fiatiher would allow him' to marry her. King Osoar, however, refused, and the Crown Prince, as he then yrae, was obliged! to give up his. love dream and marrr Princess Victoria of Baden, in order thai* the succession might tie property secured 1 . Curiously enough, however, King OBcar gave way when his second son, Brinda Osoar, created a sensation, nearly 20 years ago, by announcing his intention of marrying Miss Ebba -Munck, hia mother's favourite maid of honour. The marriage took plate in 1888, and in consequence Prince Qseai- renounced ail rights of succession to the throne.- The -, youngest of tie lato King's sons is Prince Eugene, wiio is a painter by profession, and spends most O E the^year in Paris, where he hes a studio. It is said that he clears qujte £2000 a year from his art.

— The County of London, six-and-fifty years ago, acted ais the birthplace of the Han ■ Sir Thomas Rolls Warrington. The - eldest son of Mr Thomas ' Werrington, he wenf to Rugby, and from Rug>by to Trinity College, * Gamhridge, ' wJiere he conientod himself " widh taking a second-class - in- the Classical Tripos in 1873: ' On leav- " ing Cambridge he became addicted to the _stwly pf the law, and on being called to the Bar in his twenty-fifth year, embarked on i+a practice. With that practice he combined an enthusiastic devotion to the career of Volunteer in the famous Devil's Own, or Inns of Court, Regiment, and an active Freemasonry. By dint ■of industry, oaTe, and great ability, he gathered' in the passing of the years a larste general Chancery practice, and taking silk in 1895, presently became the leader in the court of Mr Justice Kekewich. In 1904- he was raised to the Bench, an appointment as -excellent as it wa« popular. He is a strong, sound judge, as the Court of Apneal learns when the House of Lords upholds his decisions which it has reversed. Off the Bench ho spends most of his time at Clyffe Ha-11, Market Lavingiton, in Wiltshire, where, with the indefet.iga.ble energy of the keen sportsman, he shoots over several thousand acres, and entertains eager guests with the ftsoistance of a dha.rmi'ng wife.— "Jeihw Junior." in Vanity Fair.

— During the former visit of the King: of Spain to England, a friendship -was fetruek between the Spanish monarch and Lord Granard, and the King made no secret of his admiration of the — plucky young cosmopolitan. He was selected to aittfend the Queen of Spain at Fyvie, and the 'youthful King and. Queen showed their appreciation of his services by presenting' him with autograph photographs of themselves. Probably the great passport to the favour of King-. Alfonso was the foot that the young p.eeiji family is devoutly Roman Catholic. ' Through his' mother, the daughter of Lord Pefr-ie, he ja connected -wrath the . principal OeutihoKc families of England, and especially writih that of the ducal hoiue o* Norfolk. The Granard estates' are in County Longford, and although the peen»»« is an Irish one, the- Earl is of Aberdeen descent. Four centuries' and a-half a<ro there Was a barony in the family, Sit Alexander De Forbes, the "husband of King „. Robert the - Third's grand-daughter. H» was created Lord Forbes by James II of Scotland. The seventh in descent from this lord Forbes was the Sir Arthur Forbea who. served under. Mbntrose in Scotland, and received as hie reward a. visoountcy, followed by an earldom, beeides the Mb*shalship of the army in Ireland. Their Irish association da<tes, from this time. The English title was bestowed in 1806, when .the si»A Earl beoejne .Baron Granard at Castle Donittgtori, Leicestershire.' All j>h« ! Earl's four younger -brothers are soldiers, like himself, and all are, despite th,» rigorous efforts of th« gossips, unmarried.

Many school children suffer from oonetipation, which is often the cause of seeming stupidity at lessons. Chamberlain* Tablets are an ideal medicine to give -a ohild, for they .are mild and prentle in their effect, and will cure even, chronic constipation. For sale everywhere.

•^•It is surprising' how oeople give to the Liverpool Oathedml in course of erection. Another anonymous donation of £10,000 has been, received, bringing up the grand total to £283,000. This sum, however, is only half of what is required. —The vicar of Filer, the Bey. A. N. Cooper, who is known As the "Walking Par•oß, described at Leeds recently his walk from Filey to Pompeii. He started on April 8, and accomplished the journey of 1800 miles there and back in six weeke.

•—Robert P. Peters, of Sioux, lowa, who has just celebrated his ninety -fourth birthday, has been in the pity police for 75 years, and claims the record as the oldest municipal officer in tbe United States. — The speed of an otter under water is amazing. Fish have xio chance against them. In some places in India otters are kept by the natives to fish for them. They are tied up to stakes like dogs when not working, wear plaited straw collars, and ■eem to be quite contented.