PERSONAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 81, 30 November 1912, Page 5

PERSONAL.

The Governor and Lady Islington were publicly farewelled at the Town Hall in Auckland by a large and enthusiastic gathering last night. Among those present was the Prime Minister. Two addresses were presented to the Governor, one from the citizens and one from the farming community in the Auckland province. Great entausiasm was displayed.

\ The, Dowager Duchess of Flarders, niotljgr- of the present King of the Belgians, is dead. —Cable. Obituary; Mr. S. Reeves, a member of the Representation Committee, states a Dunedin message. Miss Smith, M.A., of the Temuka District High School, has accepted an appointment on the teaching staff 01 fhtchett’s Ladies’ College, Melbourne Miss Ella Barraclough, daughter of Mr. L. S. Barraclough, and Mr. John Wesley Griffin, son of the Rev. Mi. Griffin, of Opunake, were marr.ed at Wesley Church, Hawera, on Wednesday afternoon. Miss Hazel Saywell, pupil of the Stratford Convent, was successful in passing the Trinity College of Music examination held last July. By pass ing this examination Miss Saywell will now hold the degree A.T.C.L.

The Rev. Rameka Haumai,’ Native minister of the Church of England Mission to Maoris who died of pneumonia on Thursday morning aged Go years, was educated, at the Maori College, Gisborne, and ordained in 18Jo. He had lived in Tauranga since 190 U. He took part in the Maori war on the Government side.

Miss Mary Frazer, L.A.8., Kaitangata, winner of the Royal Academy of Music London Scholarship, has decided to proceed to London to participate in the benefits of the scholarship. The residents of Kaitangata will tender her a complimentary concert be fore her departure.

.• Mr H. E. Abraham, late manager a; Levin, for Abraham and Williams. Ltd., who resigned to take up the management of Mr Newton King’s Stratford branch, was _ accorded a special vote of appreciation at the annual meeting of shareholders for the ven satisfactory manner in which he had attended to the interests of the company.

The Hon. James Allen spenfc'yesterday in Christchurch, visiting several institutions under the control of the , Education Department. In the evening he left for Burnham, and will go south by the second express to-morrow.-The ! Minister will bo the guest of his con- . stituents at Tuapeka at a banquet on Wednesday evening, and Kaitangata will be visited on Thursday. Mr. Allen will attend a banquet at Lawrence on Friday night. The banquet will be an important function, for ? in addition to Mr. Allen, the gathering will be attended by the Prime Minister (Mr. W. F.' Massey) and several other Cabinet Ministers. On his return to Wellington Mr. Allen will pass through Christchurch on Tuesday week, but he will not break journey there. On the fol- • lowing Friday Mr. Allen, accompanied by Mr. Matthew's, will leave for Wellington for Sydney, joining the Orama at Melbourne for London. King Nicholas, of Montenegro, it undoubtedly the most picturesque oi the Balkan leaders. Although educated as a boy at Trieste and as a . youth in Paris—the Quartier Latin ‘.’■ remembered some of his exploits foi v many a long day—he remained a thorough Montenegrin, the fighting, poetical, and bucoßc instincts of his - 1. race untouched by his Western train-

ing. King Nicholas always, ; \vear: ■' the national dress—the only one, h( ;l says, in which he feels at home. Tin simplicity of the Montenegrin Court is proverbial. King Nicholas am Queen Milena are both advocates ol the simple life in its literal sense, and . have brought up their large family 01 (['these lines,' It is said that when the Crown Princess a daughter of tin. , iGrand Duke of Meeklenburg-Strelit; and a cousin of Queen Mary, first came to live at the Court of her father-in law, she found it extremely difficult to accustom herself to her new surround inga, brought up as she had been ir the rigid etiquette of a German Court. Melba oil her return to England spoke enthusiastically of her recep tion in Australia. Asked what wa; the most striking feature of her tour. Mdme Melba replied that it was the personal sacrifices made by many peo pie to hear her. "I was told of manj cases where people had travelled al night in order to reach the theatre. One case in particular was that of ; lady-—I believe she had turned 60—who travelled from Thursday Island to Sydney, a distance of 1200 miles. Imagim her disappointment when, on reaching her goal, she found that all the seat; had been booked weeks ahead. However, I am glad to say I was able t( find a seat for the old lady after all. I was also told about people- who had travelled as many as 2000 miles to heai my voice.” One interesting feature of the performances in Australia waf the composition of the chorus. The girls, for the most part, were of the shopkeeping class, every one of whon was conversant with grand opera. O. a certain “Walter Raleigh episode' Mdme Melba speaks with keen pleasure. “We were at Ballarai;, and an leaving the theatre at the close ot tin performance I found my way checked owing to mud, rain having fallen near ly all day. A young girl took off her coat and spread it over the mud. ii order that »I should not soil my satin shoes. Such is Australian chivalry.” Mdme is a stout opponent o. the Sunday opening of theatres, “i think it would be bad,” she says “Everyone Tnust have a day of rest.’