PERSONAL MATTERS

The Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, left for Auckland by the Main Trunk Express this afternoon.

Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance, leaves for Christchurcli to-night. It is his intention while in the South to attend tho Winton Agricultural and Pastoral Show on Wednesday next.

Mr. D. J. B. Seymour, general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, is at present on a visit to the Nelson district.

■ Mr. Frederick Wells, who had resided on the Thames for fifty years, died in an Auckland street on Monday last, aged 78. He suffered from heart" disease.

Mr. Justice Chapman is at present in Patmerston North, presiding over the Supreme Court sessions there. Mr. Justice Hosking is taking the sessions in Auckland.

Mr. Justice Edwards, who has been rather seriously ill for some considerable time, is now much restored in health. He is recuperating in the Feilding district.

Mr. Walter Fuller, who went to Chnstchurch on business connected with the destruction by fire of his firm's theatre in that city, returned to Wellington this morning.

Mr. It. L. Cooper, who has occupied the position of sub-editor of the North Otago Times for nearly two years, has accepted an appointeme:rt on the literary staff of the Taranaki Daily News, published at New Plymouth

Mr. W. A. Hawkins, Registrar of the Supreme Court, who has been confined to bed for some time, owing to an injury to his foot, has so far recovered as to lie able to get up and move about a little yesterday. Ho will not,, however, be well enough to resume his duties for a week or two.

Cpl. F. R. Cashmore, of the Rifle Brigade, awarded the Military Medal, was slightly wounded some time ago. Before he volunteered he was a signaller in the Territorials. Cpl. Cashmore, who was born and educated, in Birmingham, England, was for some years in the employ of an Auckland firm.

Mr. Cecil Augustus Fitzroy, a very old settler of Hawkes Bay, died this week at his residence at Havelock North. On coming to New Zealand Mr. Fitzroy, who was born in England in 1844, settled in Canterbury, and represented behvyn in the House of Representatives from 1876 to 1881. He lived in Hastings for a long time, and was Mayor of that town from 1894 to 1899.

Mr. C. J. Cowan, chief goods clerk at the Ashburton railway station, retired on superannuation on Monday,' after 40 years' service in .the Railway Department. Mr. Cowan commenced his career as a cadet at Lyttclton in 1877. He was stationmaster at Petone for 14 years going to Ashburton in 1908. He held the position of stationmaster at Ashburton for nine years, which. brought his total record as stationmaster up to 30 years. Mr. Cowan spent 26 years in Canterbury. ■

Sgt. D. Sterritt (wounded early in October and last week awarded the D.C.M.) is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Sterritt, of Pirongia, Auckland. He was born in County Donegal, Ireland, coming with his parents to New Zealand, where he joined the Police Force. He joined the Otago Infantry, leaving with the 18th Reinforcements. fc>gt. D. Sterritt, when in Ireland, joined the North Irish Horse and was sergeant in that regiment for a number of years.

Mr. Bagnall, M.L.A., secretary of the New South Wales State National larliamentary Party, who was'operated on for appendicitis" five weeks ago, is still in a private hospital at Carlton. He is progressing slowly (says the Sydney Sun), and it is not expected he will be able to resume his public duties much before the end of the year. Mr. Bagnall is a son of a member of the well-known Auckland timber firm, and a nephew of Mr. Wm. Carpenter, of Feilding.

The late Mr. C. B. King, who died at Auckland on Saturday last as the result of a fall from a tramcar, served as a volunteer in the Canadian forces during the North-West rebellion in 1866. Ho was the holder of the medal issued by the British Government to those who took part in this campaign. By an Act passed by the Canadian Parliament two or three years ago a grant of £20 was made to each of the holders of this medal in recognition of their services.

Lt. Humphrey Clark, who has been awarded the Military Medal, is a son of Mr. Arch. Clark, the well-known Auckland merchant. Lt. Clark went Home two and a-half years ago, and, after a short period at the officers' training camp at Cambridge, obtained his commission, and was attached to the Signalling Company of the Worcestershire Rgt. He was promoted to full lieutenant's rank about six weeks ago. Before leaving for England Lt. Clark "was a member of the Auckland College Rifles.

"Ted" Hughes, who was a member of 'the "All Black" football team which played in Australia in 1907 under Mr." Edgar Wylie's management, has been doing military service in England for some time past. He has recently been transferred from the Rifle Brigade to driver in the A.S.C., Penney Camp, Tidworth, Manchester. He expects shortly to be leaving for France. Before the Australian tour he was living in Southland, and on returning to New Zealand.he took up his residence in Wellington. He was a front-rank player.

Sgt. Bertie Victor Cooksley, son of Mr. W. R. Cooksley, of Opawa, Canterbury, who has heen awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, left New Zealand as a. member of the Pioneer Section of the Main Body. Arriving in Egypt, the Pioneers were linked up with the Engineers, who had been recruited from New Zealanders in London. He was at the landing at Gallipoli, where the Engineers did such excellent work in making communications, and afterwards in laying the telephone lines, making roads, and constructing the different landing places. After five months on Gallipoli be was incapacitated by sickness, and sent to England, but- returned in time to join his old company in Egypt, and leave for France with the Main Body, where he has been ever since.

Sgt. H. G. Burt, who was recently killed in action in France, was the eldest son of Mr. H. Burt, chief engineer of a troopship. Sgt. Burt, who was 25 years of age, had been one of the first to enlist, and served for the first -six months with the force in Samoa. As he had just completed his term in engineering with the Union S.S. Co., his services were of considerable value. On returning to the Dominion he re-enlisted - with the 11th Reinforcements, and on reaching England was drafted to the instructional camp, where, he acted as instructor for upwards of twelve months, being attached to the Engineers. He met his death in the big push of a few weeks ago. His younger brother, Pte. James Burt, is now in the fighting on the Western front.