PERSONAL.

A Sydney cablegram reports the ckiiiih ol Sir Normand Aiar-lnnrin, Chance iio.i ci': ■; •:-3 I iii-or^iiy *i S>*.i----u-p.y, a :-il:<>! c ilinob.s. lie w<i.« vico--pi'--s!ii!'!U. oi the Legiulauve Council in 1893. A Sydney cablegram reports that Mr J. J. Brittain, the new ConsulGeneral for I\e\v Zealand, arrived by the Ventura, from San Francisco. Mr Brittain and his wife will depart for New Zealand on Wednesday. Constable D. Byrne, who has been stationed in Blenheim for about six years left this afternoon for London, where he will join the Irish Oiiards, of which he is a reservist, at Wellington Barracks. A Wellington telegram states that Mr William McLean, secretary of the Wellington-Opera. House Co., managing director of the Bonithon Oil Co. (Taranaki), formerly a member ot the House of Representatives, and at one time in business on the West Coast, died to-day, aged 69. Mr Bernard Redwood Ward, whose death occurred in Blenheim yesterday was a son of the late Mr Joseph. Ward, and was born at Nelson. He was for some years on his father s station at the Clarence, and was afterwards engaged for ten years in breeding stud sheep on the Brook by estate. He managed the Waipapa run for some years before settling at Blairich, and finally he acquired the Brancott station, T-ntesfield. He was a' keen sportsman, l>eing especially interested in racing and shooting, .and was a valued member of the committee of the Marlborough Racine Club. The debased, who had attained middle life, was unmarried. :■,'