PERSONALS.

Mr John Anderson returned to Christ church from Wellington yesterday.

Among the passengers arriving from Wellington yesterday were Captain Douglas-Smith and Messrs C. McKirdy and F. J. Gunn.

Mrs G. Norton, of 64 Matlock Street, Woolston, has been notified that her son, Gunner W. J. Norton, is shortly returning to New Zealand. The Aeting-rritue Minister, Sir James Allen, passed through Christchurch on Saturday evening, on his way from Punedin to Wellington. Mr P. J. Carr, formerly of Sockburn ami now of Fendalton, was advised on Saturday that his second son, Sergeant IT. Melville Carr, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry. The Eev. R. S. Gray, of the Hanover Street (Du.iedin) Baptist Church, has been released from his church duties, in order that he may conduct a prohibition campaign throughout the Dominion. Captain Allan S. Muir, son of Mr L. Muir, editor of the "Poverty Bay Herald," has been appointed DeputyAssistant Quartermaster-General to the Headquarters Staff of the New Zealand Division.

The death occurred on Saturday of Mrs J. G. Ruddenklau, at the age of 90 years. Her v late husband, Mr John George Ruddenklau, arrived in New Zealand in 1856, and was Mayor of Christchurch in 1882 and ISS3. He died in December, 1891. Advice has been received by Mrs A. Ralph, of 90 Shirley Road, that, her voungest son, Rifleman C. J. Ralph (Jim), is returning home. Rifleman Ralph left with the 22nd Reinforcement, ami has been in hospital since July 23, 11)17, with trench fever.

A memorial service for the late Canon Pascoe was held at the Holy Trinity Church, Avonside, last night, the sermon being preached by Canon T. Hamilton, vicar of Fendalton and an old friend of the late Canon Pascoe. The preacher spoke in high terms of the life and character of the deceased. The Rev. C. G. Mutter and the Rev. 0. Fitzgerald assisted in the service.

Mrs TT. Simpson, of 14 Abberley Road, St. Albans, has received advice that her son, Private Charles Edward Simpson, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry. Private Simpson was one of the first to enlist in August, 1914. He joined the 12th (Nelson) Company, and took part in the fighting in Egypt, went through the campaign on Gallipoli, and has been on the Western front ever since. Private Simpson was born at View-Hill, North Canterbury, in 1893. At the time of enlisting he "was with the firm of Williams and Stephens, of this city. j A welcome-home social was tendered ! to Corporal Samuel Bray at the Weslevan Church, Grcenpark, on Thursday, j Corporal Bray left with the 7th Rein- ! forcement, and has seen a great deal of service on the Western front, being twice wounded. The second wound necessitated the amputation of the left arm above the elbow. At the social given him on Thursday the Rev. B. Metson assured the guest and his I parents of the great pleasure that they j felt on his return home. Other speeches of welcome were made by Messrs .1. Silvester, C. Wolfe, G. Whitelaw, and T. O. Morgan.

At a gathering of local auctioneers and commercial men on Saturday, presentations were made to Mr Adam E. Smith and Mr Arthur R. Blunden, who are severing their connections respectively with the National Mortgage and Ageiiey Company and Messrs Dalgety and Co. Mr A. Boyle presented Mr Smith with a silver salver, and Mr Leicester Mat son handed a silver bowl to Mr Blunden, the gifts of various local auctioneering firms. Mr J. R. Brown, manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, proposed the health of Mr Allan Fleming, Farmers' Co-operative Association, "who is shortly leaving for camp. The .toast was drunk with musical honours.

The death occurred at Wellington on Friday of Mr W. Simm, father of Mr Bimni, manager of the D.1.C., Wellington, at the age of 79 years. The late Mr Simin was for many years in the service of Messrs W. and G. Tumbull, Ltd., and, by a peculiar coincidence, died on the same day as his old chief, Mr A. li. Tumbull. Born in Scotland, the late Mr Sinmi came to Wellington ,'!.j years ago, and had resided here ever since (says the "Post"), lie was a very prominent bowler, a member of the' Wellington Club, and he took part in the final of the New Zealand championship tournament in 1911. He was also a keen member of the Wellington Chess Club. He leaves a widow, four

sons, and one daughter, who is married to the Rev. J. Wilson, or Turakina. One of the sons was killed at Passehendacle, one has returned to New Zealand,

and another is still at the front. Particulars of the circumstances under which Captain Kenneth Basil Muirsoi: won the Military Cross have been received by his mother, Mrs E. Muirson, 468 St. Asaph Street. The official account states that when the (lank of the brigade to which he was attached became exposed during an advance he passed through a heavy enemy barrage, and by skilful disposition cf his machine-guns he covered the (lank and rendered great assistance to the infantry in repelling an enemy counterattack. I'uring the advance he suc-

eeeded in bringing 15 captured machineguns into action against tlie enemy by collecling and organising crews from the infantry, whom he had previously trained in the use of these guns. His courage, energy, and devotion to duty were beyond all praise. Captain Muirson, who left Christchurch when 19, wont to the front with the Ist Australian brigade as a private, and lias won his promotion and also a bar to his Military-Cross. He is now attached to j the Ist Lancers, Risalpur, India. Before leaving England lie married IVli.ss Kilinor Rupert, daughter of Captain Rupert, late of the lUtli Hussars.

Mr R. G. Robinson, superintendent of State forestry operations in the South Island,, is resigning from the department after 19 years' service. Mr W. T. Ward, Chief Postmaster at Christchurch, retired from the department's service on Saturday. He goes on three weeks' holiday leave, to be followed by the usual three months' leave of absence. Mr Ward assumed his duties in Christchurch on July 2, 19J5. It was recently reported that Rifleman R. Wright, of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, had been admitted to hospital, sick, but official advice has now been received by his mother, Mrs R. Wright, 50 Leicester Street, that he has not been reported cither sick or wounded, and is presumably still well and on duty. Messrs Duckworth, Turner and Co.'s employees met at the Masonic Hall on Saturday night to bid farewell and make a presentation to Private E. F. Lauyon, one of their shop mates, who is on final leave. The function took the form of a smoke concert, with Mr H. B. Duckworth in the chair, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. The chairman, on behalf of the firm and employees, presented the guest with a soldiers' wristlet watch, Private Lanyon suitably responding. Trooper Norman Lester, a Main Body man, died in the Christchurch Hospital on Saturday. The late Trooper Lester was born in Lyttelton, and was one of the first of the New Zealand soldiers to be invalided home from the front. He had been under treatment at Hanmer Springs and the Christchurch Hospital for over two years, lie served in the South African war, and at the time of enlisting in 1014 was engaged in the Telegraph Department, Timaru. A brother is serving at the front.