Personal Items

VICE-REGAL (PA.) WELLINGTON, April 5. The Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall) presided at a meeting of the Executive Council this morning. Later, at Government House, his Excellency received the Hon, D. Wilson, Leader of the Legislative Council. This evening his Excellency received the Chief of the Air Staff, Air ViceMarshal L. M. Isitt.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) arrived in Christchurch from Wellington yesterday. The Hon. Mr Justice Northcroft returned to Christchurch by the steamer express yesterday. The Hon. Mr Justice Kennedy arrived from the North Island yesterday. Dr. W. A. Riddell. High Commissioner for Canada ip New Zealand, has been requested by his Government to return to Ottawa for consultations. He will leave New Zealand with the Prime Minister’s party.

Mr T. S. Holme, headmaster of John McGlashan College, Dunedin, has intimated to the Board of Governors his wish to retire from the headmastership at the .end of the current year. Sympathy with the relatives of Mr J. 0. Coop, whose death occurred recently, was expressed at a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League last evening. Mr Coop was a former member of the executive. With the retirement at the end of April 1 of Mr W. A. Flavell from the position of general manager of the Westport Coal Company, a record of 58 years’ service in the company’s employ will be brought to a close. Mr Flavell, who was born in Gloucester, England, arrived in New Zealand in 1882. He entered the employ of the Westport Coal Company at Denniston in 1886, almost at the inception of the company, and was appointed to Wanganui in 1897 to open the company’s busjness in the Taranaki and Manawatu districts. On the death of the Wellington manager in 1898, he was appointed branch manager there, and occupied the position for 20 years. In 1918 Mr Flavell was appointed general manager, a position he has held ever since. He has held office as president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association, and at present is v;cepresident. Mr James Jack, who has been in the employ of the Westport Coal Company for 40 years, and is at present assistant general manager, has been appointed to succeed Mr Flavell. —(P.S.S.)