PERSONAL ITEM.

Colonel, Mrs., and Miss Pitcher leave Wellington for, London by the lonic on -Thursday.Mr. J. L. Kirkbride, of Ponsonby, left by '. the Takapuna for Wellington yesterday on . a short visit. • Mr. T. G. Brown left by the Takapuna | for Wellington yesterday to join the lonic, ■■.•■'• leading for London on Thursday. Mrs. J. T. Julian and her son, Mr. T. i Julian, left for Sydney by the Zealandia last evening, en route for England. ' Mr. R. Fenwick (Messrs. T. and S. Mor- ' rill, Limited) ; was a passenger to Wellington by : : the Takapuna, en route to Dunedin. Mr. T. Whitehead, of Surrey, England, •who has been visitiifg the Hot Lakes district, left for Sydney by the Zealandia last even- ' ing, en. route for Home. Lieutenant-General Sir 0. V. and Lady Tanner, who have been touring New Zealand for some time past, were passengers to ■ Sydney by the Zealandia last evening. Mr. and Mrs. S. Hetherington and Miss - Hetherington were passengers to Wellington by the Takapuna yesterday, to join the ' lonic, leaving for London on. Thursday. .. ; - Captain Steen, of the barque Sappho, -- which was wrecked off the Cape of Good - , Hope in ,: December last, and who came to Auckland from 3 Samoa -last week, left for Wellington by the Takapuna yesterday, to join the lonic, leaving for London on Thursday. • The resignation of Mr. G. B. Proud as a. . member of the Grey Lynn Borough Council '■ ' was received and: accepted at last nights meeting of that Council. - It was decided to send 5 a letter to Mr. Proud (who has left on r. trip to England), expressing appreciation '■.. of his services as a councillor. Miss M. M. Hodge, who for some time past has been employed on the teaching staff of the Tararu school, has received in- ' timation from the Board of Education that, subject to the approval of the District School Committee, she has been promoted to the position of infant mistress at the Wade public school.

■ . The Misses Lundon, who are leaving Eao- ' rao, where during the past six or seven years they have had charge of the native school, were fare welled by the settlers at Ruapuke last week. At a gathering held in their ' ' honour, ; Mr. "Jack" Swann expressed the general regret felt at their departure from the district/ remarking that they had ever been eager to provide for the pleasure and enjoyment of others. Miss Brown succeeds : to the charge of the Raorao school, the Misses Lundon -going to Papamoa, in the Tauranga district.—[Raglan Correspondent.] % A pleasing function took place at a meeting of the Auckland Grocers' Assistants' Uniop' last evening, when Mr. Frank CresWm pin ' (ex-president) was; the < recipient of a handsomely-illuminated address, signed by pff;the officers of the union, from the members, as a mark of their appreciation of the valuable services he J:has rendered to the • 'union. . - Mr. Crsspin was : also elected a |i life member. Mr. Shearer (president) made the presentation, and in doing so referred in highly eulogistic terms to the ungrudging manner 'in which Mr. Crespin had always attended to and promoted the interests of I the " union. Several members - also made laudatory reference to the work of the ex- , president, who suit&bilv replied. '::■■.-