PERSONAL

Mr J. J. Alexander, of Tasman street, jNelson, who has been a "resident here tor some years, has receieved word ironi the Dofence authorities, London, that his son, Lieutenant John Alexander, of the 25th Canadian Forces, was killed an action on October 23rd.

Mrs.M. A. Smith, of W'akatu, Stoke, has been advised that her husband' Pnvate Fred Smith, who left on a. hospital ship, is seriously ill in Walton-on-Thames Hospital, suffering from a*>pendicitis.

The Rev. W. Ready, a former president of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand, has been appointed chaplain to the Maheno. He expects to leave about the middle of November.

Nurses Childs and Carruthers, who have been spending a few days' furlough in Nelson, will leave for Trentham this morning. Before-leaving- New Zealand with the Twentieth .Reinforcements they will spend their final leave in Nelson.

Advice was received in Nelson yesterday that Gunner Frank Everett,'son of Mr Albeit Everett, of Pokororo. who left Ne)\v Zealand with the Seventh Reinforcements, was seriously ill from shell shock; also that Gunner R. Watson, son of Mrs A. Everett, who left with the same draft, had been killed, in action. Both soldiers are "oltl boys" of Nelson College.

Mrs T. Fielden Taylor has received cable advice that her husband, Chap-lain-Captain Taylor, is returning to New Zealand. Chaplain Taylor, who was recently invalided to England from France, suffering from rheumatism and pleurisy, left New Zealand with the Main Body, and has done very valuable work for our soldiers m Egypt, at Gallipoli, and later in France. Dixring the Gallipoli campaign he was seriously wounded, but on recovering returned to the front.

Mrs. Burridge, Dannevirke, has received, advice that her brother. Able Seaman Albert Charles Phillips, has had a high, honour conferred on'him. He has been awarded the Russian St. George's Cross for the work he has done with the Russians in the Baltic for the past twelve months. Wearers of Russia's St. George's Cross are entitled to be saluted oven by a general. Young Phillips, who is only 23 years of age, has had a remarkable career.