PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13104, 1 May 1908, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Bis Excellency Lord Blanket, accompanied by Captain Gathorne Hardy, A.D.C., and Mr H. C. Waterfield (private secretary) left Auckland for

Rangiriri yesterday for the opening 01

the shooting season. The party proposes to epend a coup!© of days in the Waikato. Lady Plunket, tho Hon. Kathleen Plunket, Mrs Waterfield, and Mies Oeeewell (of England) leave Auckland to-day for Roborna, where theyintend Branding'a week.

At a gathering at Wellington' yesterday Colonel Denny (of the famous shipping firm) expressed hie regret at the absence of the Prime Minister, who has been confined to has house for the past few days. . He said lie had seen <juite clearly already that if Sir Joseph Ward did not take more care of himself he would certainly bo laid up. Colonel Denny added that ho highly appreciated the kindness of Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues, and especially as one of them had thought fit to preside at that gatherDr. Chae. Chflton, professor of biology 'at Canterbury. College, has been elected by the Professorial Board to fill the vacancy on the Senate of the New Zealand University caused by the resignation of Professor Cook. Mr C. A. C. HaTdy, M.P., left for the North last night. Miss Cowlishaw, Mrs Randall, Mr and Mrs J. D. Fairlrurst, the Rev. J. C. Martin, Lieut. Dalgety, Messrs J. Mcßae Peacock, T. E. Taylor (Akaroa), G. Armstrong (Akaroa), F. W. Tucker, E. R. Wills. Henry Berry. H. Hiorns, R. E. McDougall, A. F. Brooke, H. Barker, L. W. Gibean, and H. R. Parker were among the passengers for Sydney by the Ulimaroa yesterday. Mr J. E. March, who has jetwed from the position of immigration officer for the colony, leaves Wellington to-day .for Christchurch. having decided to take up hie permanent residence here. \

Mr G. L. Greenwood, Official Assignee at Christchurch, who is retiring from that position, presided for the last time at a creditors , meeting yesterday. At the concfoieion of the business, the creditors expressed their appreciation of the manner in-'which Mr Greenwood had conducted the meeting, and other meetings of the same nature in which the; had been unwilling participators. A telegram from WelKngton states that the Marine Engineers yesterday entertained Colonel Denny, of Dumbarton, and. presented him with a badge of membership. Among the speakers were the Hons. J. A. Millar and G. Fowlda and Mr Massey. Mr and Mrs T. A. Phillips (Th© Point) and Mr W. T. Vance (Wellington.) arrived in Ohri&tohurch. tikis morning.

Mr D. H. Fawoett. who has ta.ken up work as secretary of the ChTistcfiurch V.M.C.A. d-uring Mr Stening's absence, was presented by tho residents of Dun-back (where be has ministered in the Presbyterian Church) with a purse of sovereigns. A Wellington teleyam states that Mr J. Strauchon, Commi6sioner of Crown Land*, who is being transferred to Auckland, was presented witn a tea and coffee service by the officers of the local lands office, and with a travelling bag by the members of the Wellinston Land Boajd.

slr R. J. Logan, who hae been in the service of Mr S. J. Furness, proprietor of the "Marlboroiigh Exprees." fo-r fifteen years, having latterly held th<» position of chief reporter, has severed hi.s connection with the paper in order io become journalist partner in tiie "Wajmaite Advertiser." He iviJj be KUtx?eeded on the "Express" by Mr E. J. Hill, of the. Dunedin "Evening Star."

.V)r W. Phipps, wno has for many vea.rs lveon. a member of tile "New Zealand Times" literary staff ia the capacity of chief proof rendor, has punch nsod Ihe- Waipukurau (Hawke's Bay) •• Press" newspaper, ai:d will take pn-.i'\s.Mon immediately. 'j"1:e- nvenrbcrs of the choir ami eon;zrc<i;:t,ort : vf the- Ash hurt on Primitive Mftrholirt Church presented Mrs J. Mars-den lvith a silver tea fervico on tho ov«,> rt her departure- for Christ-churc-h.

TuevJay's •• Wairarapa Times" says

Mr T. S. Hester, late postmaster at Masterton, who lias been transferred to Lichfield street Post Office, Christub.ii rah, took bis departure yesterday afternoon.. Mr Hester will carry with him the good wishes of all with whom he has come into contact during his stay in Masterton. Ho was uniformly courteous to the public, though often under stress of circumstances calcu-l-ated to provoke irritation on the part of the most even-tempered individuaJ, official or otherwise. Mr Htester frequently rendered us servioe in his official rapacity, and went out of his way to oblige us on more than one occasion, tor which we feel grateful, and shall alwaye think kindly of 'Kirn. The combined staffs wished to pre6ont Mr Hester with a tangible token of goodwill towards him, but the latter firmly bnt courteously declinked the proposed presentation, to which, he said, he had always set ibis face, having refused a similar preseni-ta-tion when leaving Kaiapoi. A joiiut letter signed by every member of the staff, expressing appreciation and goodwill, was grateful]v . accepted by Mr Hester, and acknowledged in brief but feeling terms. 'Mr James Si m> Evams, tlie newly appointed Magistrate for tiho Wakntipu distract, is the- second Inveroargill sclkator within the past six months to be raised to t.ho Bench. Curiously enough (saye t'ho "SoniMand Times") two years ago Mr Evans and IMx R. H. Turtooi, now S.M. at GTeymouth, wore rival solicitors, both practising at Queensfcown, and botih subsequently practised in Invercargill. Mr Evaons, a Nenv ZeaLa.nde<r by Iwrtth., received hrie prima.ry education a.t first in RivortooL, and suibsoqucm/tly in fcho neighbourhood af DunedLn. From tie ago of seven- j teen ho followed mining pursuits, and tho euooees which attended his career ac a mining agent caused ham to turn his attonition to tho law as a profeesion. In 1897 he Ix-oame assoda.ted with tihe firm of MacalistcT Bros., in Invercaxjrill, and he qualified as a so.lica'toT in VJO2. In tlio early part of 1903 ho opened a practice in Queenstown in partnerehip with Messrs Macalistor Bros., and returned to Inverca.rgill whjen has firm closed tho Quconetowai office 1906. As a Largo part of the magisterial duties in Wakatipu will be conneot-ed with mining matters it will be eecn that Mr Evams poseeesiS special knowJedge which makes him eminently adapted for the position.