PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15498, 27 January 1916, Page 8

PERSONAL ITEMS.

' ♦ His Honour Mr Justice Denniston returned from Wellington yesterday. The Hon. Sir Francis Bell, who has been in Canterbury for a week or so, intends to make the north coast trip next week, visiting Ward and Seddon. The Rev. P. H. Pritchett, of Mount Somers, is at present in a private hospital in Ashburton. undergoing treatment for rheumatism. A Wellington message says that at a meeting of the Senate of the University of New Zealand yesterday Professor J. Macniillan Brown >vas elected Vice-Chancellor, in succession to Sir Charles Eowen, resigned. Sergeant P. Campbell, of Washdykc, who went to Samoa with the Samoan Relief Force, has returned to take up the appointment, of Group Quarter-master-Sergeant in the Tiuiaru Defence Office. Another New Zealander. Major W. L. H. l'urgess, late of the New Zealand .Staff Cor:?s, has been awarded the D.S.O. Major Burgess, who is well known throughout New Zealand, and has relatives in Christchurch, is in command of the 9th Battery, 3rd brigade, Australian Artillery. A large gathering of friends met- in the Harrington street Presbyterian Schoolroom on Saturday evening to bid farewell to Mr J. Ncwlands, missioner, who has enlisted in the ranks. On behalf of the congregation, Mr Bowles presented him with a soldier's wristlet watch, a safely razor outfit, and a soldier's companion. The llev. Mother Xavier, head of -he Blue Sisters in Australasia, arrived yesterday morning with three other Sisters irom the Australian Mother House, Lejyisham, Sydney, for che opening of the new Lewisnam Hospital, Beuloy avenue. With the party was Elsie." the clever blind musician, who came over with the original party of Sisters, but returned to Australia. Mrs' T. H. Hunter, of Ashburton. has received word that her brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Parkes, of Auckland, who has been in charge of the Now Zealaiid Hospital at Pont de Koubboh, has now been appointed De-puty-Director of Medical Services lor the hospitals at Alexandria and Cairo. Lieutenant-Colonel Parkes recently had the distinction oi C.M.G. conferred upon him. The Hon. .Tames Allen. Minister of Defence, arrived from Wellington yesterday morning, accompanied by Major Sleeman (Assistant Military Instructor), Major Norton Francis (Base Records Office), and Mi* F. Matthews (private secretary). The Minister met a deputation of returned soldiers at the C.D.C. rooms, and left by the second express for the south. Sir Allen will be in Dunedin to welcome the men returning by the Willochra on Sunday. Tho Minister .will come north on Monday. Dr. Francis Otto Inglis. of Te Aroha, died at the residence of Mr Muir Dougl las, St. Heliers Bay, Auckland last week. Dr. Inglis arrived in Auckland on Christmas Eve for a week's holiday. He contracted a chill on arrival, and double pneumonia and complications set in.' The deceased, who was 32 years of age, married the second daughter of Mr Muir Douglas two years ago. He was highly "esteemed at Te Aroha, where he had been practising for some years. Dr. Inglis's parents reside, in Peebles, near Edinburgh. Lieut. Malby Dodwell, who was killed in action at tho Dardanelles while serving with the Australian Forces, was a well-known athlete in Wellington about 17 years ago, and even before that. He was on© of the early members of the Wellington Amateur Athetic Cub, and a fast sprinter over 100 yards and 220 yards. He competed in many championship meetings, but was never successful in annexing a championship. For some time he was employed by Messrs Wilkins and Field, who used to have a shop in Manners street, Wellington. Later he was employed by Briscoe and Co., and subsequently he went to Australia, where he enlisted. Mr G. Gillespie, who has been guard on the Methven lino for the past three and a half years, and who is leaving on promotion as assistant foreman in the Lyttelton station yard, was entertained at a large gathering in the Methven Town Hall on Monday night. Mr T. Twomey presided, and, on behalf of the residents, presented Mr Gillespie with a: purse of sovereigns. The chairnjan, Mr A. Drummond, Mr W. Goodwin. Mr N. McLeod, and others, congratulated Mr Gillespie on his promotion, and spoke of the high esteem in which he was held, his faithful discharge of his duties as a railway guard, and of his unyarving courtesy and obliging nature towards the general public. Mrs Gillespie was presented with a travelling rug, and several speakers referred to the good work she had done, more especially in connexion with the recent successful Queen Carnival. Another of Ashburton's oldest residents has passed away, in the person of Mr S. B. Nelson, at the age of 79 years. He had resided in Ashburton for forty-two years, and for a very long period followed the occupation of building contractor, and amongst numerous other works which ho undertook was the building of tho Municipal Chambers and the Bank of New Zealand. For many years he took"an active interest in all public affairs connected with the district, and for a period was a member of the Ashburton Borough Council. He was one of the founders of the Ashburton Rifle Corps, and held the rank of sergeant up to the time the Territorials came into being. He was a prominent and - leading member of the Orange Lodge, and on a number of occasions represented the Lodge at the Grand Lodge meetings. Ho was also a prominent member of the Ashburton Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter of Freemasons, and was also a member of the Thistle Lodge. He leaves one daughter G. I>.. Hefford.