PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16206, 8 May 1918, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr J. B. Merrett returned from Wellington yesterday. Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M., at Rangiora yesterday, Messrs W. A. Banks and J. Joyce were sworn in as justices of tho peace. Mr George Smallbone, assistant-post-master at Dunedin, has retired from the service, and left for Napier yesterday. Ho was presented by the chiefpostmaster with a purse of sovereigns on D&half of the Dunedin staff. A Dunedin Press Association telegram states that Mr E. J. Parr, science master at the Otago Boys' High School, has been appointed an inspector of secondary schools under the Education Department. It is understood that his headquarters will bo in the Wellington district. Mr W. L. Wilson, who for five years has been deputy-superintendent or the Auckland Fire Brigade, and who has been acting-superintendent for the last six months, has been appointed superintendent in succession to Mr Woolley, who has retired owing to ill-health. Mr Wilson was born in Auckland, and at the age of 21 entered the brigade, with, which he has been or 14 yearg. The Hon. Seiaabino Shimizu, Japanese Consul-Goneral for Australia, will arrive in Christchurch to-morrow morning, and will stay at Warner's. He will remain here for two days and then journey South. He will probably visit Mount Cook, Akaroa, and La&e Wakatipu. The Mayor of Christchurch and the Town Clerk .will call on the ConsulGoneral on his arrival to-morrow. At Dunedin yesterday, the Hon. J. A. Hanan -went to the hospital to see two of his nephews, returned soldiers. One of these is Sergeant Neiwton Hanan, •who .was wounded at the Sopime twoyears ago. and was for a time in a critical condition, his spine being injured. The other nephew is Len Hanan, who broke down in health whilst serving on. a hospital ship and is suffering from hfombrrhuge.

. Hon. Sii* "William Fraser,' Minister of Public Works, arrived from Wellington yesterday, and went on to Otira to investigate the complaints of the Arthur's Paßs tunnel workers. The Minister returns torinorrow evening, and will go on to Wellington. Sir William espects to bo in Christchurch. nest week, when he will receive a deputation consisting of the Deputations Oommitteo of the Arthur's Pass Tunnel League. The Mayor of Hastings (Mr H. Lan Sim-' son), has received a cable message from London from his brother, Capt. Donald Simson, stating that all the Simson brothers serving in the war—Donald, Rupert, and Harold, all holding commissions—had met, while on leave, by the merest coincidenco in London. They oach enlisted in different parts of the 1 Empire—England, Afri'ca, and New Zca- | lancl, and they each joined different regiments. Mr J, J. Pickett, chiof postmaster ab Qisborne. is resigning from the Post andTelegraph Department at the end of the presont month, - Mr Pickett came to New Zealand as a young married man 4q years ago and entered the Civil Service at Charleston. He has been in the service of the Department continuously, and has been successively at Waipawa, Wnipukurjiu, Stratford, Tauranga, Thames, and Gisborno. Motor-Mechanic Douglas Pulsford, ' who was mentioned as having taken part in the recent great naval raid on Zeebrugge, is a native of Hobart. A.bout 18 years ago ho came t<> Wollington-with ; his mother (Mrs Alfred Canning, of Ronn Bay), and spent several vears in that city. He was educated "at The Terraco Sohool, and the Eltham School, and on leaving the latter he entered the semoeot the Bank of New Zealand. When he joined t}je motor-boat patrol h© was on the clerical staff of Messrs Laerv ajid Co., Wellington. He is a brother-in-law of Mr J. R. Gibbons, tlio veteran chief of staff of the Wellington "Evening Post." b