PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16407, 30 December 1918, Page 8

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The Hon. J. A. Hanan will probably leave Wellington for the South to-day. IJis itinerary will include Invercargill and district. Mrs E. Blackburn, Dromoro, has received advico that her. eldest son, the late Sergeant J. J. Blackburn, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on tho field of action. . Sir William Fraßer, Minister of Public Works, is to arrive from Wellington to-morrow morning, and will be at i the Government Buildings from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Minister goes south by the express the same day. Mrs Lowe, of Southbrook, has been advised that her son, Sergeant F. T.. Lowe, of the lltli Reinforcements, has been awarded- the Military Medal, for gallantry on the field of action.

Mr J. S. Hay, technical engineer to the Vacuum Oil Pty., Ltd., has received notice that he is to transfer to Melbourne. Mr Hay will leave Now Zealand Bliortly. Sir James Allen, accompanied by Lady Allen and Miss Allen, will leave Dunedin to-day for Timaru, en route for Mount Cook. After spending a few days there, the Acting-Prime Minister will return to Wellington. Mr H. N % A. Cook, who has been connected with the Dunedin and Invercargill staff of Sargood, Son, ancT Ewen, Ltd., for many years past, was the recipient of a gold watch from his fellow-employees on the occasion of his transfer to the North Island to take the position of manager of the company s branch at New Plymouth. Dr. T. L. Paget has been appointed assistant-medical superintendent at the recently instituted hospital for the orthopaedic treatment of soldiers at Christchurch, of which Colonel D. S. Wylie, late of $ew Plymouth, is the head. Dr. Paget is at present spending a few days in Stratford before taking up his new appointment. Sir Samuel Griffith, tfho has been Chief Justice of the .Federal Court since its constitution 15 years ago, is about to retire, afid a special Superannuation Bill has been put to meet his case, granting him a retiring allowance of £2000, or two-thirds his salary. Sir Samuel has been in very bad health for some time past. Mr L. M. Noble, Lynnford, has received advice from the Minister of Defence that his son, Sergeant L. A. Noble, M;M., has been awarded a bar to the Military Medal, for gallantry on the field of action. Sergeant Noble enlisted with the Main Body, was wounded on Gallipoli, and was invalided home and returned with ' the | 11th Reinforcements to France.

An illuminated address has been presented to Dr. Gilray, superintendent of the JN'apier Hospital (who has recoverillness), by a large number of returned soldier patients and expatients as an appreciation of his kindness to them. At the same time he was asked to accept for Mrs Gilray a gold wristlet watch, and for his young son a large rocking-horse.

At the close of the service on Christmas morning the elders and managers of Knox Church, Lower Hutt, waited upon their minister, the Rev. James McCaw, and on behalf of church members and friends Mr Williamson, session clerk, presented him with a cheque for £60 as a mark of appreciation of the work of Mr /and Mrs McCaw and the affection and regard in which they are both held by the community.

Mr W. Slaughter, Inspector of Labour for the Southland district, has been appointed Chief Inspector for the Wellington area, and is expected to leave Invercargill about January 25th. At the conference held between the Tramways Committee and the Tramwaymen's Union last week, reference was made by representatives of both bodies, to the good work Mr Slaughter had accomplished in Invercargill, and a vote of thanks was passed for the action he had taken in arranging a conference, with a view to a satisfactory settlement of tlie tramway trouble being arrived at.

Mr George Langrisli, Clivc street, J Timaru, has received advice his son, Rifleman James LangriSi, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This is the second occasion on- which, Rifleman Langrish has had his services recognised, having already been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal twelve months ago. He is a member of a family who have a proud war record, having had five representatives at the front. Privates Timaru Langrish and Gordon Langrish lost their lives at the Sorame and Messines respectively, whilst Svdnev Langrish, who went with the Australian Forces, has returned to Sydney after having been wounded several times. Private Georgo Langrish is at present in England.