PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Cabinet Ministers in 'Wellington to-day are the Hon. J. Carroll, the Hon. J. A. Millar, tho Hon. G. Fowlds, tho Hon. Dr. Findlay, tho Hon.. R. M'Kenzio, and tbi Hon. A. W. Hogg.

The Hou. Dr. Ifindlay lcavos for Christchurch and Duncclin' by to-night's boat.

Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P. for Egmont, is in town

Mr. J. W. Collins, of the- Labour,' Department, is at present on a visit 'to Auckland.

At last night's meeting of the Timber Workers' Tlnion, Mr. F. J. Lyons was appointed secretary, vice Mr. H-. Sinclair.

A vote of sympathy and condolence was accorded at last night's meeting of' tlio Star Football Club to Mr. W. H. Wliittaker on tho doatli of In 3 father.

Included in tho passengers who arrived from Nelson by tho Pateena last night ivcro Judge- Denniston and Inspector Ellison, of tho police force. ' , .

Tho Primo Minister returns from Mar» ton to-day. Tlio Hon. D. Buddo is in Canterbury, tho Hon. T. Mackenzie in Otago, and tho Hon. A. T. Ngata'at Port Awanui. Mr. Cyril Ward, son of tho Prime Minister, who is to tako up an appointment with the J. G. Ward Company, will reside m Invercargill. v<

Senor Gcrardo tho Peruvian official who is making inquirios iuto our agri« cultural methods, has completed a tour of the North Island, and has left for the south.

Among tho passengers who arrived by tho Paparoa was Mr. Ellis, who is taking tho position recently vacated by p Mr. Eraser as teacher of wood-carving 'and modelling at the Wellington Technical School.

Mr. J. A. X. Riedlo, branch mangaer at Dunedin of tho Dresden Piano Company, who passed through Wellington on Monday, is now visiting tho West Coast of tho South Island. , ,

Tho Hon. A. T. Ngata will probably be absont from Wellington about three weekn longer. After. accompanying his Excellency the Governor on his tour of tho East Coast and Bay of Plenty, ho will visit a number of Maori Councils in those districts.

Mr. G. H. Lightfo'ot, formerly secretary of tho AVellington branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, who has boon appointed an inspector oi factories, has commenced work in Christchurch, whore- he is to be stationed.

A Dußcdin Press Association telegram states that at a mooting of tho Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals yesterday, tho chairman, Mr. Georgo Fenwick, was presented with a liandsomo paid of binoculars, as a mark of esteem of tho membors, prior to his departure on a visit to England.

The Rev. E. S. Buchanan, a former student at Canterbury College, who is visiting Christchurch after many years' abseiico in England, recently deciphered at Paris and Verona two Latin manuscripts of tho Gospels, of'the'foltrtlrand fifth centuries. Tho University of Oxford, has decided to publish tho manuscripts-' at 1 ' its'- 'own, expense, yf Mr. Buchanan intends''to continue" his researches amongst tho manuscripts when ho returns to his work in tho Old Country.

Pressure of business has obliged the: Hon. ' A. W. Hogg, Minister for Roads and Bridges, to postpone bis next visit to the backbloeks for a few days. Ho intends to leavo next week for Pongaroa and other places in the hinterland of the Wairarapa and Forty Mile Bush districts. Hβ will then go on to Kawhia, Mokau, To Kuiti, and other places in tho King Country. Ho expects- to bo absent from Wellington altogether about ton days.

Mr. George A. Yates, pririipal of the l Pomona College, Claremont, California, has arrived at Auckland by tbo steamer Hiiuroto, having travelled over tho new ma;'* route from San Francisco, via Tahiti. Aftog spending a month each in New Zealandand Australia, Mr. Yates will return to America, via Fiji and Honolulu, in order to resume charge of his 500 students. Itis his dosirq to become conversant with tin actual conditions of colonial workers, and, among other things, to noto the success which attends State-run railways.

The news of Professor Kernot's death, which was received on Monday, was some-

what unexpected, as Mr. A. E. Kernot had a very reassuring letter a few days ago, the danger then being considered over. The Professor, whose distinguished career has just ended, was connected with the.Melbourne University for nearly fifty _ years, and during tho lash twenty _mado it considerablo endowments. In 1876, Mr. Louis Brcnnan, whoso torpedo was afterwards adopted by tho British Admiralty, and who was Professor Kernot's pupil, submitted tho invention to him, and thereafter they were closely associated with.its perfection. Many residents of the Dominion gained their degrees under the lato Professor's tutelage, Mr. Anderson, lato of Dunedin, and Mr. W. H. Morton, City Engineer, being among the number. Promotion has come rapidly to Mr. Joseph Hunter, M.A., at present first assistant at tho Stratford District High School, ''who has just been appointed rector of tho' v Goro High School. Mr. Hunter, who is nol yet thirty years old, is a son of Mr. J. Hunter, manager of tho Dunedin and Kaikorai Tram Company, and spent most of his school days at tho Kaikorai School. Obtaining a

scholarship, ho spent a year at tho Otago Boys' High School. Ho returned to Kai korai School as a pupil teacher, and after completing his university course and spending a year in tho Training College ho war appointed headmaster of Bald Hill Flat School. Returning to Dunedin, he was fourth assistant at Arthur Street School, returning there as second assistant after being assistant master at Wnitaki High School. Next ho went to Stratford. Now, as before stated, he comes back to .the South Island to take up a responsible position at Gore. A younger brother, Mr. Robert Hunter, whoso appointment to the headinastorship of LovolPs Flat School was recently chronicled, is also an old pupil of Mr. Ailnutt at Kaikorai School, and recently obtained tho C certificate and passed. tho first section of tho B.A. degree. Considerable interest has been aroused in the. case of the old man Donald Watt, who was found dead in his hut near the Cement Works, North Duiiodin, on Friday. The deceased (states tho "Otn<:o Daily Times"), was a native of Thurso, in tho shiro of Caithness, Scotland. He started work in a quarry when 11 years of age, earning 11s. a week. Subsequently ho bcenmo foreman for a road contractor, receiving tho munificent sum of 15s. weekly. Ho emigrated to JN'ow Zealand as far bac> as 1862, and, being energetic, resourceful, and thrifty, mado a considerable sum or money at contract friicing. In 1875 )io pnid a visit to his native land, but soon returnee to New Zealand. His money has been on fixed i deposit at a fair rate of interest over since, so that at the tinio of his death he was rapidly becoming a wealthy man. Among his effects were found bank deposit receipts for £6685 and a sum of £'2'i in. cash. Tlio bulk of this money will bo divided between his two aged cousins—an old man and an old woman in poor circumstances —living in Thurso; and an old friend in Dunwlin, who used to sit and play cards with him at night, has been surprised to learn that ho is to benefit under tho will to tho extent of £'200. Tho executor oF the will is a well-known "and respected citizen iin Dunedin. . .