PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1389, 15 March 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) is to arrive in town by Main Trunk express to-day. The Hon. T. Mackenzie will arrive 'this morning from Lyttelton. The Hon. A. T. Ngata is still at-Port Awanui, and will come to Wellington, next week. Sir James Carroll, the Hon. J. A. Millar, the Hon. R. M'Kenzie, and the Hon. J). Duddo are in Wellington. Mr. J. Piper has definitely announced that he will be a candidate for the Mayoralty of Petone next month. Mr. A. E. Kernot, who, with Mrs. Kernat, is leaving on a trip to the Old Country to-day, was entertained at dinner in the Empire Hotel on Wednesday evening ):y the staff of A. E. Kernot and Co., Ltd. There were sixteen present, and the chair was occupied bv Mr. A. Sim, who proposed the health of the guest, which was drunk with musical honours. Mr. Kernot made a happy response. During tho evening Mr. and -Mrs. Kernot were presented with tiavolling rugs. In proposing the toast of the. linn's cricket team, Mr. Kernot announced that, if the house teams' compelitions were to ho continued in the future, he proposed lo donate n trophy for competition among the various teams, an announcement that was received with applause. The Revs. B. D. Ashcroft, H. A. W. Blathwayt, W. A. Cross, W. T. Drake, W. L. Pord, and G. Stubbs (Church of England), and the Revs. John MncGrcgor and .1. D. M. Wilson (Presbyterian) are gazetted officiating ministers under the Marriage Act. Mr. E. B. Eurdekin has been appointed manager of the Public Trust Oliico at Napier, vice Mr. K. N. Browne, transferred. The Presbyterian Church at Papakura. Auckland, has given a unanimous call to tli2 Rev. Dawson Madill. At a meeting of tho Auckland Presbytery on Tuesday, the clerk (Rev. R. j-onunerviille) intimated that out of M 6 mimes on the roll 108 had aigned the call, which was supported bv Mr. Sutherland and Mr. E. D. M'l.eiinan, of Papakura. It was decided to place the call in Mr. Madill's hands, and that the Presbytery sustain tho call. Mr. Matiill intimnted his acceptance. A testimonial, together with a purse of sovereigns, was presented to Motornian W. L. Brcen cu Tuesday by the employees of tho Auckland Tramways Company, on the occasion of his leaving tho service to take up a position on the luvercargill Corporation Tramways. After 47 years of service in the Imperial and colonial forces, Captain 1?. Carpenter, assistant-adjutant and quar-ter-mastor-general for the Auckland military district, has retired. Captain Carpenter started his military career in tho Royal Marines, and afterwards transferred to tho Middlesex Regiment. Ho camo out to New Zealand a little over 17 years ago, under engagement to the Kow Zealand Government. On tho eve of his departure for a trip to the Old Country and Europe, Mr. A. E. Kernot was entertained at dinner at the Empire Hotel by. his stall'. .Air. A. Siinm was chairman, and sixteen members of the slalt wero present. The toast of the guest was felicitously proposed by the chairman, who emphasised the good feeling existing between Mr. Kernot and his employees. The loast was supported by Mr. A. W. Hnzolwood and Mr. A. H. Vial. Mr. Kernot responded, (hanking his staff for their kindly remarks and the evidence of good feeling, which he heartily reciprocated. During the evening advantage was taken of the opportunity to present Mr. and Mrs. Kernot with travelling rugs, us a token of regard. When last heard of, Mr. D. T. Stuart, of Wellington, was touring in Italy. He was to visit Rome, Florence, and Venice before .returning to London, and intends to leave there for Wellington in September next. Mr. Stuart's health has been excellent, and he has enjoyed every day of his long holiday. On the eve of his departure for (lie Old Country, the Ifc-v. W. A. la.iii* wa< c.,|or. taincd hist evening by the members nf his congregation, and wns prc.-cnled by them with a token of their regard. The presentnlion was nrcinip-inierl with nil good 'wishes for his welfare abroad.

Mr. James Christie has been appointed an assistant law draftsman to tho Crown Law Office. Mr. John ITeslop has been re-appointed ft member of tho Taranaki District Land Hoard. Similarly, Messrs. John M'Lcan and Andrew Cuinminir have been re-ap-pointed to the Southland and Wcstland L:ind Boards respectively. Mr. Prank Gavin Dully, K.C., of Melbourne, celebrated his Hill birthday recently. This simple statement of fact, though at first sight sugg:-sting youthful precocity of a very high order, depends upon the curious circumstance that Mr. Dully was horn on February W, in the year 1552. Fate was unkind enough to allot him only one natal day in every four year-, and on one occasion compiled Mm to po without a birthday for eight years. The interval was from 18!)G to 1904, when Mr. Duffy was old enough not (0 worry about it. Tho omission, of course, arose from the fact that tho year 1900 was not a leap year, tho number 19 not being divisable by four. It is staled on good authority, however, that in his younger days Mr. Dufl'v was most particular in observing a substitute for his regular birthday in "oil"' years, the anniversary being kept tin on March 1. Captain William Henry Burgess, brother of the late Captain Is?ac Burgess, for many years harbourmaster at Auckland, died at Devonport en Friday last, ill his 78th year. 1 Born in Limehoiuf, London, in 1831, deceased, like h/ls forefathers, took to the sea, and shipped as boy on tho ship City of Poonah, bound for India. On his return he joined tho barque Lord William Bentinck, which arrived in Auckland with troops on board on August 2G, ISSO. After serving in vanious capacities in tho brigs Invincible and Kestrel, the steamer William Denny, and the brigantino Despatch, ho entered the pilot service in ISSS, remaining there until 1884r-a service of 2G years. Many' of tho early arrivals will remember Captain Burgess as l>eing tho first person they met in the new land, when ho came aboard to pilots them in. After leaving the pilot service he served on tho coast in tho steamer Wnitaki, and then in tho Devonport ferry .service. Retiring on account of ill-health, he lived quietly at his home at Devonport. Captain Burgess passed through all the hardships of the early seafaring days, from ship's boy to the holder of u deep sen ticket. At Parnell, in 1562, he was married to Mar.garet Cameron, of Argyllshire, Scotland, by the Rev. Dr. Bruce. He leaves two sons, four daughters, and nine grandchildren.