PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2527, 30 July 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Sir James G. Wilson was yesterday evening congratulated by delegates to tie Farmers' Union Conference upon the honour recently conferred upon him by His Majesty the King. Mr. G. W. Leadley, vice-president of the '• conference and several other delegates, spoke in high terms of praise of the efforts of Sir James to further llie interests of the Dominion in his position at the head of the union. Appreciation was expressed of the fact that Sir James had been singled out for the honour of knighthood in spite of his retiring disposition. In replying, Sir James said he regarded the honour as one conferred upon tlie farmng community rather than upon tho individual. ' Some previous men, who had been honoured by llio King, had been farmers, but they 'had been in politics at the time. The re-election of Sir James as Dominion president'of tho Union was carried by acclamation, the delegates singing "For He's a Jolly .Good Fellow."

The death is recorded of Captain ffason, formerly British Commissioner at the New Hebrides.—Press Association. Chaplain-Captain E. E. Maiden left Auckland on Tuesday evening for Wellington to join the Sixth Reinforcement draft. He was attached* to tlie Samoan force, but returned' to New Zealand in April. Dr. Hardie Neil and Dr. E. Robertson are Auckland delegates in Wellington, attending a conferenco of the British Medical Association. Last night's Gazette notifies that Mr. Frederick Valentine Waters has been appointed First Assistant Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department. Mr. H. T. EUinghanl, a member of the Wellington District Land Board, was granted leave of absence from yesterday's meeting of the board, as he has not yet recovered completely from an accidcnfc bo sustained some weeks ago.

At yesterday's meeting of. the.Wellington Land Board reference was made' tto the retirement of Mr. James Mac- V kenzie, Under-Secretary of Lands. The. following motion was moved by Mr; J.. Dawson, the oldest member of the pre- ' sent board: —"That this board tender to Mr. James Mackenzie, 1.5.0., UnderSecretary of Lands, its congratiffations upon the completion by him of an honourable and useful service in the Lands and Survey Department of this Dominion, extending over a period of 48 years, most of which time has bceiKspent in the district, and about five' years as -chairman of this board. This board liopss that Mr. Mackenzie will be spared to enjoy many years of happy life in his retirement." The motion was seconded by' Sir. J. Georgetti, and carried unani t niously. The Commissioner of Crown Lands', Mr. T. N. Brodrick, also spoko eulogistically of Mr. Mackenzie and his work. These sentiments were- echoed by other members of the board. In his reply Mr. Mackenzie gave interesting reminiscenccs of his early .days in the office that -now sees his retirement. .

Mr. \V. A. Low is in town, making arrangements for the appearance of the "Red 'Dandies," commencing at the Town Hall Concert Chamber nest Satur : « day week. . . The appointment of Mr. R. B. Morris to succeed Mr. D. Miller a'S' Chief Inspector of Post Offices is gazetted. Mr. J. • C.' Gleeson, of Auckland, a former member of the Auckland City Council, has enlisted as a private ill tho reinforcements of the Now Zealand Expeditionary Force, and has been accepted for. service. In April last- a report was published stating that Captain Hardham, V.C., formerly of Petone,-had been promoted to the rank of major. Captain Hardham writes from Egypt, requesting that the report should bo contradicted. In a letter to friends, written from the Victoria -Hospital, Alexandria, on June 19, Captain Hardham stated that his wounds ' were in tlio_ chest and left hand. The bullet pierced tho hand and then entered the left breast, going right through. Tho 'captain was making a splendid recovery, and hoped to rejoin his squadron in two months' time.

Mr. R. M. Bryant, of Tiritea, Pal-' merston North, has received the following letter from Chaplain-Major Grant in connection with the death of his son, A. H. Bryant, at the Dardanelles:— "Long ero this reaches you the sorrowful tidings of your son's death will have been sent you. This place has been well -named 'Shrapnel Gully,' quite a number of our men having been caught since we came here, but your son was shot by a sniper while ho was washing out his canteen on the beach. Death was practically instantaneous, and he did not suffer. He came over _with us on the Orari, and was-greatly liked by all who knew him. And now lie lias as truly given his life for the liberties of hunianitv as the man who falls with his face to the foe. You have my sincere sympathy in your loss and sorrow. This is a grievous time for tho fathers and mothers, .and we can only pray that they may find comfprt and nr God. Ho is buried in what we call tho Reach Cemetery, facing a lovely seascape with islands in the near distance."