PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3066, 30 April 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

A Press Association cablegram from Sydnoy states that Sir Gerald Strickland (Governor of New South Wales) left for England on final leave. He will resign his Governorship at the end of that period.. . \ '

Mr. William Parker, formerly in business in Auckland and Wellington as a chemist, and in late years practising in ' Auckland as '"an optician, died at Devonport'.on Tuesday, at the age of 63. Mr. Parker arrived from Scotland with his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. John Parker, 52 years ago, in the ship Resolute. In.his earlier life he was prominently connected with St. James's Presbyterian Church and Sunday School. He leaves a widow and a son and daughter, both now away from New Zealand. The Rev. J. R. Young, assistant curate of Sydenham, Christchurch, ivho has been appointed chaplain of the Twenty-fifth New Zealand Reinforcements, has reached Wellington. Mr. Raynor C. Bell, of Masterton, has been appointed the honorary Wairarapa representative of the Associated Board, R..A.M., and R.G.M. (London), in place of Mr. A. B. Wallace, who has resigned. Mr. Findlay, of the Carterton office of the Department of Agriculture, is leaving shortly on transfer to a district north of Auckland.

The golden wedding of tho Hou. Major B: Harris, M.L.C., and Mrs. Harris, was celobrated on Wednesday at their residence, Epsom. Many guests were present, including Major Harris's three daughters, Jlosdames Glasson, of Drury, Bosworth, of Palmersten, and Short, of Opotiki. The major's only surviving son is at the front. The "Hon. Major Harris, who is tho eldest sou of the late Mr. George Harris, an early pioneer, formerly 'of East Taruaki, was born at Lisbunv Ireland, in 1836. He came to New Zealand early in 1847 with his father, and four years later they went to Auckland from Wellington, Mr. Georgo Harris .commencing farming at East Tamaki. h\ 1860 Major, then Mr. Harris, started farming on his own account in lukokohe, having as his nearest neighbours the Tuakau Natives. During the Maori War of 1862 he showedthe way to the Native settlement at Tuakau to. the 60th Regiment, and subsequently joined the Otahuhu Cavalry as lieutenant, and volunteered for the fro.nt. He received his baptism of fire at, Paterangi, and served in several engagements. In 1866 ho was appointed captain of tho Pukekohe Rifles and Tuakau Ernes, and was subsequently appointed major. In 1885 Major Harris raised the_ first mounted corps in Auckland—the Franklin Mounted Infantry—which lie commanded for several years. Hβ holds tho New Zealand war medal, the long service medal, and tho Victoria decoration medal. He was returned to Parliament in 1879 as member for Franklin, holding that seat off and on until 1896. In the following year he was called to\tbe Legislative Council.

————^—— . . ■ y News has been received of the prtf< motion of Lieutenants F. W- Hfd ""J P. J. Ellis. M.C., N.Z.F.A., both or tho accountants' branch of the Wellington Harbour Board, who have attainea their captaincy. Capt. Ecod, who held a commission in the D Batterv, went to Samoa, as a lieutenant, when war broke out,'and then went on in charge of one of tho N.Z.F.A. Beinforcements.Capt. Ellis, who -was for a time ofncer commanding the Electric Light Corps Volunteers, wont away as a sergeant in tho Main Body, fougki througn\Gallipoli, and. has since distinguished himself by winning tbo Military Cross w France. ' • ' . .] Lance-Corporal G. V- Hanna, whtf died at Yaldhurs.t, near Chrißtchurch, last week, was about 27 years of age, and was, prior to the outbreak of war, the Wanganui representative ■of the* Kaiapoi Woollen Company. Hβ served with the Main Body of tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force, being wounded in the head at tho Gailipoli landing. After being invalided home he enlisted: in the Eighth Reinforcements, but failed,to get away on account oF"having contracted cerebro-spin&l meningitis prior to the departure of the reinforcements. He went into hospital, and later was found to he suffering from, consumption. His family bears an excellent record, as five of the deceaseds brothers are at the front, and a sixth is on his way there. . , Mr. Charles W. Nottleton died in. the Wellington Hospital.on Friday, after » brief illness. The deceased, who was v 38 years of age, and a native of England, was at one.time engaged in journalism in the Taranaki district, and; later on he owned and edited a paper in the Mangaweka district. Subsequently he was on the-staff of the Government Printing Office. Mr. Net.tleton has left a wido.w and two children. Mr. J. Piper, Petone ; has received a letter from his son, C. E. Piper,motor mechanic in R.N. Motor-Boat Patrol Service, in -which the irater states: "I went up for examination last -week, with a class of twenty men, made up of New Zealand mechanics, and English ohief motor .mechanics, i both ratings having to obtain &5_ marts Ito qualify, on' the. same examination' Uspor. I was credited with 82.0 marks, ! and came otffi second on the list of that olass, the man who gained: ton score also being a New Zeaknder. The result is that I have been recommended to headquarters for a chief, motor, mochanio's rating." Mr. Piper, jun., was at one time a student ox tne Petone Technical School.