PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3101, 4 June 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

[lon. .1. A. Ilannn, Minister of fylucalion, left for tho south by tho Mararoa on Saturday evening. Mr. C. I'arata, M.P., left on Saturday evening by the Marnron for the t-nulh. Major BartleU, left for the south by the Mararoa on Saturday ovening. Dr. Hay anil l)r..Beatty left for Christchurch by tho Atararoa on Saturday evening. Captain Conway was a passenger for (lie south by the Mararoa on Saturday ovening. Major Little, N.Z.M.C., has reported at t'eathorston Cnmp for duty. Captain Lou, of tho C. ai'd D. liner Port Adelaide (ex Indrapura), who was reported to have been taken prisoner by the Germans when his vessel was sunk a few monthß ago, is now stated to be in tho best of health in Germany, where lie is a prisoner of war.

An old colonist has passed away at Gisborno in the person of Mr. Henry Lewis, who was born 89 years ago in London, and landed at Auckland in January, 1855. Por twenty years he was in the soft goods business in Auckland with bis brothers, at tho end of which time he transferred his interests to Gisborno, w'hero he opened a large warehouse. Mr. Lewis look a prominent part in tho local politics of tho town, having been Mayor of Gisborne, and for eighteen years occupied a seat on the Borough Council. Ho was also for thirteen years a member of the Poverty Bay Licensing Committee, and was president of the Chamber of Commerce in 189C-7. Mrs. Lewis predeceased her husband by about 25 years, the family consisting of four sons.

Mr. J. A. M'Leod, formerly of the New Zealand inspecting staff of the Bank of Australasia, who enlisted in one of the early Reinforcements, and who has obtained his discharge in England after being wounded in Prance, lws ntuined to the Dominion. Mr. M'Leod, who held the rank of sergeant, took part m the Battle of Piers and other eng'igfitcnts in Prance. He subsequently was injured by a shell, and as a result he lost the sight of his left eye. Mr. M'LeoJ was formerly manage!' of the Tauran;ja and Rotorua branches of the bank.

Dr. F. T. Bowerbank (lately of Newv town), now Major F. T. is at present stationed in the No. 1 N.Z. General Hospital at Brockenhurst, holding tho position of adjutant. . Letters received from hint and his wife last week state that the doctor is in very cuod health and spirits, and that after a long spell of pretty hard work lie and his wife had been able to get away to enjoy a well-earned holiday of four days in London. At tho time of writing (March 9) the doctor. reported that hfl had only about '/00 patients in Hie hospital, instead of HOfl, which number they can take, and so things were comparatively quiet with him. lie thought, however, it was probable that the hospital would shortly be filled up again, owing to the great activity at the front. Persistent rumours circulating lately to the effect that the doctor is in ill-health are entirely without foundation.

The Rev. J. Rattray, of Mamakau, hus been advised by cablegram that his youngest son Victor, who was wounded at the Somme on September 17, has been readmitted to the New Zealand General Hospital, Brockenhurst, suffering from an old gun-shot wound in the left hand. At the Anzae Club, Featherston, on Friday evening, several members of the committee assembled to wish good luck to Gunner E. C. Holes, of the Twonrrsixth Artillery Reinforcement's, Mr. Q. Donald expressing to their guest the congratulations of his fellow-members, and wishing him God-speed and a-.saie return. These sentiments were endorsed by Mr W. J. Martin, and the recipient acknowledged the good wishes, and said ho hoped lie would be able to do his duty, and return to his old friends in the Wairarapa.

Sergeant-Major' if. Innes-.Tones was in town on Saturday in charge of recruits. This soldier was shot clean through the head on the Gallipoli Peninsula, and. lias since recovered to take up Stafl: duties in tho N.Z. Army. He lias five othci brothers who enlisted, three ot whom went through the Peninsula campaign and received wounds. Another was on the Egyptian Canal defences, and the youngest is in Franco an the trenches.