PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 86, 4 January 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance, is expected to return to Wellington from tho south on Sunday. Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, has arranged to lenve Christchurch on Saturday night and arrive in Wellington on Sunday. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture, returned to Wellington last night. Mr. J. R. Rood, K.C.. of Auckland, is a visitor to Wellington. Mr. Sydney Underwood, president of the Wellington Bowling Centre, will attend tho Dominion Association's tournament at Dunedin next week.

Mr. Geo. Frost, chairman of tho Reserves Committee of tho Wellington City Council, has been on a visit tu Christcluirch for tlio last few days. JJo intends visiting Duuedin before returning home.

Mr. W. Gray, principal of tho lierc'■aunga Bojis' .School, Hastings, is spending his New Year holidays in Wellington. ills. j. B. Armit, of 118 Austin Street, has received cable advice thither son, Lieut. Edward Armit, who has been in a London hospital for somo weeks suffering from gunshot wounds in the hack, is new convalescent. Lieut. Armit was for some time engaged in journalism in Wellington, and also in Sydney. Ill's. A. 0. Farroll, an old icsidcnt of ivonini, is dead, aged 63 years. Deceased had been in tailing health for some time past. Her son, Trooper J. Farrell, returned from the front a few months ago. -Mr. W. H.- 'Tubman, who has for some time been acting as assistant agent for Messrs. Dalget.y and Company, Ltd., in the Carterton district, has been appointed representative for that company in charge of their Eketahuna business, vice Mr. F. J. Head. At the burial of Jlr. William Hall, late paymaster at the State coal mines, and the second victim of tho Runanga murder, Archdeacon York paid an eloquent tribute to the noble and unselfish character of the deceased. The archdeacon said that probably liad Mr. Hall betrayed his trust and handed out the money-bags instead of attempting to draw his revolver, his life might have been spared, but lie preferred death rather than dishonour. During the soven weeks in hospital lie had borne his sufferings cheerfully and uncomplainingly.

Mr. James Smith, a resident of tha Maitai Valley, Nelson district, for over half a century, died on New Year's Day at the great age of 94. Mr. Smith's father was a soldier, and he was a pupil at the Soldiers' Sons' School at Woolwich when Queen Victoria was crowned. He came out to Nelson in 1856, and resided in the district up to the time of his death.

Mr. John Sullivan, of Methven, has sustained another great loss through the death of his fourth son, LanceCorporal F. J. Sullivan, who was killed in action on November 26. Lance-Cor-poral Sullivan left New Zealand with the Fourth Reinforcements, and saw much fighting at Gallipoli, being wounded once. He was one of the last to leave during tho evacuation, being attached to the Engineers. He then proceeded to France, and participated in all the fighting with his unit Before enlisting Lance-Corporal Sullivan was a cadet in the office of the Thorndon railway station. 'JVo other sons of Mr. Sullivan left with-the Mam Body, one, Trooper S. Sullivan,_bemg killed in action on' July 26, 1915. The other. Trooper E. Sullivan, was.blown up with a shell explosion, and is now in New Zealand permanently disabled. The last son of military age, Private T. Sullivan, is now in camp.

Mr. J. 1.1. Blackwell (Mayor of Kaiapoi) lias reecived news that his sou, Mr. 11. 11. Blackwell, has passed Ins iinal examination and obtained his commission as flight lieutenant, lie has received a commission with the scouts branch of the Royal Flying Corps, and was to have special training for fast machines.

Tho "Bokitika Guardian" states that it is understood that Lieutenant T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., on active serrice in France, has beeu promoted to the rank of captain.

Captain Oscar Ga Ilie, M.C., of Masterton, has been killed in action. Deceased was very popular on account; cf his many sterling qualities. He went 'to Samoa as a private, being attached to the artillery. Subsequently he went 1 to England and joined the Imperial Artillery. He saw streuuous fighting in Franco, and by sheer merit ivon his commission. Rising from the ranks himself, ho was tho staunch champion of the rankers. He was a prominent boxer, athlete, and footballer. Captain Gallie was a son of Mr. 1 John Gallie, of Stoke Street, Welingcon, and was employed on tho Masterton. staff of Dalgety and Co.

News lias been received privately from Johannesburg of the death of Mr. J. P. Bray, formerly consul-general in Australia for the United States. Mr. Brav was resident in Melbourne for some time, and subsequently in Sydney. While lie was in Sydney he married Miss Crabbe, who at one timo was a contributor to "The Argus" and ' The Australasian," under the pfin-name or "Winifred." After leaving Sydney, Mr Bray was "United States Consul-General at Singapore,. and lately in Johannesburg. Mr: Bray, who was 59 years cf a"e, occupied many public positions in the United States before lie came to Melbourne in 1897.