PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Sir William Fraser, Minister of Public Works, left for Christchurch' last night, and to-day will go to Hanmer Springs.

The Hon. D. 11. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, who has had most to do with action on behalf of tho Government in connection with the Raetihi fire, leaves to-day again for Ohakuue and Raetihi. At ltnetihi the Mayor and councillors arc entertaining Mr. Guthrie at dinner to-morrow evening, as sn appreciation of his work in organising the fire relief measures. Mr. Guthrie, returns to Wellington .on Thursday.

Advice has been received that 2/12 Sergeant Arthur E. Wixon, son of Mr. A. H. Wixon, of Pipitea Street, has been admitted to the 35th General Hospital, Calais, suffering from a severe wound in the lieatl. Sergeant who has recently been awafded tho Croix de Guerre, was one of the fust to enlist at the outbreak, of war, and after serving in Samoa, left New Zealand with the Fifth Reinforcements, as a member of the" 6th Howitzer Battery.

News has been received by cablegram of tho death at his residence, St. Luke's, Jersey, Channel Islands, of Mr. George Felton, formerly stores manager to tho New Zealand! Railways. Mr. Felton retired from the railway, service in 1906. and with his wife and (laughter had been residing in tli«' Channel Islands for a number of years. Horn at Cowbridge. South Wales, lie was educated in his native town and at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. For nine years ho gained experience on the Rutschuk and Varna Railway in Bulgarin, rising to the position of stores manager in that service. Desirous of settling' in this colony, lie came to Wellington in the ship Commissary about the end of 1875. In 187G he joined the New Zealand Railway Service, and in the same year at Nelson he was married to Miss Sophia Cooke, daughter of Major T. W. Cooke, late of H.M. M.%dras Army, 110 was appointed stores manager at Wellington in 1895 and held that position until 1006, when, owing to a severe breakdown in health, he decided to retiro from the service and elected to reside in tho Channel Islands. He leaves a wife and one daughter and three sous.

Mr. James Hutchison, editor of the "Otr.so Daily Times," is on a visit to Wellington. A presentation to Mr. James Clark,, tho longest-service employoo of roe Wellington Harbour Board, was mado yesterday afternoon by Mr. F. Stupplos, assistant wharfinger. Mr. Clark, _ who has seen nearly forty years' servico ns_ a storonmn, is retiring on superannuation. Ho was mot by a large number of Ins fellow-workers, and as n mark of the high esteem in which he has always been held, was presonted with a case of pipes, tobacco pouch, and a purse of sovereigns, and wi,th a handbag for Mrs, Clark. Mr. Rtupples, in speaking of Mr. Clark's Ion? and faithful service, wished him every success in his retirement.

A send-off dinner to Sergeant Eabono N.Z. Engineers, Lce.-Covporal Sivitzer. Sapper Coward, and Sapper Hutson. N.Z.E., was given on Thursday, 11. S. M M'Kay, N.Z.E., presiding. On behalf 01. the N.Z. Engineers' tug-oi'-war team Sergeant Ralxinn was presented with a wristlot watoh (inscribed), and to each of the other three guests was presonted a wallet, also suitably inscribed. Sergeant Rabone was the coach to the unbeaten tug-of-war team, and tho others were activo members of the team. Mr. J. Bennington, who accompanied the team to Picton at Easter, was tho recipient, of a Bet of carvers, presented by tho team.