PERSONAL MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1904, Page 5

PERSONAL MATTERS.

» — Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Willis intend to make a tour ot the world at the conclusion of the present session of Parliament, A cablegram received from Adelaide states that Mr. Poulteney Bigelow, the American historian writer, will visit Australia next spring. Mr. W. H. Triggs, editor of the Christchurch Press, who has been on a visit to England, arrived from the Noith this morning by tho Tarawera. Sir Joseph Ward returned from Napier this morning. Lady Ward and her youngest son are benefiting very much by tltfir stay in Napier, and will remain there for some time to come. Mr. H. A. Gordon, the Consulting Engineer of the State Coal Mines Department, arrived from Auckland last night on his way to the West Coast. He will go on to Greymouth to-night. ] Captain Loring, of the Indian Army, who has relatives in the colony, is touring New Zealand. He is now on his way from Auckland to»Wellington by way of Taupo. Mr. P. Augarde, foreman lineman of telegraphs at Christ church, died on Wednesday. Mr. Augarde joined the Tele- j graph Department in 1870 under the lato Dr. Lemon. Mr. D. Pirani, formerly part proprietor of the Manawatu Standard, intends to establish a new paper at Cambridge* early next month, under the title of the Waikato Independent. An accident happened on Sunday to Miss Craggs and Mr. Brennen, of Masterton. As they were returning from Greytown in a gig the horse stumbled, and the occupants were thrown out. The lady was rendered unconscious, and her lip was cut right thiough, necessitating several stitches being put in. The hoi so bolted, and the gig was badly damaged. A teleeram received from Nelson states that Capt. H. Collins was appointed Harbourmaster and Pilot at yesterday's meeting of the Nelson Harbour Board. On the retirement of Captain Cox recently, Mr. Collins was asked to take up the position until a permanent appointment was made. For several years Mr. Collins has been third officer on various vessels of the Union Company's fleet. Miss Rebecca Orr, youngest daughter of Mr. Thomas Orr, and Mr. Chas. E. Archibald, senior clerk in the Wellington District Lands and. Survey Office, and eldest son of the late Mr. Daniel Archibald, were married at the Terrace Congregational Church this afternoon by the Rev*. J. Reid Glasson. Mr. E. J. Archibald attended his brother as best man, and the bridesmaid was Miss Orr. The honeymoon is to be Bpent in the Auckland district. Volunteers in Wellington particularly, and New Zealand generally, will learn with pleasure that the Imperial War Office has granted the request of the Premier of £he colony to allow Master-Gunner Richardson to extend his service in New Zealand as gunnery instructor. MasterGunner Richardson hae been an exceed- : ingly popular instructor, and it was at the express wish of the volunteer service that the Defence Minister requested an extension of his term of service, after he had received orders from Home to return to his regiment, the Royal Artillery. Miss Helen Moron, daughter of the late Mr. James Moran, surveyor, for some years a resident of Auckland, was married this morning at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle-street, to Mr. Peter M'Gregor, of "Te Ruae" Station, Rangitike'i. The marriage was solemnised by the Rev, Father Moloney, who afterwards celebrated a Nuptial Mass. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr. P. J. Moran ; her bridesmaids were Misses Ida Moran (her sister) and Pearl Schroder, and the bridegroom was attended by his brother, Mr. D. M'Gregor. The wedding was a quiet one, only the immediate relatives being present. Mr. and Mrs. M'Gregor left by the 10.10 a.m. train on the way to the Wanganui River for the honeymoon. Melbourne exchanges, referring to the last illness and death of Mel. B. Spurr, the well-known society entertainer, state that his farewell season in Melbourne was interrupted the Tuesday before his death. It was thought then that he was simply run down through overwork, and needed a few days' complete rest. He was attended for angina pectoris and throat trouble., and appeared to be rallying till Friday, when an unfavourable change took place. Diabetic coma, which in- ! variably ends fatally, supervened on Saturday, and Mr. Spurr passed away at 4.50 on Sunday afternoon. The deceased gentleman had suffered from diabetes for the last ten years, aud although he was able to hold the disease in check it required more or les* constant attention, and the heavy work involved in an Australian tour had doubtless told upon him. He leaves a widow and mother in England. He may be said to have practically died in harness, as up to Thursday he was most anxious to keep faith with the public and complete his Melbourne season. It was only by the most strenuous command of his medical adviser that he was dissuaded from doing so, and only a day or so before his death he composed a song for inclusion in his repertoire, but which was never to be oung by him.

Ifc was stated during the interview which the representatives of the West Coast Timber* Association had with the Premier at Greymouth on Saturday night that the competition of Oregon timber was becoming a serious matter. One boat recently brought to Lyttelton some 780,000 feet, and it was carried from America for less than the West 'Coast millers had to pay to have it carried from Greymouth. The deputation suggested that an importation duty should be put on timber. It stated that there was no chance of the local price being increased, and the Chairman, Mr. William Morris, said that he was personally in favour of reducing the price. He thought that the eight shillings charged might be lowered to seven shillings. Mr. Morris also said that he was afraid that the Premier's Trade Monopolies Bill would, interfere somewhat with the As- : sociation. The body was really serving a useful purpose, since without it twothirds of the mills on the Coast could not continue working. The Premier said that the importation of Oregon timber was a very large matter, and a general public demand would be .needed before a duty would be Mkely to be imposed. What guarantee would the colony have that the local price would not be increased if there was an import duty? Any legislation in the matter would have to stipulate that the duty would be removed if the price went above a certain maximum rate. The Association was a body similar in constitution to the Millers' Trust. It fixed the price of timber, and so of buildings aDd of homes. He wanted capital to get a fair return, hut the Association had fixed its price*, so as to help the man who deliberately opened a sawmill under disadvantages. The Coast millers had sent away twenty-four million feet of timber during the previous year, and had charged eight shillings when the Chairman said that seven shillings would do. That meant that the people had paid £12,000 more than was necessary. He strongly advised the sawmillers not to be in such jv hurry to cut the timber. It was a most valuable asset, and in years to come timber would be wanted badly in the colony. The Rotorua Bowling Club has elected a lady as one of its Vice-Presidenti.