PERSONAL MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1904, Page 5

PERSONAL MATTERS.

♦ Major-General Babington is still in Australia. His leave of absence will exjphe on the 261h inst. Mr. W. E. Woods, formerly in business in Wellington, was a passenger from Sydney to-flay by the Moeraki. Lady Ward and her youngest son, who have been staying in Napier for the benefit of their health, have returned to Wellington. The newly-elected Executive of the Wellington Industrial Association, at its first meeting, held last night, increased the salary of the Secretary (Mr. H. F. Allen) by £25 per annum. Mr. A. C. Elliott, of the Accountants Branch of the Post and Telegraph Department, will retire from the Public Service at the end of the present month in order to enter into business on his own account. The Wellington Presbytery yesterday afternoon, on the motion of the Revs. Dr. Gibb and J.K. Elliott, agieed to nominate the Rev. I). Borrie, of Dunedm, aa Moderator of the General Assembly for 1905. The Revs. J. Gibson Smith, W. Shirer, and A. Thomson were appointed by the Wellington Presbytery yesterday afternoon to prepare a minute for the records of the Presbytery in connection with the death of Mr. John M'Gowan, lajie Comtnissioner of Taxes. At a representative gathering of members of the legal profession in Dunedin yesterday (says a Press Association message from the Southern city), Mr. W. J. Riddell was congratulated on his appointment as a Magistrate, and presented with a handsome silver salver and other tokens of esteem. Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, of Carterton, feaa been waited upon by a deputation .from the Wairarapa Liberal Association, who invited him to stand for the electorate at the next election. Mr. Hornsby said he could hold out no hope that he would be a candidate. He would put bis reply in writing in the course of a ievr days. Among the passengers who arrived by the Moeraki this morning was Mr. R. J. Guthrie, of tlfe .Agricultural Department of the Sydney Mail, who intends spending some weeks in the colony enquiring into the condition of our dairying industry, particularly with regard to grading. He will also visit several of the coming ngricultural shows. It has been definitely decided that Messrs. H. M'Keowen and J. Cojrle, of Wellington, will represent the Catholic Young Men's Societies of New Zealand at the Australasian Catholic Congress to be held in Melbourne, commencing on the 23rd inst. Mr. A. H. Casey, who was previously appointed, will be unable to make the trip, owing to pressure of private business. The delegates leave by ihe Victoria next Saturday. Our Otaki correspondent writes: — The funeral of 'the late Alexander Small, Grand Master of the New Zealand Oddfellows, A.C., was held yesterday. The Oddfellows' service was read by Brother .France, Grand Chaplain, and the Rev. Mr. M'Williatu read the burial service in the Native Mission Chirrch amid a great gathering of Oddfellows and the general public. The many people who had assembled out, of respect to the memory of a good friend and brother were .much impressed by the solemn service in its unusual surroundings, the quaint Maori carving, solid totara pillars, and huge slabs of the .church adding to its "mpressiveness.