PERSONAL MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 29, 4 February 1914, Page 7

PERSONAL MATTERS

.«»— Mr. W. A. Ilolman, Premier of- NewSouth Wales, and Mrs. Holman arrived from Sydney by the Manuka this moining. Mr. Holman lunched to-day with the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey), Ministers of the Crown present in Wellington, and the Mayor, Mr. j J. P. Luke ; and will go north by the Main Trunk Express this evening. His destination is Rotorua, whence he will j go to Auckland and attend the Medical Congress, returning to Wellington in about a fortnight's time. Mr. Holman, who is malting his second visit to New Zealand, is accompanied by his secretary, Mr. E. B. Harkness. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, the 1 Hon. W. 11. Herries, the Hon. J. Allen, and the Hon. R, H. Rhodes are in Wellington, and the Hon. F. M, B. Fisher is due to return from Foxton this evening. The Hon. H. D. Bell is in the Auckland district, the Hon. W. Fraser at Kawhia.and the Hon. A. L. Herdman is on a visit of inspection to the Prison Reformatory at Waikeria. Father Eccleton, of Wellington, returned from a visit to Sydney by the Manuka to-day. Colonel C. J. Cooper, Commander of the Coast Defence Forces, Lyttelton, is at present on a visit to Wellington and leaves by the Main Trunk Express for Auckland this evening. Mr. F. Gale, manager of Messrs. Johnston and Co.'s shipping department at Wellington, has been transferred to the sales department. He has been succeeded in the shipping office by Mr, A. J. Fernie. Mr. G. H. Fountain, assistant parcels clerk, Auckland, has been* promoted to the position of foreign mail clerk, Wellington. Mr. J. G. M'Dougall, clerk, Auckland, is to succeed Mr. Fountain as assistant parcels clerk. The Loyal Britannia Lodge has appointed the following delegates to attend the annual district meeting at Pahiatua on Tuesday, 17th February :—: — P.P.G.M.'s Madeley, Pe'rrin, Jordan, and O'Sullivan, P.G.s Salek. Palmer, and C. Anderson. The Wellington medical , fraternity's representatives at the Australasian conference to be held in Auckland next week will include Drs. Collins, Gibbs, Begg, Elliott, Young, Pollen, and Holmes. Dr. Collins will preside over one of the sections of the congress. With a record of close on half a century's service in the employ of the proprietors of the Nelson Mail Mr. J. M'Eachen, who is retiring, was presented with a cheque by the proprietors, and was also the recipient of a memento of esteem from the office stall. Bishop Sadlier, of Kelson, who has been spending a sk weeks' holiday in Australia, returned to New Zealand by the Manuka to-day. While in Melbourne his lordship presided at the summer convention of the Missionary Societies, and on Christmas Day preached at his old church at St. Kilda. On Saturday Mr. W. H. Smith, who for the past fifteen years has been editor of the Marton Advocate, was presented by his staff with a gold mounted tobacco pouch on the occasion of his leaving to take charge of the Manaw-atit Times."- Mr. K. G. Smith, sub-editor of the Advocate, who transfers in a similar capacity to the Times, was the recipient of a travelling rug., Mr. R. H. Ferguson, who was formerly a teacher in Canterbury and < Hawkes Bay, has been appointed associate professor of Agricultural Economics at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, U.S.A. After undergoing a course of scientific agriculture at the Ontario Agricultural College, Mr. Ferguson (who left New Zealand about three -years ago) received appointment to an important position in Virginia. Speaking 'at the annual meeting of the_ Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals last evening Mr. R. H. Webb referred to the loss the society had sustained by the death of Dr. M 'Arthur, who " was always ready to patiently investigate the cases of cruelty to animals that were brought to his notice. While absolutely impartial and ever careful to give the benefit of a doubt to an alleged offend*, he yet had a keen sympathy with suffering animals." Reference was made at last night's annual meeting of the Society of ! Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to the illness of Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, and the following resolution was carried :—: — "That this meeting of members of the Wellington S.P.C.A. greatly regrets to know that Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, who has been connected with the society since" its establishment and was its first president, is unable 1 to be present owing to Severe illness, and desires to convey to him its sincere sympathy, and trusts that he may soon be restored to health and strength, and long continue to be associated with the society." Mr. William Stephenson, who died at his daughter's residence, Fitzherbert East, on Monday evening, at the age of ninety-one years, was hying at Leeds during the Chartist Agitation and riots, and many of his young men acquaintances received sentences of transportation for their connection with that movement. In 1850 he removed to London, where he made the acquaintance of Douglas Jerrold, Charles Kingsley, and others who were then interested in the co-operative and new trades union movements. Mr. Stephenson, who came to New Zealand in 1859, is survived by two sons and two daughters, his wife having predeceased him three years and a-half ago. Mr. E. 11. Wilmot, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor in the Otago district, is to succeed Mr. Jas. Mackenzie, who has been appointed Under-Seci'etary for Lands in place of Mr. J. Strauchon, who retires next month. Mr. Mackenzie, /who was born at Edinburgh in 1849, /commenced his professional career in the Otago Provincial Service in 1867. In 1872 he qualified as Assistant Surveyor for the Wellington District, and became District Surveyor in 1874. Five years later he became Chief Draughtsman for the Wellington District, and in 1902 was promoted to be Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor in the Auckland district. In 1007 he took up similar duties in the Wellington district, and in March. 1912, he succeeded Mr. Strauchon as Surveyor-General. Mr, James Freyberg. whose death at Wellington was recently recorded, was at oii!> time a well-known figure in New Zealand public life. His grandparents migrated from Saxony, in Germany, to Russia, where his grandfather entered the Russian Army. His father was born in Russia, and. with several brothers, fought in the wars against Napoleon, and was at the burning of Moscow. His bi others were all killed, and he came to London in the suite of the Emperor Nicholas. He married an English lady, and settled in London, where the late .Air. Freybeig was bom. For very many years Mr. Freyberg was in business in London as a surveyor, but came to Ncvv Zealand on account of his health twentytwo years ago. For some time he worked for the Government as Timber Expert, and later in the Valuation Department, but for many years he had been living quietly at home. He was twice married, and leaves two sons and two daughters in England and five sons out here.

In furtherance of the proposed public golf links, Mr. Hosie. of Newtown. has promised to present a gold medal to the best boy golf player in the public schools, and Dr. R. A. Cameron s> similar Uophy lot' the best girl placer,