PERSONAL MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 90, 13 October 1916, Page 8

PERSONAL MATTERS

The Hon.' Dr. M'Nab returned from the Marlborough district last night.

Mr. J. G.- L. Hewitt, S.M., has been gazetted Registrar of the Supreme Court at Wanganui, vice Mr. W. Ken1, S.M., resigned.

Lieutenant Wilfred Fitchett, of the New Zealand Infantry, who left with the Main Expeditionary Force, has cabled to his father (Dr. Fitchett, Public Trustee) from the front that he is " well."

Mr. S. K. Siddells, of the Napier Boys' High School staff, prominent in Rugby football circles in Wanganui and Napier for a number" of years, will go into camp at the end of the year.

Mr. S. Laslett Exton, the well-known tenor singer, who has frequently figured iv amateur theatricals and concerts in Wellington, has enlisted. He is at present on a farewell visit to his people in Australia, prior to going into camp.

The Hon. G. W. Russell has accepted an invitation to attend a smoke concert arranged for to-night by the 'staffs of the Government Printing Office to celebrate the appointment of Mr. M. F. Marks (late Hansard superintendent) to the position of Government Printer.

Advice has been received of the death in action in Franco, of Pte. James Morrison Comrie, son of the Rev. J. W. Comrie, of Wellington. Pte. Comrie was educated at Wellington College, and for some little time before leaving for the front was engaged in fanning work.

Mr. James O'Donaghue, on his departure to join the motor patrol in London, received presentations from his fellow-employees at the Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd., and from the directors. Mr. Norwood, on behalf of the employees and staff, wished Mr. O'Donaghue God-speed and a safe return.

The deaths are announced of Mr. James M. Logan, marine engineer of Auckland, the owner of the first steam launch on Lake Rotorua, and for twenty-three years in the employ of the Northern Steamship Company, aged 72 ; and of Dr. E. J. Roberts, medical superintendent of the Hobart Hospital, formerly of Nelson.

Mr. H. Holland, Mayor of Christchurch, is at present in Wellington, and was the guest of the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) this morning in a tour round the city and outlying districts. The visitor was enabled to inspect the latest city improvements undertaken, including the Oriental Bay Esplanade, Lyall Bay, Central Park, the Botanical Gardens, and other points of interest.

Lieut. P. J. Ellis, of the New Zealand Field Artillery, who is reported wounded, was among the New Zealanders who secured the Military Cross two or three weeks ago for conspicuous bravery. He was formerly a member of the clerical staff of the Wellington Harbour Board, and was at one time a sergeant-major in the old Submarine Mining Corps. When the corps was disbanded he joined the artillery section of the new company as a sergeant-major under Capt.'A. Hume.

Among the New Zealand officers recently killed in action was Acting-Capt. J. L. Herbert, younger brother of Dr. W. E. Herbert, of Wellington. The deceased, who was about thirty-three years of age, was born in Otago, and was educated at the High School in Dunedin. At the time he enlisted he was sheep farming at Kelso. He was always a keen volunteer, and with his brother (Lieut. A. S. Herbert, who went through the Gallipoli campaign and is now at tho front in France) and his brother-in-law (the late Col. Stewart) he was responsible for the formation of the Kelso Mounted Rifles, which- was acknowledged to be the 'most efficient mounted corps in the Otago-Southland military district. The late Capt. Herbert, who went to the frontl in April last, has left a widow and one child.

Deep sympathy will be felt for Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Allen, of Wellington, who have received advice that their son, Pte. F. A. Allen, of the 13th Reinforcements (Infantry), has been, killed in action. The late Pte. Allen was a Fellow of the Institute of Accountants of New Zealand (F.1.A.N.Z.) aad a Fellow of the Institute of Accountants of Victoria (F.1.A.V.), and was looked upon as one of the most brilliant accountants in New Zealand. He won many prizes in accountancy essays, both in Australia and New Zealand. The late Pte. Allen, who was very popular among his many friends, was closely associated with sport. He was a member of tho Amateur Boxing Association, and played for the Oriental Football Club. The educational institutes at which he was educated were the Terrace School and Wellington College. He was thirty-one years of age at the time he met his death in action.

Sergeant Roland Llewellyn Armit, a. son of Mr. J. B. Armit, of Austin-street, Wellington, died on ISth September from wounds received in the Somme offensive. Deceased was born at To Aroha nearly 27 years ago, and adopted journalism as a profession. He began his newspaper career with the New Zealand Times, and afterwards joined the literary staff of the Gisborne Times, which he left to become chief reporter of the Southland Times, a position he was filling when ho enlisted last year. The late Sergeant Armit was an active member of the Star Boating Club when he lived in Wellington, and he a.]so belonged to several athletic bodies in this city. One of his brothers is Sergeant Colin" Armit, formerly of Messrs. R. W. Cameron and Co.'s staff in Wellington, who joined tho Australian Forces, and is now in hospital in Lincoln, England, and another brother is Mr. Edward Armit, formerly of the literary staff of The Post, who has just passed an examination at Duntroon Military College qualifying him for a commission ins,he Australian Forces.