PERSONAL MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 100, 25 October 1916, Page 8

PERSONAL MATTERS

His Excellency the Governor and Brigadier-General Sir Alfred Robin, who went to Dunedin to visit the hospital ship Marama, returned to Wellington today by the Mararoa. The Hon. G. W. Russell and Mr. D. A. Aiken, general manager of the Union Company, were also passengers by the same steamer.

The Hon. J. Allen is due back in Wel lington from the South on Friday.

The Hon. G. W. Russell returned from the South this morning.

Mr. H. J. Finn, of Gisborne, is at present on a visit to Wellington.

His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman is expected to return from South by the Maori this evening.

The Hon. G. W. Russell will open a Nurses' Home at the Wairoa (Hawkes Bay )Hospital on Saturday.

Mrs. Dalley, Island Bay, has received a cablegram stating that her son, Cpl. W. T. Fishenden, is in 2nd London Hospital, progressing admirably.

Mr. A. Cassells, of the Invercargill office of the Bank of Australasia, is at present in Wellington prior to leaving for England, where he intends to join the Royal Flying Corps.

The Rev. Herbert Watson, Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class, has relinquished his duty with the 17th (Ruahine) Regiment, and is attached to D Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery.

Official notice was received last night that Rflmn. George M. Haigh (eldest son of Mr. George Haigh, of Wilson-street), previously reported wounded on 15th September, was killed in action on that date.

Mr. G. F. Gibb, of Kelburn, who recently underwent a slight operation, will be confined to his house for about a fortnight. Yesterday he received word that his son, Gunner Douglas Gibb, who left with the Main Body, has been wounded in France.

The Marlborough Express announces the deaths of Mr. Arthur McBeth, owner of the Branch Point sheep station, Birch Hill, and Mr. G. W. Blackburn, contractor, of Blenheim, aged 69. Mr. McBeth, who died from pleuro-pneu-monia at the age of 52, was born in Picton. He took part in the Boer War.

An old Feilding resident in the person of Mr. J. B. ***ts passed away in Palmerston on Monday. The deceased arrived in the Dominion with his parents 75 years ago, and spent the last forty years in Feilding. He was well known in athletics in his day, represented Wellington on the cricket field, and was also a well-known rifle shot. He leaves a grown-up family of two.

Privates Charles William Catton, and John Bruce Catton (killed) were sons of the late Mr. Thomas Catton, who died at Upper Riccarton about seven years ago, and of Mrs. M. E. Catton, now of Henderson, Auckland. Trooper Thomas Robert Catton, the eldest son, was reported wounded on 4th October, and another son, Private Allan Catton, is still at the front.

Another of Petone's oldest residents passed away last week in the person of Miss M. J. Collett, of Riddler's crescent. Miss Collett, who was 64 years of age, remembered Petone in the days of her girlhood, when, as children, she and a few companions used to dodge the wild cattle behind the toi-toi bushes. Miss Collett was for many years an earnest worker in the Anglican Sunday School.

The Taranaki Daily News states that Capt. F. L. Harkness, of New Plymouth, who returned to New Zealand from active service twelve months ago suffering from wounds inflicted at Gallipoli, has received instructions to report at Trentham on Friday next. Captain Harkness has quite recovered, and the sight of his left eye, which it was at one time feared he would lose, is unimpaired.

The Manawatu Standard states that Private Augustus Rockstrow, who formerly resided in Palmenston North and has for some years past been living Australia, has left for the front with a Victorian machine-gun section of the Australian Forces. Private Rockstrow is the second son of the late Dr. Rockstrow, one of the best known settlers in the early days, and for many years resident of Palmerston North.

Mr. William Chisnall, of Ohinemuri, who died on Monday, was a son of the late Mr. William Chisnall, one of the Dominion's pioneer settlers, who arrived in New Zealand by the ship Phoebe Dunbar about a month before the arrival of the historical "first four ships." He was born in Christchurch, and was a prominent farmer in the Hinds district, where he took a leading part in local Government affairs

Corporal M. L. Claridge (Leigh), died of wounds, was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Claridge, of Tuakau, and was 22 years of age. Prior to enlisting from Otorohanga, in the 12th Reinforcements, he followed the occupation of a printer in several Waikato townships. He was a keen territorial, and held the rank of sergeant in those forces. Whilst in Otorohanga he was secretary of the local band, and a member of the Church of England choir.

Mr. Henry Speer Wilson, whose death, at the age of 79, occurred a few days ago, was a very old resident of the Whangarei district. He arrived in New Zealand in 1853. For many years he was a Crown lands ranger in the Auckland district, and he was also a member of the Whangarei County Council, the Whangarei Harbour Board, and the Tokerau Land Board. One of his sons is Mr. John Munro Wilson, District Land Valuer at Palmerston North.

The following resignations have been received by the Wellington Education Board: Miss Ussher, sole teacher, Kaitara; Miss Rothenburg, assistant, Mount Cook Infants' School; Miss Wells, sole teacher, Dillon's Point; Miss L. Longhurst, sole teacher, Waimanu Aided School. Misses Ussher and Rothenburg have been faithful servants of the board for a long time, and at the board's meet ing to-day it was decided to send them letters expressing appreciation of their services.

Lieut. J. M. Ferriday, of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, arrived by the hospital ship Marama, and will reach Wellington in the Maori this evening. Lieut. Ferriday, who was wounded in France, is the eldest son of Mr. John Ferriday, of Mount Albert, Auckland. His next brother, Sergt. Hubert Ferriday, is " somewhere in France," and his youngest brother, Edmund, is now in camp at Trentham. Lieut. Ferriday's wife and mother will meet him on arrival here, and accompany him to Auckland. The three brothers (the only members of their family) were in different departments of the Civil Service prior to volunteering for the front.

The death of Mr. Allison Smith, formerly of the railway service in New Zealand, and subsequently locomotive superintendent of the Victorian railways, is announced in the Argus as having taken place in London. When the late Mr. R. Speight was chairman of the Victorian Railways Commissioners, Mr. Allison Smith was brought from Dunedin, where he had served with success, and was appointed to be assistant locomotive superintendent. Subsequently he was given the principal position. He was a strong supporter of the Administration against the critics of the time, and in consequence was himself assailed. Shortly after the Commission, of which Mr. Speight had been chairman, was superseded, Mr. Allison Smith retired from the service.

Mr. S. G. Raymond, K.C., of Christchurch, is at present on a visit to Wellington.

Mr. David Mcllwraith, whose death has occurred at Darfield, Christchurch, was born at Ayr, Scotland, and was for five years chief clerk in the traffic branch of the Caledonian Railway at Glasgow. He came to New Zealand in 1882, and for some years was manager of the Selwyn County Council's water-race system in the Ellesmere district, and inspector under the Selwyn Plantation Board.

Before commencing the ordinary business of the Lower Hutt Council last evening, the Mayor (Mr. H. Baldwin) made sympathetic reference to the death of Major Fleming Ross. He stated that the late Major Ross had been at one time a most energetic councillor of the borough, and that now he had given his life for his King and country. He moved that the council place on record its sympathy with his widow and family. In seconding the motion, Councillor Hodgins said that Major Ross had always taken a keen and conscientious interest in the affairs of the borough. The motion was carried in silence by members standing.

A gathering of about fifty of Petone's citizens met in the local Mayor's room last evening to say farewell to PoliceSergeant Forster, who is leaving the district, having been transferred to Timaru. The Mayor (Mr. J. W. McEwan) presided, and during the evening presented the guest with a wallet well lined with sovereigns, and in doing so wished Mr. Forster good health and happiness in his new sphere. Mr. McEwan mentioned the faithful manner in which the Sergeant had carried out his duties in Petone. Mr. A. Coles, on behalf of the Justices of the Peace, Mr. M. Welch (Hutt County chairman), and others also spoke, eulogising the work done by Sergeant Forster.