PERSONAL MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 125, 31 May 1927, Page 11

PERSONAL MATTERS

The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. D. Stewart) left yesterday for the Bay of Islands. He will-be absent from Wellington for about ten days.

The Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) will return td- Wellington on Thursday, > - ■

The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) left yesterday for Palmerston North, Feilding, and Marton. He will return to Wellington on Thursday.

The Attorney-General (the Hon. F. J. Bolleston) arrived' by the Mararoa from the South this morning.

Bishop Brodie, of Christchurch, returned from a visit to Australia by the Ulimaroa to-day.

Professor T, A. Hunter .. returned from attending: the Australian Association's psychology conference by the UHmaroa to-day. The Hon. Colonel G. J. Smith, C.b'.E., was. among the passengers by the Mararoa from Lyttelton to-day.

Mr. Norman 8. Perry has been elected a member of the Wellington Stock Exchange.

Mr. Lewis G. Pocock, M.A., haß been appointed to the Chair of Classics at the Canterbury University College, subject to the approval of the University Conneil, telegraphs "The Post's" Christchurch correspondent.

Mr. J. Brown has been appointed superintendent of staff of the Railway Department, in succession to Mr. B. A. Marris, who ia retiring on superannuation. Mr. E. Casey becomes divisional superintendent for the North Island, in place of Mr. W. H. Hales, retired on superannuation. Both of the promoted officers have had lengthy service in the Railway Department.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. W. B. M'Uvehey, has returned to Wellington'front Christchurch.

Mr. Neville Watkins, who was ordained deacon by Bishop Ssdlier at the Cathedral Church, Kelson, last Sunday, is well known in Wellington. He has been connected with St. Mark's Church all his life, except for the two years he spent at St. John's College, Auckland. Next Saturday Mr. Watkins will leave for England, where he will join the staff of the Leeds' Parish Church! ol>e of the most important parish churches'in England, and after a stay there of two or three years Mr. Watkins expects to offer himself for service with the Melanesian Mission. The parishioners of St. Mark's are farewelling Mr. Watkins to-morrow evening- / .. • Mr, Walter H. Armstrong, one of the, oldest law practitioners in Auckland, died last week, aged 84 years. Born in Cambridge, England, Mr. Armstrong came to New Zealand in 1882 in the ship Robert Small. His family settled on land at Koraokoriki under the system of land grants then made by the Gov-. eminent to newly-arrived colonists, but Mr. Walter Armstrong entered .the law office of Messrs. Jackson and Merriman, with whom he served articles, and who later becam the firm of Messrs. Jackson and Russtill. Contemporary wif-h him in tho office were Mr. John Sheehan, who was Minister of Native I Affairs and Minister of Justice in Sir George Grey's Ministry of 1887-89»and Mi. Edwin Hesketh, afterwards of the firm of-Messrs. Hejketh and Richmond, one of the most eminent barristers of Now Zealand in his day. On being admitted to practice, Mr. Armstrong wa.it joined in partnership by Mr. Sheehan and Mr. Peter Dignan, forming the firm of. Messrs. Sheehan, Dignan, and Armstrong, which is now Messrs. Dignan, Armstrong, Jordan, and Jordan. Mr. Armstrong continued a member of the t}rm until about i four years ago,; when he retired. For the Waikato War, which broke out soon after his arrival in the colony, Mr. Armstrong enrolled in the Auckland Volunteers, and took part in 'their famous march to Drury. His brother, Mr. G. W. Armstrong, is manager of tr« local branch of th. Imperial Insurance Co., Ltd., and the oldest insurance manager in Auckland.

Mr. Samuel Albert Staples, who died at Biccarton on Friday, aged 72 years, was one of the best-known residents of Christchurch. When he was three years of age he was brought to New Zealand by bis. parents, and the family settled at Akaroa, removing to Woolston in 1866. In 1868 he entered the office of

the late Patrick Laurie, timber and coal merchant, and became manager in 1879. Later he managed Benjamin Monk's business at Kaiapoi, and in 1884 he took up farming in the Springston district, selling out in 1894 and taking up his residence in Christchurch. He ■pent some time as a salesman and be-

e»me very well known throughout the South Island. In 1900 he entered public life-u a member of the Eiccarton Board Board and was chairman from 1902 to 1910. He took a prominent part in the, steps taken to form the Waimairi County Council, which, when formed, absorbed the Biccarton Board Board. He was a member of the County Council from 19.10 to 1923, occupying the chairmanship from 1910 to 1920. He took an active interest in the movement for the extension of the tramway system to Biccarton and represented the Biecarton-Sockburn district on the Tramway Board from 1908 to 1924, and was chairman of the board from June, 1921. to December, 1922. From January, 1903, to January, 1924, Mr. Staples was a. member of the Christchurch Drainage Board,.and for many years was chairman of the board's Finance Committee. He was a member of

various other local bogies, for many years Mr. Staples wasj~a vice-president of the South Island Brass Bands' Association, and at the time of his death .was treasurer and yiee-president. In the Great War jSeriod he took a prominent part in patriotic work.