PERSONAL ITEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 83, 9 April 1931, Page 13

PERSONAL ITEMS

VICE-REGAL. Their Excellencies the Governor-Gen-eral and Lady Blcdisloe were present at the Grand Opera House last evening, and witnessed the screening of the' British film "Balaclava." Mr. Julian B. Foster, United States Trade Commissioner, is leaving for the South by the Maori to-night. Mr. W. B. Hicks was appointed sole selector for the coming season at last evening's meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Football Association. Mr. Harold Whittle, the well-known pianist, formerly of Wellington, was one of the assisting artists at the St. Patrick's concert at the Victoria Theatre, Chicago, on 17th March. Mr. A. P. Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, who presided at x thc opening of the new alpine; hut at do la Becho Corner during the Easter week-end, is visiting Kowhai Bush, and will return to Wellington towards the end of the week. Mr. A. I. Johns, general manager of} the New Zealand Insurance' Company, left by the Aorangi on a visit to England. _ . Mr. E. S. Harston,. formerly of Wellington, who is now a. member of the' secretariat of the League of Nations at Geneva, left by the Aorangi on his return to Geneva.. ... : The guest list at the Grand Hotel includes Messrs. T. Fancy (Auckland)* E. Griffin, C O. Gibbs (Taiiape), T. Hawk© (Auckland), H. W. Petie (Palmorston North), L. E. Hemming (Auck-: land), W. J. Gilberd (Wanganui), L. J. Shortt (Wanganui). . A Press Association message froni Hokitika . reports that the death, occurred this morning after a brief illness of Dr. Alan Hopkins, surgeon, superintendent of Westland Hospital* The deceased leaves a widow and one child. He was 34 years of age. Captain W. Martin, at present In eoni« ; mand of the Makura, will • leave Wellington by the Eangitane on 25th April for Southampton. He is to bring out to> New Zealand the Union Company's new; ferry steamer Bangatira. j Mr. A. M'Bain, headmaster" of the1 Eastern Hutt School, will shortly.'be' retiring from that position. • He will seek election to the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, but is at present* undecided as to whether ho will offer! his services for a further term on the* Lower Hutt Borough Council. Among1 visitors to Wellington staying at the Hotel St. George are Mr. B. B.; Jones (London), Mr. and ■ Mrs. A. F. Patterson (Colombo), Mr. 0. E. Kressej (Christchurch), Mr. Marshall' Seifert? (New York), Mr. S. Fraser (London)^ and Mr. Basil Whitcombe (Christchurch). Brigadier-General H. E. Hart, who is to succeed Colonel S. S. Allen asi Administrator of Western Samoa, will leave for the mandated territory by, the Tofua from Auckland on 20th: April. Colonel Allen is now on Ms wavj back to New Zealand, and the duties] of Administrator are being, fulfilled id the meantime by the Secretary to- thai Administration, Mr. TurnbulL ' • Guests staying. at the Eoyal Oakj Hotel include Messrs. D. Patterson! (Oamaru), W. Pratt (Auckland), J. E* Henrys (Auckland), H. J. Mansoii (Eaetihi), C. F. Marshall Smith, E. J." Harper (Feilding), J. Mason • (Feiia* ing), and H. J. Mills (Auckland). Mr. C. Panting, who retired from ths Draughting Office, Post and Telegraph' Department, on completing 40 years'! service, the whole of which was served in the Wellington offices, was recently; presented with a letter of appreciation from the Secretary of the Department for services rendered, and was also presented by his fellow-offieersi with a reading lamp and two volumes] on natural history, as tokens of theitj esteem and regard. Mr. A. Gibbs, Chief Telegraph Engineer, Mr. J. JVTDermott, and Mr. J". E. Smith, district telegraph and laboratory engineers^ and the Chief Draughtsman, Mr. J. C Nevitt, spoke in eulogistic terms 0.6 the retiring, officer's service. In thanking them, Mr. Panting acknowledged1 their compliments and the gifts. : Among the Empire Hotel guests araj Mr. J. H. M'Carroll (Dargaville), Mr^ Phillipps (Palmerston North),' Mr. Jj K. Hornblow (Foxton), Mr.' S. H. Tippett (Whakatane), Mr. M. Constable (Napier), Mr. and Mts. G. Morriaj (Auckland), Mr. A. Syme (Christchurch), Mr. E. C. Browne (Auckland),! Mr. C. F. Alexander (Auckland), Mr. E. Phillips (Christehurch), Mr. .PearcW (Dunedin), Mr. D. L. Fitzgerald (Ka-i ponga), and Mr. and Mrs. W. Wallace' (Auckland). ■•''•'. , Mr. W. M'Nair Miller, a son of MiVi W. Miller, of Khandallah, has just ie«A tired on superannuation after long ser- i vice with the Department of Agricul-■ ture. His first appointment was at Wellington in 1896, Mr. Miller theur being a Masterton resident. From. Wei- . lington he joined a New Zealand con- ' tingent for service in the Boer War,where he was badly wounded. On his1 return to New Zealand he joined the Napier staff of the Department. He ; was later transferred to Auckland, then1 came periods of service at' Wellington,Invereargill, and Dunedin. He returned] to Masterton, where his career com-., meneed, some two or three years ago. At a farewell function the retiring officer was presented with a travelling rug by the officers of the Agricultural Department stationed in. Masterton.. Mr. F. T. Sandford, who lias teen! Migration Officer in London sincef 1922, is to take over the control of the trade and produce section of the High) Commissioner's Department. This! position lately became vacant, owing! to the death of Mr. W. S.. Ferguson^ When the migration scheme was in full swing the staff of the Migration De- . partment was the largest in the office, out when it was decided to curtail the; number of assisted passengers the staff had to be cut down. T*he trade and produce department deals with purchases and contracts made on behalf of Government Departments. Mr. Sandford, who was educated at the Eoys^ High School, Christehurch, entered the' Lands Department in 1897, and remained with it until 1918. H« was appointed to Hokitika, and became chief cleric and Eeceiver of Land Eevenue.- ■ In 1916 he went to head office as legis; lative clerk. In 191S no , was transferred to the Board of Trade to control export of timber. He then 'became' ' chief clerk in the Industries and Commerce Department, and remained in that ■ position until in 1922 he was appointed migration officer in London..