PERSONAL ITEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 86, 8 October 1941, Page 9

PERSONAL ITEMS

VICEREGAL. Government House, Wellington, October 7. This afternoon her Excellency Lady Newall visited the Levin Memorial Home for Girls, Britomart Street, October 8. His Excellency the Governor-General presided at a meeting of the Executive Council this morning. Later his Excellency received Sir James Grose at Government House. Tomorrow afternoon their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Newall, attended by Wing Commander H. C. Bevan, military secretary, and Captain C. J. Holland-Martin, aide-de-camp, will leave Wellington in order to pay their first official visit to Rotorua. Their Excellencies will return to Government House on Monday morning next. Mr. A. G. Thompson, son of the Kev. and Mrs. F. A. Thompson, Grey Lynn, Auckland, has been promoted to the rank of sub-lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm. Sub-Lieutenant Thompson was a reporter on the staff of the "Auckland Star" when he offered his services for the naval air arm. An old boy of the Auckland Grammar School, he is well known in Rugby football. Leaving New Zealand in September, 1940, with a strong draft of naval personnel, he underwent rigorous training in a number of depots in England. Numerous phases of naval work had to be mastered before flying was undertaken. Sub-Lieutenant Thompson gained his wings about two months ago. Since then he has befcn on a course of special training designed to fit him for the peculiarly difficult work undertaken by Fleet Air Arm pilots from floating bases. Regret at the death of Sir George Troup was expressed at last evening's meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The chairman (Mr. R. H. Nimmo) said that the late Sir George Troup was a Christian gentleman in the fullest sense of the word and an outstanding citizen, who, as leader of the Bible Class Movement, had made a great contribution to the welfare of the youth of New Zealand. The resignation of Mr. E. S. Brittenden from ttie secretaryship of the Canterbury Provincial Council for the Reclamation of Waste was received with regret by the council at its last meeting. It was decided to send Mr. Brittenden a letter of thanks. The Commissioner of Police (Mr. D. J. Cummings) left for the south today. Major G. H. Gray, M.C., N.Z.T.S., who has been appointed Officer Commanding the sth Training Battalion, Trentham, is expected to arrive in Wellington today. Major Gray has been! a battalion commander at Burnham for the last 18 months, and at one stage before the war was in command' of the I'st Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast Regiment. Major Gray, who comes from Blenheim, served in the last war. The Rt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, Bishop of Wellington, returned to Wellington today from Auckland. The Rev. J. G. Laughton, superintendent of Maori Missions of the Presbyterian Church, has been unanimously nominated by the Auckland Presbytery as moderator-Designate of the Church for 1942-43. He has also been nominated by the Waikato Presbytery.