PERSONAL

Evening Star, Issue 15072, 2 January 1913, Page 4

PERSONAL

A Palmerston North telegram states that Dr George Wilson, a well-known citizen and a most successful practitioner, who had been in practice at Palmerston North for 20 years, died on Tuesday evening. Ho was operated on for appendicitis on Sunday afternoon, but the trouble had been allowed to go too far. His death was very sincerely regretted. Among tho passengers who arrived at Wellington from San Francisco by the Tahiti was Bishop Wallis, of Tonga, who had been on a visit to the Old Country and is returning; Mr R. T. O'Connor, a banker and broker, of St. Paul, Minnesota; Mr J. B. C'orv. a C'alifomian fruitgrower; Judge C. E. M'Cormack, of the Native Land Court, who has returned from a .holiday tour ; and Dr Winifred Bathgate, who is returning to Dunedm after a. sevenmouths' trip to England. The Hon. E. Mitchclson, who is now recovering from a, protracted and severe illness, has decided to take a tour of Great Britain and the Continent (says a Press Association telegram from Auckland). The tour will extend over a period of nine months. Mr Mitehelson will depart on the 14th. of March.

The estate of the late Mr Joseph Gould, of Christ-church, who died at London re cently, has been sworn at £112,555.

It is reported that Mr John Bryce will be raised to the peerage on his retirement from the position of Ambassador at Washington.

Mr William Lindsay Christie, one of the promoters of Christie's colliery at Green Island, passed away last Saturday at his residence at Saddle" Hill. He was in his 73rd year. Born at Montrose, Scotland, Mr Christie was a son of one of the sturdy pioneers who conquered in Otago—the late Mr -James Christie, who came to Dmiedin with his family bv the ship Stanley in 1854. Until 1874 Mr W. L. Christie* was a farmer at the Taieri. In that year he and his brother David opened the coal mines at Saddle Hill. While a farmer Mr Christie took a keen interest in county aft'iiirs. and was a member of the old Tnievi Boad Board. For 20 years he was a member of the East Taieri'Volunteers, and had a keen eye for a target. He was a noted marksman, and at one time won a gold medal in a match of his corps. He also won several prizes at interprovmcial contests, ft is interesting to mention that ilis brother and partner in business. Air David Christie, was also a fine marksman, he having won the rifle championship in 1566, when he secured the champion belt and a prize- of £IOO, to say nothing of the trophies he gained at different rifle-shooting contests. The s'lirect of this brief sketch was much respected in and about the- district in which he labored for many years.

Captain John Watson, who was for many years well known at Port Chalmers as dock-master and secretary of the Duck Trust, died on Tuesday afternoon at the. residence of his daughter, Mrs G. Thomson, at Pott Chalmers. Deceased -was born at Peterhead, Scotland, in 1834. After leaving school lie spent two years in the Inland Revenue Department, and then ho went to sea, going as apprentice in 1848 on the whaling barque Victor, hound for the- Arctic legions. He saw many of the wild adventures of whaling in the frozen north, and Mas chief officer of a vessel called the Eclipse, when she and another whaler named the Heroine were crushed to splinters in the ice. The crews of both vessels camped on the ice until a few days later they were rescued by a steam whaler, or rather as many as the steamer could accommodate. Captain Watson was amongst those left behind. They made their way to an Eskimo village, where they lived as comfortably as eireumsUnccs permitted, until a Danish brig canio along a few months later and took them lionie. In 1862 Captain Watson cam© out to .Melbourne, as chief officer of the steamer Alhambra, and later commanded sailing vessels trading to Austral ian ports. He was in New Zealand during the Maori War, and in the barque Coliingwood went to the Chatham Islands —two weeks after the famous escape of Te Kootc in the schooner Rifleman—and brought about 160 Maoris to Taranaki. Captain Watsoo served as assistant pilot at Taiaroa Head before he became dockmaster, from which position ho retired a few yeai'ri ago after 18 years' service. Deceased, whose wife predeceased him, loaves a grown up family of four sons and three daughters. The eldest son (Mr J. Watson) is an ex-mayor of Port Chalmers, and has I'cprcpentecl the town on the Harbor Board for a number of years. The other sons are Mr G. Watson, of Collingwnod, Captain David Watson, of the. Merchants' Service Guild, Wellington, Mr A..Watson, engineer, Auskland. The late Captain Watson's daughters are Mrs G. Thomson, Port Chalmers, Mrs W. Fretwell, Singapore, and Miss B. Watson.

Advice has been received of the death of Captain Forsdick, for 55 years in the service of the New Zealand Shipping Company. His last command was the Hurvuuii, the biggest vessel in the ileet. He commanded several old-time clippers, and of .steamers the Otarama, Wnimate, Otaki, arid lastly the Huruuui. He was very popnlar and much respected.

Mr Frank Foofe, 8.A., B.Sc, first assistant master of the Pahucreton North High School, has been appointed out of 28 applicants for the position, of Tcctor of the Gicbora© High. School'.