PERSONAL

Evening Star, Issue 21006, 21 January 1932, Page 9

PERSONAL

The Education Board this morning accepted the resignation of Mr James Nelson, head master at Green Island,; who is retiring after service of about) forty-five years as a teacher. Resignations. were also accepted from Miss 1. M'Dougall, Normal ■School, and Miss I. E. Brown, George Street, botu of whom had lengthy service in the employ of the board. It was decided to send letters of appreciation to these three teachers for their worthy servicc. At the meeting of the City Council last night the mayor (Mr R. S. Black); referred to the death of Mr W. D.: Snowball, who, he said, had been an old and valued member of the staff. The late Mr Snowball was the designer of the city, abattoirs, which had proved most satisfactory. During the South African War the deceased had givenvery valuable service in the remount department, and in other ways had, given yeoman service to the city, _ A 1 motion of sympathy with the relatives was carried, councillors standing in siU ence. The staff of the Inspection of Machinery Department met to bid farewell to Mr L. S. Dawson, who has been transferred to Invercargill. On behalf of the -staff the senior inspector (Mi; Alexander) presented Mr Dawson with a travelling rug as a token of the esteem in which he was held, and also; wished him success in his now appointment. Lloyd’s and the British Corporation weer represented by Mr W.J. Crawford and Mr R. M'Lintock re- ! spectively. Captains Dillner and Lansley were also present, and added their good wishes for Mr Dawson’s future career. One of the best-known postal officers in the dominion, Mr Felix Mortem supervisor of the Chief Post Office,; Wellington, recently retired on superannuation after thirty-nine years’ service (states a Press Association message) . At a large gathering of postal officers Mr Morton was presented ijith a travelling trunk. In making the presentation Mr J. M'Lean, chief postmaster, referred to Mr Morton’s excellent record. He joined the department at Timaru in 1893. After having training in Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland,) Wellington, and Invercargill Mr Morton was promoted to an executive position in Invercargill in 1914. He hkd also had experience as a controlling officer in Dunedin and Wellington, and had held an important position in the latter office since 1924. ‘ A social was. tendered to Conductor Ben Pritchard by the staff of the cityi tramways at the car sheds last nighty He is leaving for the Old Country. The raanagei (Mr M'Kenzie) spoke of, the high esteem in which Mr Pritchard was held in the service,, and presented him with a gold wristlet watch, pocket wallet, suitably inscribed, and a lady’s handbag for Mrs Pritchard. Mr Pritchard responded for; both himself and Mrs Pritchard. Mr J. M'Tigue, sen , was chairman. Mrs George Smyth, whose funeral took placte at Port Chalmers to-day, was born at Otago Heads eighty-four years ago. Her parents, the late .Mr and Mrs • Benjamin Coleman,. arrived at Waikouaiti in the Magnet in 1840. Their eldest daughter, the late Mrs Woolsey, arrived with her parents on the Magnet. Mrs Smyth was said to be the fifth white child born in Otago., Her father was drowned at Black Jack Point, and was buried at Otakou. Her uncle, Mr William Coleman, was drowned in the lower harbour on February 10, 1860. The body was recovered from the sea in front of his property near Kai-Kai Boach. His lonely grave may yet be seen between' Kai-Kai and Murdering Beach. Mrs Smyth was married to the late Mr. Smyth sixty-five years ago. He arrived here from Northern Ireland in' 1856, and became one of the early-day, wagoners in Otago. He had the contract for carting the timber for the original mole at Otago Heads.- Mr Smyth, who predeceased his wife nineteen years ago, kept a livery' stable • at Port Chalmers in later years, and drove the Sunday bus between Port Chalmers and Dunedin for twenty-two years. Mrs Smyth had a family \of . twelve children, and is survived by Mr James Smyth, Port Chalmers; Mrs JWelsh, Dunedin; Mr Alfred Smyth,Dunedin; Mrs George Coutts, Dunedin; Mrs Charles ’Clark, Lyttelton; and Mrs Edward Gilder, Oran. There are twenty-eight grandchildren and twenty-eight great-grandchildren. v Mrs Smyth was present at the . recent historical ceremony at the Kaik, and was ■ presented to the Governor-General, who was greatly interested to hear that Mrs Smyth was born before the first immigrant shipi arrived in Otago Harbour. . , . Among those persons staying at the Grand Hotel are Mr Bernard Reynolds (London), Mr and Mrs A. F. White,; , Messrs A. D. Briggs and G. Robertson (Wellington), Mr and Mrs L., Wilding, Mrs Nat and Misses C. and R. Woods (Christchurch). The guest list at the Excelsior Hotel includes Mr and Mrs F, C. Douglas (Surrey, England), Professor and Mrs , A. B. Taylor (Hobart, Tasmania), Mr, R. N. Worrell (Melbourne), Mr N. E. Gillespie (Auckland), Messrs J. L.i Mechaelis and. M. Ollivier (Christchurch), Mrs and Miss MTlwnck (Timaru), Mr and Mrs F. W. Duncan (Alexandra), and the Hon. D. T. Fleming (Balclutba). . City Hotel visitors include Mr IVj Shaw (Auckland), Mr H. Taylor (Wellington), Messrs F. J. Robertson and W. E. Barnett (Timaru), Mr C. E.Hewat (Oamaru), and Mr and Mrs A. Clark (Miltonj.