PERSONAL NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 May 1913, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES

the Auclahd Presbytery, ;h£s aceeptect a call to: St. '■■ John's ' Greymouth, so states:a telegram which -Mr C. Ring, sessions clerk, has received.

Mr H. G. Bedell, secretary of the Westport Bowling Club; is 'leaving [ for "Nelson, where he, will reside in future. Mr T. Keenan,,of Greymouth, has been elected.a vice-president of the. Catholic Federation of New. Zealand,.,

Mr Joseph Grimmond, Chairman of the Westland -County Council, leaves in a few days for Otago, proceeding by way of South Westland and Okuru;

Cr. S. R.. Ferguson was appointed yesterday by -the. Westland County Council to the Westland Charitable Aid Board in the stead of T. J. McGulgan, resigned.

It is stated in well-informed circles in Dunedin thatMr W. Belcher will in all probability be a candidate for Parliamentary honuors at the next general election.' Mr W. S. Ferguson, lately of the Dunedin Public Works Department's 'staff, who has been appointed chief clerk at the Greymouth office, arrived in town per Otira express last, evening. The engagement is announced of Mr J. H. Keddie, of this town, •to Miss Elsie Hempseed, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Hempseed, of Hobart, Tasmania.^ The Hon. James Allen, Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence, is expected to return to New Zealand on June 3rd- He is coming via Vancouver to Aucland. ,-'•'

Mr R. Scott, M.P. for Otago Central, stated yesterday, in response to a hearty welcome extended to him by the Mayor of Ross, his intention of again visiting (.he Coast at the Jubilee celebrations in Tanuary next. Mr C. W. Cooke, having regained good health, ■- resumed charge of the Public Trust Office, Greymouth, on Monday last. Mr M. Chesney,'of the head office', who had been relieving him, left on his return to Wellington per Otira express this morning.

A telegram states that Mr James Garnet, Mayor of Hastings, died last night, iged 57 years. He underwent an operation for appendicitis three weeks ago. He was a member of a .number of local bodies vnd was first elected Mayor in 1911. He was returned unopposed for two successive terms. He leaves a widow and five sons.

A very pleasing function took place at Christchurch on Saturday when Mr C. D. Morris, who is well known on the West Coast, and who has for the past twenty-six years been associated with Messrs Shand and Co., severed his connection with the firm. The' firm presented Mr Morris with a handsome silver salver suitably inscribed, as a mark of their appreciation of his long and faithful service. Mr Morris has become a partner in the firm of Messrs E. W. Roper and

: Mr George Brown, who is making the oassage. by the s.s. Arahura to Wellington, en route to, Auckland, met with a nasty mishap on the steamer yesterday. He had just come up the companion way sf the steamer, and was standing near the winch when he slipped, falling heavily on to the deck. He sustained a severe laceration of the face, with the result that he had to secure medical aid. He is confined to his bed to-day. Mr H. J. H. Blow (Under-Secretary of Pubic Works), accompanied by his daughter, left Wellington for Sydney by the Willochra. Mr Blow will represent the New Zealand Mines Department .at the mnual Australasian Minnig Congress vhich is to be held this year at Broken Hill. The sittings are to extend from May to June 4th. The Congress will be tttended by representatives of the Mines Departments in the various Australasian States, and by mining engineers from all carts of Australasia. Mrs R. J. Seddon is at present on a visit to Auckland. . On Tuesday morning, iccompanied by the Chairman of the Eduction Board (Mr G. J. Garland), Mrs Seddon paid a visit to the Seddon Menorial College, in Wellesley Street. Amingst other things pointed out to Mrs >eddon was a bust, in marble of the late Prime Minister, a replica, presented by Mrs Seddon herself to the College, and a ;ery fine drawing, in crayons, purchased 'ry the Board. The pictures hang on sither side of the main entrance, and the narble bust is being mounted on a grante stand. Mrs Seddon expressed to the Chairman her great appreciation of vhat the Board was doing to perpetuate l he meniorv of her late husband.

Mr W. Revington arrived in town last wenin.g, after an absence of several years. \fter serving his appdenticeship in the Dispatch Foundry, he proceeded to the United Kingdom'for the purpose of gain;ng experience. After \spencHing some time at Home, during which he obtained his chief engineer's ticket, he secured positions on various steamers, so that he has visited many different parts of the world. Mr Revington arrived in NewZealand by the R.M.S. Ruapehu a fortnight ago,' and since then has visited his -nother at Auckland. He arrived in Greymouth last evening, to spend a short time here renewing old acquaintances.

The Hon. W. H. Hemes, Minister for Railways and Native Affairs, left Greynouth yesterday bv special train for Ross, accompanied bv Messrs T. E. Y. Seddon, G. J. Anderson'and R. Scott, M.P.'s, T. Ronavne (General Manager of Railways), H. Brixton (Chief Traffic Manager), J. 3>irnett (Chief Engineer for Working Railways), Bevin (local district traffic Manager), and other officials of the Railway Department. After visiting Ross, the party returned to Hokitika, where the Minister'was entertained last night. This morning Kumara and district was visited, Greymouth being reached this afternoon. Mr Joseph Grimmond, in the course of his monthly chairman's report to the Westland County Council yesterday, eaid : •'I learn with regret that it is proposed to retire Captain A. Richards, Inspector if Mines for this district, at the end of next month, and that the local • Mines Office will be closed. Captain Richards has proved an earnest and painstaking officer, and has served the Department and the industry faithfully. He will be greatly missed, and on behalf of the_ Council and the mining community at large, I wish to express appreciation of his ready and generous services at all times in any matter affecting the advancement of the mining industry. The closing of the office will be a general inconvenience and in view of Captain Richard's activities, and his usefulness as a public officer, I would like to see an effort made to retain him in office for an extended term, for a year at least, and I will have pleasure in assisting in such representations to the Government."

Captain Richards, Inspector of Mines, is in receipt of the following from the Mines Department: "By direction of the Minister of Mines I have to advise you that, in accordance with the rules of the Service it has been decided to retire you on superannuation as from 30th September next, as you will then have reached (he age of 65 years. You have been granted three months' leave of absence on retirement, so that you will be relieved of your duties on 30th June proximo. In conveying to you this intimation, the Minister desires me to express his appreciation of the efficient manner in which you have discharged your duties as Inspector of Mines for the Westland,District, and formerly as Assistant Inspector at Westport; also to thank you for your long period of faithfgul service in tbe Department. The Secretary of the Pubnc Service -Superannuation Board will be duly advised of your proposed retirement and asked to make the necessary arrangements to enable you to draw your annuity from the Fund.—J. G. H. Blow, Under-Secretary for Mines."