PERSONAL NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1923, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES

According to a London cablegram, General Ward Hutton is seriously ill. Mr A. E. Luttrell, architect, will return to Christchurch to-morrow. Messrs Bull and Arthur left this morning for W eriport. Dr Phillips, of the Health Department, returned from Hokitika on Saturday evening. A London cablegram announced the death of the Bev Prebendary WebbPeploe. He was born in 1837. General Gourand has been appointed Governor of Paris (stated a Paris cablegram). Mr Thompson, of the National Bank, arrived from Christchurch on Saturday and left this morning for Murchison. Mr L. Thompson, of Westport, returned from Christchurch on Saturday evening and left for Westport this morning. Mr and Mrs Stafford,. Messrs Williams, Bryant, and Stevenson, who have been on a motor tour of the Coast, left for Christchurch yesterday.

Mr Sholto Ferguson, formerly of the Union Bank, the. Assets Realisation Board, and the Waikato Farmers’ Auctioneering Company, Hamilton, has been appointed secretary to the New Zealand Breweries, Limited.

Mr J. S. Dickson, the member for Parnell, will now be senior Whip to the Reform Party, and Mr W Glenn, the member for Rangrtiker, will be second Whip.

The funeral of the. late Michael Hanrahan took place yesterday, the large attendance, included representatives of the Hokitika Druids’ Lodge. The services at St Patrick’s Churc and the graveside were conducted by Rev Father O’Regan, assisted by Rev Father Madden.

A presentation in the form of a leather suitcase, suitably inscribed was made in tliQ Christchurch lailway guards’ room to Storeman A. Shilletto by Mr J. W. Woodbury, stationmaster, on the occasion of his transfer to Greymouth. Speeches eulogising his good comradeship and 23 years service with the Christchurch stall were made by the stationmaster.

One of the largest attendances at a funeral in the Grey district was present on Saturday afternoon, when the remains of the late Andrew Baker, who was killed in the Liverpool Mine, were interred at the Greymouth Cemetery. The State Miners’ Union was fully represented, also League footballers, deceased being connected with the Rivals Club. The pall-bearers were:—Messrs Rothwell, Grieves, Richmond, Casey, Ryan, and Cooper. The Rev 4 j. Farnell conducted the sei-vice, and the Dead March was played by the Runanga Band.

On Saturday, Mr Gordon White was the recipient of a presentation from the Locomotive Branch of the Westland Railways. Mr White has resigned from, the Department in order to enter private business in Wellington. On behalf of the clerical staffs and Workshops Division 2, Mr H. McKeowen voiced the best wishes for his future success, and handed to him a well bound travelling bag. Mr G. D. Smart (Traffic) and Mr J. W. Bagley (Maintenance) added words of appreciation of the departing officer. Mr White will leave by the express tomorrow for Wellington.

Mr H. D. McKellar, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for Nelson, who is retiring from the Public Service on July 31, will then have had nearly 43 years’ service. He entered the Lands Department as a cadet at Auckland in 1881. After service in field and office he became Chief Draughtsman there in 1910 and at Wellington in 1915. He was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for Marlborough in 1917, and in 1919 was transferred to Nelson in a similar capacity, being also Conservator of Forests in. both districts, and since the State Forest Service became a separate department, continued as Conservator for Nelson district for statutory purposes (in an honorary capacity). Mr McKellar comes of a family whichc landed in New Plymouth amongst the pioneers of the Taranaki district, when times were troublous and the 1 wars were not finished with. Mr McKellar’s father (Mr D. M. McKellar) and bis uncle (Mr H. S. McKellar) were respectively Collector of Customs at Wellington and Secretary for the department at the time of their retiring.