Personal Notes

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 April 1943, Page 4

Personal Notes

Mrs. A. Milne left this morning, on return to Waimate.

Mr. and Mrs. E. Thompson left today on return to Christchurch.

Driver J. Mathews left this morning on return to camp.

Mr. C. J. Strongman returned from the North Island to-day.

Mr. J. Ryall, M.L.C., was a passenger by this morning’s express for Christchurch.

Superintendent L. L. Ross, of the Hokitika Fire Brigade, has been elected a vice-president of the United Fire Brigades’ Association.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kellett, M.P., was killed while in action with the Eighth Army. He was awarded the D.S.O. in January.

Rev. W. Bell, formerly vicar of Cobden and Reel'ton, and for the past eight years vicar of Takaka, has resigned and has transferred to the Waikato diocese.

Mr R. L. Matson, shipping clerk on the staff of the Railways Department at Greymouth, has been transferred to the position of clerk at Hokitika. He succeeds Mr J. P. Quinn, who has been appointed stationmaster at Amberley.

The Collectoi- of Customs states that seventh period import licenses will be granted for the importation from Australia of currants and raisins up to the value of imports of these goods from the same source in 1942.

A London cablegram states that Wing Commander E. P. Wells, D. 5.0., D.F.C., and Bar had return to England after visiting New Zealand. He spent a fortnight in America visiting aircraft factories and then flew the Atlantic.

Air Marshal Sir Douglas C. S. Evill has been appointed Vice-Chief of the Air Staff and an additional member of the Air Council in place of Air-Vice-Marshal C. E. H. Medhurst. Air Marshal Evill succeeded Air Marshal Harris as head of the R.A-F. delegation, to Washington in February, 1942.

Guests at Revingtons include: Mr W., Keenleyside, Mr K. Boon, Mr J. C. Pirritt (Christchurch): Mrs S. George (Auckland); Mrs E. M. Findlay, Miss N. B. Ackland, Mrs P. J. Ackland (Wellington); Mr J. L. Brown (Lower Hutt); Lieut. R. J. James, Lieut. Fortune (U.S. Navy); Mr A. W. Satchwell (Westport).

The following are guests at the Albion Hotel: Mrs. I. Sheehan. Messrs. S. M. Le Petit, J. G. Gregor, F. Lyman, S. Percy (Christchurch); Misses R. Burns, M. Dixon, M. Gray (Timaru); Messrs. L. H. Patterson Cromwell); J. Denitzio (Nelson); L. Richards, F. Duncan (Wellington): M. Thorpe (Dunedin); L. M. White (Auckland).

Mr. F. S. Dyson, district engineer of the Public Works Department, in 'uck-land, has been e'iven approval to retire as from April 20. He joined the Public Works Department in 1900 qs an engineer cadet. After nine months in the head office in Wellington he was sent to the West Coast, and until 1905 was engaged in railway surveys and construction from Reefton to Westport, Greymouth to Coal Creek for the opening of State mines. Ngahere to Blackball, and Hokitika to Ross.

A Sydney cablegram announced the death of Mr. Thomas Walsh, the stormy petrel of the Australian Seamen’s Union of 20 years ago. He was born in Ireland, and was in his seventy-fourth year. As Secretary of the Seamen’s Union he took a loading part in the big strike of 1925, and was later ordered to be deported. He challenged the order which was milled to be ultra vires. Subsequently he sued the Government for £20,000 for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment. He was awarded £25. In 1937 Mr. Walsh wont to Japan as the guest of the Japanese Government.

The death has occurred at Sydney of Sir Philip Goldfinch, K.8.E., general manager of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, in his sixtieth year. Sir Philip Goldfinch was the son of the late Lieutenant H. E. Goldfinch, R.N., of Christchurch, New Zealand. ' He was born in England, but went to Australia at an early age. and was educated at the Sydney Grammar School. He joined the Colonial Sugar Refining Company in 1902. He was member of the Legislative Assembly for Gordon, New South Wales, resigning his seatin 1937. He was created K.B.E. in 1934.

Associated with the butcher - ’’ trade in Christchurch for more than 70 years, Mr. F. H. Steel, of the firm of F. H. Steel, Ltd., died in Christchurch, yesterday. He first entered the trade at the age of 12 years, and was actively engaged in business until early this year, when his health began to fail. Mr. Steel was 85 years of age. Born in Yorkshire, Mr. Steel arrived in New Zealand from Melbourne before 1870. Flags were flown at half-mast at the Addington market yesterday as a mark of respect to Mr. Steel who had attended the Addington sales for many years, and was recognised as the oldest butcher operating actively at the yards.