Personal Notes

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1943, Page 4

Personal Notes

Mrs. A. Cameron, Murray Street, has been advised that her son James, who is serving with the New Zealand forces in the Middle East, has received a commission.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Higgins, Alexander Street, have been advised that their youngest son, Kevin, has been commissioned in the Royal Navy. After serving in New Zealand waters, he went to England, where he served in destroyers, and later took a course at the King Alfred Training School.

The King has appointed Captain B. A. Potjer, master of the Netherlands Indies hospital ship Oranje, an honorary member in the civil division of the Order of the British Empire, with the rank of commander. Captain Potjer has made several voyages to New Zealand in his hospital ship.— P.A.

The following are guests at the Albion Hotel:—Mrs A. R. McLeod (Balclutha); Mr and Mrs W. Shand, Messrs S. G. McFadden, P. T. O’Brien (Christchurch); W. Diedrich (Kokatahi), N Peat (Moana); V. O. Taylor, H. H. Thomas (Wellington), L. Gasson (Timaru); J .E. B. Wildey (Bruce Bay).

The ’ death has occurred of Mr Howell Young Widdowson, 0.8. E., a former Stipendiary Magistrate at Christchurch. He was educated at Christ’s College and Canterbury University College, and subsequently was articled to Dr. C. J. Foster and Mr F. Wilding. K.C. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1883, and commenced the practice of his profession in Christchurch in 1886. He was Senior Magistrate in Dunedin from 1905 to 1922, and for several years in Christchurch. He retired from the Bench in 1927.—P.A.

Mr Nash announced that the Cabinet had recently approved the retirement on superannuation of Judge 11. F. Ayson, Resident Commissioner and Chief Judge of the Cook Islands, with headquarters at Rarotonga. Judge Ayson’s service in the Cook Islands began in June, 1916, as a Judge of the Native Land Court and of the High Court, in 1922 he became resident commissioner, while retaining his other appointment, and so continued for 21 years, broken only by a year’s service with the Native Department in New Zealand in 193738, until he left Rarotonga on his retirement in September, 1943.—P.A.