PERSONAL ITEMS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 October 1924, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr J. L. Mander has been appointed works manager of the Taranaki Acid and Fertiliser Works at Smart road. Mr H. E. Halliwell, of Auckland, arrived in Hawera to-day, where he will spend about a fortnight calling upon old friends. An Auckland exchange announces the engagement'of Miss Mina Caldow the well-known contralto, formerly of Wellington and! Dundin, to Mr H. W. Fiddles, barrister, of Auckland, and formerly of Hawera. Mr Fiddes was for about two years a member of the staff of Messrs Halliwell, Spratt and Thomson, and left their** employ about three years ago to commence practice in Auckland. A well-known resident of the Mariawatu district in the person of Mr Aaron Passey passed away at the Palmerston North Hospital on Saturday at the age of 70 years. Deceased, who was a native of Shropshire, came to I\ew Zealand 19 years ago. As an exhibitor in the roots division at various A. and P. shows (states the Manawatu Standard) Mr Passey was very. successful, winning a valuable shield and) two cups in addition to numerous other P r i^ es - His Joss both as a member and an. exhibitor will be regretted by the local association. There are left to mourn their loss a widow, four sons and four daughters. The death took place at Napier last week of Mr. James Rochfort. He' came to New Zealand about 1849, but returned to Ehigland, and then came out again to settle in Nelson in 1852! Subsequently the late Mr. Rochfort was appointed district engineer under the West Coast Provincial Council, and he was responsible, with his brotber, for a great amount of exploration in the little-known regions bordering the ranges. A man of magnificent physique, he accomplished extraordinary feats of hardihood and .endurance in the course of surveying and opening up the wild fastnesses of the mountain country. One of Mr* Rochfert’s most famous exploits was his trip down the entire length of the Buller River, a stream then practically unknown. . There was no other way to traverse its precipitous valley, but the hazardous journey was successfully accomplished. These and other feats in the performance of hie every-day work caused his name to be permanently associated with the early exploration and development of the West Coast. He removed to .Napier in the early 70’s to take up private practice.