PERSONAL ITEMS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 April 1927, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

The death of John Bernard O’Hara, the poet, is reported in a Press Association cablegram from Melbourne. Mr J. Robertson, first- assistant secretary of the Postal Department, and Mr. J. McDiarmid, district telegraph engineer, of "Wellington, were expected to arrive in Hawera this afternoon. They will spend the night at the Central Hotel. Last week Mr P. Fraser, M.P., in the course of hi® tour on behalf of the Labour Party, .spoke at various centres on the Main Trunk line inland fioni Stratford. He was given a good hearing at all the places where he spoke.

A vote of condolence with the relation® of Air “Bert” Pettie, a Rugby referee who met his death bv accident last .season, was passed at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union last evening, the delegates standing m si-’ence.

Appreciation of the great work done by Air W. H. Skinner, of New Plymouth, in the interests of the Polynesian Society, wa® shown at Wellington last week, when lie was re-elected president for 1927. Mr Skinner took up and carried on successfully the office on the death of Mr S. Percy Smith, who. held the office for many years.

Pleasing .reference to the high standard of the work of the .secretary of the Taranaki Rugby Union, Mr S. E. Nielson, was made at the annual meeting of delegates last night. Delegates remarked on the excellence of the balance sheets prepared by Mr Nielson since his taking over the work. A motion expressing the union’s appreciation of his services was carried, and it was decided to grant Mr Nielson a bonus of ten guineas.

The death is recorded on Sunday of a very old resident of Auckland, Mr E". Wl Burgess, formerly for many years a well-known member of the staff of the Auckland Harbour Board. He was a son of the late Captain J. J. Burgess, harbourmaster from 1850 to 1894, and born in Auckland in 1853. He joined the Harbour Board in 1871, and saw many of the big development works in connection with the harbour completed, continuing with the board until his retirement in 1912. Mr G. A. Burgess, of Hawera, and Mr C. H. Burgess, of New Plymouth, are brothers of the deceased.

Messrs Rod Syme, agricultural instructor, and McKinney, organising teacher for the Taranaki Education Board, have made a tour of the country schools at Whangamomona, Ivoliuratalii. Tangarakau. Wharehuia, and round the district in connection with school garden work. They found the roads pretty bad after the recent wet weather, and had to use chains on their car on most of the by-roads. They report that much good work is being dorie by teachers and pupils, all of whom take a keen interest in that part of the work of the school. Yesterday Mr Svme left for Moeroa, inland from EVtliam. to visit the country .schools in that area.