PERSONAL ITEMS

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 2 September 1931, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr. M. Geddes, who has been secretary of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society, left to-day' for Oatlins River to take up an appointment under the Otago Education Board.

Mr. Arthur Morton, Egmont Village, president of the National Dairy Association, left yesterday morning for Wellington, where he will give evidence to-morrow before the economic committee of Parliament on matters affecting the dairy industry.

Leave of absence on account of ill— I ness was granted last night by the House of Representatives for four days to Mr. J. S. Fletcher, Independent member for Grey Lynn, and for three days to Mr. R. McKeen, Labour member for Wellington South. Mr A. H. Corey, manager of Messrs Lightband and WannJ Ltd., Hawera, who nas accepted a position as business manager of the Hodgson. Motor Transport Co., Wellington, was farewellcd by members of the Huia Lodge of Oddfellows at Hawera this morning. Mr Corey' Later left by the mail train. The death occurred, at the Sacred Heart Convent, Wanganui, on Thurjday', after a long illness, of one of tho best-known of the Sisters of St. Joseph —Sister Mary Elizabeth. She was the daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Gallagher, of Grey'town, and is survived by several sisters, one of whom is Mrs B. Bennett (Hawera). Entering the Wanganui Convent 32 years ago, Sister M. .Elizabeth was stationed at various periods at the convents in Hastings, Pa tea, Manaia, Waipawa, St. Mary’s, | Wanganui, and Ohakune. Mr. Alan Thom, an old boy of the | Auckland Grammar School, will leave to-day for France, where he will spend | a year on the staff of a school in Vendome as teacher of English conversation. Mr. Thom is a member of the staff of the Murchison District High School, and leave of absence has been granted him. It is Mr. Thom’s purpose to continue his study of the drench language, particularly the old Anglo-French, in which he is specially interested. There is no regular system of exchange of teachers between i France and English-speaking countries but the French Department of Educa-1 tion welcomes teacher visitors, whose! services in teaching English are de-' sired. The initial arrangements fori Mr. Thorn’s visit were made through authorities in London.

A greatly respected minister and expresident of the New Zealand Methodist Conference, the Rev. Thomas George Brooke, died at his residence, Mount Eden, in his 82nd year. Mr. Brooke rendered service in his church in many capacities, but most notably as general secretary of its home mission department from its creation in 1909 until his retirement from active duty in 1924, at the age of 75. Born at Wargrave, Berkshire, in December, 1849, Mr. Brooke began to preach and study for the ministry at Whitehaven, Cumberland, in 1875. Three years later he was selected by the Rev. James Buller for work in New Zealand, and arrived in Auckland in December, 1878. In 1906 Mr. Brooke was president of the conference and was a representative at three general conferences in Australia .before the New Zealand Church became fully autonomous.