PERSONAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 July 1938, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A Chinese student, Mr. W. Wah, won the Victoria College Debating Society’s 32nd annual Plunket Medal oratory contest for a prepared speech at the Town Hall on Saturday night. Mr. Wall’s subject was “Wiremu Tamahana, the Maori Kingmaker.” Messrs. E. W. Edgeley and A. K. Derry were placed second and third of eight speakers.

Mr. C. C. Odlin, of Wellington, managing director of the C. and A. Odlin Timber and Hardware Company, Ltd., arrived at Auckland on Saturday to join his brother, Mr. A. E. Odlin, director of the firm’s Auckland business, and Mrs. A. E, Odlin, who will leave for Vancouver by the Aorangi to-morrow. They expect to return to New Zealand in September.

Mr. H. R. Thomson, of the staff of Wairarapa College, has been notified of his appointment to the position of A grade English teacher at the Education Department Correspondence School, Wellington. Mr. Thomson has been connected with the Wairarapa High School (now Wairarapa College) for about 12 years. He is an experienced dramatist and has been responsible for many of the high school’s stage productions.

The death occurred at the Greytown Hospital, yesterday afternoon, of Mr. William Wilson Bird, aged 88 years. The deceased gentleman, who was at first employed by the late Mr. Alexander Sutherland, of Lyall Bay, Wellington, in 18(54, came to “Ngaipu,” Hinakura, in 187-1, where he worked for the sons of Messrs William and David Sutherland, now both deceased, and up to the time of his death for the sons of the late David Sutherland, Alexander and Kenneth. Altogether, for a period of 74 years, he was in the employ of the one family, which is claimed to be a New Zealand record.