PERSONAL ITEMS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 14 February 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

A London message states that Dame •Melba is seriously ill with influenza at Monte Carlo. There has been a, big outbreak of influenza at Monte Carlo, and Madame Melba has been in bed for a week, but is now improving. N Miss E. M. Ballantyne, of the New Plymouth Girls' High School, was awarded a Taranaki Scholarship at the recent university examination, this making two such scholarships to the honour of the school. The death occurred last week of an old identity of the Wairarapa in the person of Mr Henry Fair Smith: The deceased, who .was 84 years of age, arrived'in the Dominion in 1841. At the meeting of the TaranakrAgricultural Society on Saturday, a resolution of condolence was passed with the relatives of the late Mr W. Blair in ( their bereavement. * News has been received in Inglewood of the death at Beira, South Africa, of Mr Holden Hamerton, eldest son* of the late Mr T. E. Hamerton. He1 was 55 years of age, and leaves a widow and grown-up family at the Cape. He left New Zealand about twenty years ago for South Africa, where he was engaged in the printing and publish- , ing business. He died suddenly on [Christmas Day of heart disease. !' ran The name of the new Minister of h r? u« M 8 not yet been announced officially, but it is practically certain that the portfolio will go to the Hon. fcr. J. Anderson, who is also Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr Anderson has been. Acting-Minister of Labour since the departure Sir William Herries. Mr S. Si Dean, ' manager of the v South British Insurance Company, met with a painful accident whilst'acting yas starter to one of the races 4 it the Underwriters' picnic, held ai>:Day's Bay on Thursday (says the Dohiinion). It was the lighted candle race, and Mr Dean was striking a wooden match to light a candle for a competitor, when ■ the head flew off and AnWarl life i-ioi,+.

, eye. Some pieces of the match-head were removed from the white of the i eye at the bay, and Mr Dean returned !by an early boat to town. He is now hi the Bowen Street hospital, and is . making such a good recovery that he will very likely be about again in a few days. Mr D. S. Columb, who died at DunI edin recently, was the youngest son of Mr C. Columb, Roslyn. He will be remembered by many returned soldiers in Taranaki as Officer ' Commanding of j 2nd Wellington in France. He was a native of Dunedin, and was educated .at the Christian Brothers' School. At the time of hie death he was district

• manager of the A.M.P. Society, at Palmerston North. He went with the 17th Reinforcements as Officer Commanding of the Pakeha's portion, and served continuously till the end. of the war returning in May, 1919, with the rank of major. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward have given up their flat at Harewood House, i Hanover Square, and are staying at -the Victoria Hotel, Northumberland i Avenue (writes a London correspohd- ■'■ ent under date December 24): With t their two sons they will be the guests ?[ s J£y J<*n and Lady Skerburn over . the Christmas holidays at Branling- ! ham Thorpe, Doncaster, a famous old country house, formerly owned by Sir M. Sykee, who frequently entertained , the late King Edward there. For the past few weeks Sir Joseph and Lady i Ward have been busy fulfilling their many social engagements, and it will ' probably be well on in January before ■■■ they^ take up their, residence in the South of .France.