PERSONAL ITEMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 24 March 1922, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

A London cable states that the King; is much better, but remains indoors during the present wintry spell.

Mr. J. H. Barber, of Toko Road, has. passed the first section of the B.A. degree, which he sat for in Novemberlast. *

Advice was received in Christchurck last night that Len Heg'arty, a wellknown cross-country horseman, died in< V\ estport hospital yesterday from spinal, meningitis.

Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Lynskey and£ family were farewelled by a number of friends at the Hawera railway statioa. this morning. They left en route forChristchurch

Mr. C- R. K. dimming, whose business suffered so severely in the recent;, fire, intends shortly to leave Eithara. to take up his residence in Christchurch. —Argus. '

At the age of 102 years, Owen O'Neill,. Goulburn's oldest resident, died at. Kmgsdale on March 6. He spent 65i years in the district, going to Australia in 1857 from Cork. He was engaged in grazing pursuits until 13 years ago. Heleft ten children. His.Vife died 30' years ago.

Miss M. Davies has been appointedmatron of the Palmerston North hospital, in succession to Miss McLagan, who has retired. The appointee received her early training at Palmerston, thence at Otira Gorge and Akaroa. She* had a lengthy, war service, being twoyears in a casualty clearing station in. France. On her return to New Zealand, she nursed at the Trentham military hospital, but lately was in private prac—/ tice.

Miss Mary Downes, a member of theNew Plymouth, branch of the Victoria. League, has won a. photographic competition for junior associates of the Empire, organised by Professor Hallam, of Harrow, the organising- secretary of the - junior associates. Miss Downes received news of her success by mail lastweek. Her entry was a number of views of the district, upon which the judge commented very favourably, especially upon the manner in which the photos . were arranged. ■ :,-'

One of New Zealand's pioneers passed away in the person of Mr. S. La Trobe, who died at Parnell, Auckland, in his83rd year. The late Mr. La Trobe came out in 1862 in the. ship Hanover. After spending some time in the north he engaged in business in Auckland. On the outbreak of the Waikato war he served as a volunteer throughout all the opera. . tions of the Maori Tvar in the Waikato. He won the war medal,, and also the New Zealand medal. Immediately after •N the war he took up farming in the Wai-^ kato, where he resided for twenty years, and afterwards went into business at Henderson, retiring to live at Takapuna. ~ sixteen years ago. He has been connected with the Baptist Tabernacle and. the V.M.C.A. movement in Auckland for - many years. Mr. La Trobe is survived by his widow, two- sons and one daughter.

The death occurred at Wellington on Wednesday of Mr. William Gill; for many years one of the best known figures in fire insurance circles in New" Zealand. The late Mr. Gill, who was late branch manager of the Alliance Assurance Company, was born at Dudley, England. After service in South: Staffordshire, he removed to the Cleveland district, in the North of England, w.here he was for many years connected with the iron trade of that important centre. In 1879, having been, engagedas commissioner to take evidence—in Australia on important law cases be^ tween the South Australian Government and a manufacturing company" in England, Mr. Gill paid a flying yisifcto New Zealand, and it was then h» first formed the love for the colony which caused him to make his home in New Zealand. Arriving with his family in Auckland some years later, he joined the South British Insurance Company, and went to Capetown and Johannesburg. Returning to New Zealand, he was appointed manager of the Union Fire and; Marine InsuranceCompany in 1892. Mr. Gill always took an interest in musicaL rriatters. He was for some years a town, councillor" in Middlesborough, England. Being ian/' kcitrsfe member of the Anglican Church, he was elected to tho vestry of' St. Peters, and was one of its representatfves on the Diocesan Synod and! also "the General Synod of New Zealand. He was a member of th<»Masonic fraternity. He retired fronv the-Alliance Assurance Company, Ltd., in 1909, and had since lived, quietly ii*« Wellington.