PERSONAL ITEMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 2 May 1922, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Sir John Salmond, who represented New Zealand at the Washington Conference, has arrived in Sydney from England, en route to the Dominion. On account of the many matters of great importance wafting to be dealt with in New Zealand at present, Mr. Massey has' been reluctantly compelled to postpone his visit to Samoa At a gathering of Maoris at Ratana's last camp several prominent men were mentioned as candidates for the Maori seat at the coming election. Among them, Mr Geo. Broughton, farmer, of Patea, <__id_the Rev. R. T. Haddon. Both declined to accept nomination, and Ratana's son was chosen to contest the seat against Dr Pomare.

Mr J. C. Smith, of Smith and Easton, who recently was over in Bawke's Bay, says that the country is looking very well\ and that orchardists with whom his firm does business were disappointed with the yields of the stone fruits, which were suffering from a pest that very adversely affected the yield. Other fruits, he says, were particularly good this \ season, though in one or two localities apples were suffering. On the whole though the season was good.

, Mr Bert Rowe, son of Mr W. Rowo, and formerly a well-known resident ot Hawera, was in town for the week-end, and left for the north »n Monday. He i ia now farming near Tauranga, and reports that the country in that locality has been in great heart during the present season, better than for years past. Mr Rowe says that, like all other parts, the Bay of Plenty district is suffering from the bad times, but he is convinced that they will soon recover, and looks forward confidently to the future.

The death is reported in Dublin of Richard Croker, formerly the Tammany Hall boss. Tammany Hall was a political organisation in New York purporting to represent the Democratic Party. The first boss was Tweed, who, by frauds of unprecedented magnitude, got control of the chief offices and became the virtual ruler of New York. Tweed was sent to prison for twelve years, and was succeeded by Kelly and Croker. A committee of investigation found that Croker followed Tweed's methods of blackmail and corruption. Croker retired to Ireland in 1903, and Murphy succeeded him.

; At the Wellington Tramways Band concert on Sunday night the lady soloist for the evening was Mrs. M. J. Goodson, of Hawera, who possesses a pleasing soprano voice of wide range and good quality (says the Dominion). On her first appearance the iady sang with marked success Sir Arthur Sullivan's fine song "Orpheus With His Lute," and was equally happy in her encore number, "You in ai Gondola" (Coningsby Clark). The Hawera soprano, however, scored her greatest success with Teresa del Reigo's soulful composition, "0 Dry Those Tears," which was interpreted with iare charm. / The death took place at her residence, Feilding, last week, of Mrs. Margaret Worsfold, at the age of 86 years. Mr. and Mrs. Worsfold and their four sons came to New Zealand in the ship Ocean Mail, and reached the Feilding settlement in February, 1874. . Mr. Worsfold died twenty-two years ago. Tlie family were intimately connected with the early movements for the development of Feilding, and one son, Mr. Robert Worsfold, was the first superintendent of the Church of England there. Only a few months ago he died as the result of a motor collision in Palmerston. The surviving sons are Messrs Harry, George, and Edwin, all of Feilding.

On Friday last one of the largest and most successful dances was held in the Tokaora schoolroom, in honourof Miss H. Lavery, who is shortly to be married to Mr. Mannicks, of Ratapiko. The ch:ef event of the evening was the presentation by Mrs. J. Finlay, on behalf of the settlers, of a set of spoons and forks to the bride-elect. At the same time Mr. E. G. Woodley, for the Social Committee, presented her with a set of fish carvers. After a rousing "For she's a jolly good fellow" Mr. Mannicks, on behalf of Miss Lavery, thanked the Tokaora people for their most useful presents. During the evening a congratulatory telegram was received from Mr. J. Finlay and Mr. Luxton. Great credit is due to the ladies' committee, who made all the arrangements for the evening, and the lady M.C.'s, who kept tbe ball rolling till the early hours of the morning.

The excellence of the management and control at Hanmer Springs was enthusiastically commented on by Mi R. E. C. Dowling, who returned a few days ago after seven weeks' treatment there, Mr Dowling paid a high tribute to the whole of the arrangements. He said that the idea of the medical authorities was to keep all who were securing treatment occupied in one way or another, and with that in view the day was mapped out so that each part was well filled with some work or occupation of interest. While there Mr Dowhng did a considerable amount of walking, and was in the mountain country on several occasions. He was enthusiastic in his appreciation of tbe wonderful scenery in the vicinity an d the springs and the mountains to the

Mr. George Jones, of Petone, who died on Frjday last at the age of 76 was an engineer w^th a world-.vide repuI tation. Born at IWord, Essex, after serving his apprenticeship as an engTtht 1' w° £ ame **., Australia. *** built [the Brisbane railway station and a Walt If aA EmU Pkin ' New So«th Waes He then came over to New Zealand and established a foundry at Nelson for Messrs Edmonds, Bennett, and Symonds and afterwards acted as engineer to the company. Coming to Wellington he built the first gasholder at Courtenay Place in 1871, and was afterwards m charge of the erection of the patent slip at Evans Bay, of which he wa.s the first engineer in charge. He served with the Wellington Harbour Board for some time, and then joined the New Zealand Railways at Petone i and was transferred to Westport Re- I turning to Petone after an absence of i six years he commenced business as a | wood and coal merchant in 1897 He leaves a widow and eight children, 22 i grandchildren, and four great-orand- i children.