PERSONAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12573, 7 August 1901, Page 6

PERSONAL.

Mr . Gow, the Commissioner of Trade and Commerce, purposes to , leave this colony on his mission i Augmffc 17. His first port of ; call will probably be Cape Town. Beyond that his . movements are uncertain. _ •- Mr Percy Smith, late Surveyor-General, arrived at Auckland yesterday from New Plymouth, and will sail this week in the Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly Sot the South Sea Islands. He goes to Raratonga to see Colonel Gudgeon, British Resident, and then, acting under the Colonel’s instructions, goto to Niue, where he is to remain for a couple of months or so in order to inaugurate the new system of Government'. On arriving at Niue, Mr Percy Smith will present to the King of Tonga, on behalf of the Governor, a gold medal from the Duke of Cornwall, similar to those presented to. the high chiefs of New Zealand and Cook Islands. Mr Smith expects to get . back to New Zealand in •bout four months’ time. Mr Cokbrook, of the Customs staff at Auckland, will leave by, the Government Bchponer Countess of Ranfurly ' for the Soith Sea Islands on business in connection with the establishment of Customs duties in the British-owned islands at which the Bchooner calls. The Revs Dr Erwin, Gibb and Dutton, the Hons H. Gourley and 0. C. Bowen, Dr Pomare, Messrs W. W. Collins, M.H.R., and C. A. C. Hardy, M.H.R., left for Wellington by the s. Tarawera yesterday. M. Jean Gerardy was a passenger by the etaroe steamer. , Mr F. Duval, manager for Mr P. R. Dix, arrived from Dunedin by last night’s express train.