PERSONAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 256, 26 September 1933, Page 6

PERSONAL.

Mr C. H. Knight, advance representative for Dante the Magician, is in Palmerston North making arrangements for the appearance here next month of this clever entertainer. The congregation of the Onehunga Presbyterian Church has decided to approach the Auckland Presbytery aud urge that Rt. Rev. D. D. Scott, their minister, and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, be allowed to continue at Onehunga. Mr Scott has received a call to Khandallah, Wellington, and, in a statement to the congregation, he expressed the view that it was his duty to accept the call to Kliandallah. One of the best known figures of Whangarei lias been removed by the death of Mr James Brake, senr., in his 78th- year. His parents, fanners of Somersetshire, emigrated to New Zealand when deceased was a lad of eight years. As a young man Mr Brake was connected with the scheme which resulted in the breaking-in of the Canterbury Plains. Mr Brake later purchased a small farm at Mayfield, being one of the first settlers in that district. In 189 S he established Brake’s stables, the largest in Christchurch. He sold his interest in 1907 and lived in retirement until 1910, when, with his family, lie moved north to purchase a block of 1100 acres near Pakotai. A disastrous flood in 1917, which meant ruin to many settlers in the Mangakaliia Valley, destroyed the enterprise of years and the Brake homestead was carried away, fences were lowered, and most of the stock drowned. Mr Brake continued in occupation of the ruined property until the return of his eldest son from the war, and after 1919 lived in virtual retirement. He .was predeceased by his first wife in 1925, and last year he married Mrs Western, who with two sons, Godfrey Frank (Titoki) and Leonard James (Aka Aka), and two daughters, Mrs K. Bettle (Palmerston North) and Miss Gladys Brake, of the literary staff of the Sydney Sun, are left to mourn their loss.